Nick Emmanwori, the South Carolina safety, made waves at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, impressing scouts and analysts alike with his incredible 43-inch vertical jump.
While his performance caught everyone’s attention, many are wondering whether it ranks as the best vertical jump in NFL Combine history. Let’s take a look at how his jump compares to the all-time leaders in this event.
Nick Emmanwori’s jaw-dropping 43-inch vertical will leave you in awe
The evolution of the NFL Combine vertical jump
The NFL Combine vertical jump has been a key measure of athleticism for decades. Since its inception in the 1980s, the event has allowed scouts to evaluate a player’s lower-body strength and explosiveness-traits essential for success in the NFL.
Athletes have used their vertical jump performances to enhance their draft prospects, with some remarkable feats standing out in Combine history.
Top performances in NFL Combine history
Over the years, numerous athletes have made their mark with jaw-dropping vertical jumps. The top jump in Combine history belongs to Gerald Sensabaugh, a free safety from North Carolina, who set the bar with a 46-inch leap at the 2005 Combine.
Other elite athletes such as Derek Wake (45 1/2 inches) and Chris Conley (45 inches) also etched their names into Combine lore. While Emmanwori’s 43-inch jump is outstanding, it doesn’t surpass these legendary performances, landing just outside the top 10.
Nick Emmanwori’s jaw-dropping 43-inch jump
Despite not reaching the pinnacle of all-time vertical jumps, Emmanwori’s performance was remarkable in its own right. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 220 pounds, his 43-inch leap was the best recorded by any player over 200 pounds, according to Next Gen Stats.
Emmanwori’s combination of size, strength, and explosiveness has left scouts buzzing, and his performance undoubtedly boosted his draft stock.
Emmanwori’s overall combine performance
In addition to his eye-popping vertical jump, Emmanwori posted a blistering 4.38-second 40-yard dash, further highlighting his speed and athleticism. But his achievements didn’t stop there-Emmanwori earned a perfect 10.00 Real Athletic Score (RAS), an unofficial metric that measures a player’s overall athleticism.
His RAS score was the best among all safeties at the Combine and marked the highest RAS for a strong safety in Combine history, dating back to 1987.
Emmanwori’s future in the NFL
While Emmanwori’s 43-inch vertical jump may not go down as the best in Combine history, it has certainly put him on the radar of NFL teams. His exceptional athleticism, combined with a successful college career at South Carolina, has made him one of the most highly anticipated players in the 2025 NFL Draft. With such impressive physical attributes and a standout college career, Emmanwori is expected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
In the world of NFL scouting, it’s clear that Nick Emmanwori has shown that he’s a force to be reckoned with.
