UCONN S Obi Melifonwu Had The Top Weight-Adjusted Vertical At 2017 Combine

by Chase Stuart on April 11, 2017

Being able to jump high might be useful for a safety

Let’s begin with the most remarkable of today’s feats: Myles Garrett is getting pretty good at this number two thing. After finishing second in the weight-adjusted 40 and second in the height and weight adjusted bench press, Garrett has again finished second in a combine drill, this time the weight-adjusted vertical.

When it comes to the vertical jump, weight is by far the most important thing that matters. For every additional 16.7 pounds a player weights, his expected vertical declines by one inch. That’s because the best-fit formula for projecting the vertical jump at the 2017 combine was 46.38 – 0.0597 * weight (pounds). Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu weighed 224 pounds in Indianapolis, which would project him to jump an even 33 inches if he was average at this drill.

Well, Melifonwu was anything but average. He jumped an incredible 44 inches: for comparison’s sake, Florida State / Jacksonville safety Jalen Ramsey had a 41.5 inch vertical last year, tied for the most of any player at the 2016 combine. And that was at 209 pounds. Melifonwu was 15 pounds heavier and jumped 2.5 inches higher. That’s a remarkable feat, and brings to mind some of the great verticals from the 2015 combine.

And while Melifonwu was 11 inches better than expected, Garrett was right on his heels at +10.9 inches. Garrett weighed 272 pounds at the combine, but still jumped an insane 41 inches. That’s only three fewer inches than Melifonwu at 48 pounds heavier. Now because the average player lost 16.7 inches for every pound, that makes Melifonwu’s jump just slightly better, but the two of them were far ahead of the rest of the pack. Below are the full results:

Rk	Name	College	Pos	Wt	Vert	Exp Vert	Diff
1	Obi Melifonwu	Connecticut	S	224	44.0	33.0	11.0
2	Myles Garrett	Texas A&M	DE	272	41.0	30.1	10.9
3	Speedy Noil	Texas A&M	WR	199	43.5	34.5	9.0
4	Bucky Hodges	Virginia Tech	TE	257	39.0	31.0	8.0
5	Robert Davis	Georgia State	WR	219	41.0	33.3	7.7
6	Jonnu Smith	Florida International	TE	248	38.0	31.6	6.4
7	Alvin Kamara	Tennessee	RB	214	39.5	33.6	5.9
8	Tyus Bowser	Houston	LB	247	37.5	31.6	5.9
9	David Njoku	Miami	TE	246	37.5	31.7	5.8
10	T.J. Watt	Wisconsin	LB	252	37.0	31.3	5.7
11	Daeshon Hall	Texas A&M	DE	266	36.0	30.5	5.5
12	Gerald Everett	South Alabama	TE	239	37.5	32.1	5.4
13	Kevin King	Washington	CB	200	39.5	34.4	5.1
14	Solomon Thomas	Stanford	DE	273	35.0	30.1	4.9
15	Blair Brown	Ohio	LB	238	37.0	32.2	4.8
16	Malachi Dupre	LSU	WR	196	39.5	34.7	4.8
17	Nico Siragusa	San Diego St.	OG	319	32.0	27.3	4.7
18	Bug Howard	North Carolina	WR	221	37.5	33.2	4.3
19	Haason Reddick	Temple	DE	237	36.5	32.2	4.3
20	Josh Jones	N.C. State	S	220	37.5	33.2	4.3
21	Fadol Brown	Mississippi	DE	273	34.0	30.1	3.9
22	Fabian Moreau	UCLA	CB	206	38.0	34.1	3.9
23	Larry Ogunjobi	North Carolina Charlotte	DT	305	32.0	28.2	3.8
24	Elijah Qualls	Washington	DT	313	31.5	27.7	3.8
25	Shaquill Griffin	Central Florida	DB	194	38.5	34.8	3.7
26	Marshon Lattimore	Ohio St.	CB	193	38.5	34.9	3.6
27	Christopher Carson	Oklahoma St.	RB	218	37.0	33.4	3.6
28	Evan Engram	Mississippi	TE	234	36.0	32.4	3.6
29	Aaron Jones	Texas-El Paso	RB	208	37.5	34.0	3.5
30	Kyle Fuller	Baylor	CB	190	38.5	35.0	3.5
31	Derek Rivers	Youngstown St.	DE	248	35.0	31.6	3.4
32	Krishawn Hogan	Marian (IN)	WR	222	36.5	33.1	3.4
33	George Kittle	Iowa	TE	247	35.0	31.6	3.4
34	Christian McCaffrey	Stanford	RB	202	37.5	34.3	3.2
35	Taylor Moton	Western Michigan	OG	319	30.5	27.3	3.2
36	Taco Charlton	Michigan	DE	277	33.0	29.8	3.2
37	Jalen Myrick	Minnesota	CB	200	37.5	34.4	3.1
38	John Johnson	Boston College	S	208	37.0	34.0	3.0
39	Kareem Hunt	Toledo	RB	216	36.5	33.5	3.0
40	Trey Hendrickson	Florida Atlantic	DE	266	33.5	30.5	3.0
41	Pharaoh Brown	Oregon	TE	255	34.0	31.2	2.8
42	Jeremiah Ledbetter	Arkansas	DE	280	32.5	29.7	2.8
43	Adam Shaheen	Ashland	TE	278	32.5	29.8	2.7
44	Zach Pascal	Old Dominion	WR	219	36.0	33.3	2.7
45	Ben Gedeon	Michigan	ILB	244	34.5	31.8	2.7
46	Antonio Garcia	Troy	OT	302	31.0	28.3	2.7
47	Zach Cunningham	Vanderbilt	LB	234	35.0	32.4	2.6
48	Amara Darboh	Michigan	WR	214	36.0	33.6	2.4
49	Elijah McGuire	Louisiana-Lafayette	RB	214	36.0	33.6	2.4
50	Curtis Samuel	Ohio St.	WR	196	37.0	34.7	2.3
51	Gareon Conley	Ohio St.	CB	195	37.0	34.7	2.3
52	Sean Harlow	Oregon St.	OG	303	30.5	28.3	2.2
53	Carl Lawson	Auburn	DE	261	33.0	30.8	2.2
54	Josh Reynolds	Texas A&M	WR	194	37.0	34.8	2.2
55	Kenny Golladay	Northern Illinois	WR	218	35.5	33.4	2.1
56	Zay Jones	East Carolina	WR	201	36.5	34.4	2.1
57	Jerome Lane	Akron	WR	226	35.0	32.9	2.1
58	Jordan Leggett	Clemson	TE	258	33.0	31.0	2.0
59	Duke Riley	LSU	OLB	232	34.5	32.5	2.0
60	Matt Milano	Boston College	OLB	223	35.0	33.1	1.9
61	Jeremy McNichols	Boise St.	RB	214	35.5	33.6	1.9
62	Avery Moss	Youngstown St.	DE	264	32.5	30.6	1.9
63	John Ross	Washington	WR	188	37.0	35.2	1.8
64	Isaac Rochell	Notre Dame	DT	280	31.5	29.7	1.8
65	Jabrill Peppers	Michigan	LB	213	35.5	33.7	1.8
66	Marlon Mack	South Florida	RB	213	35.5	33.7	1.8
67	Vince Biegel	Wisconsin	OLB	246	33.5	31.7	1.8
68	Eric Saubert	Drake	TE	253	33.0	31.3	1.7
69	Devonte' Fields	Louisville	OLB	236	34.0	32.3	1.7
70	Michael Rector	Stanford	WR	193	36.5	34.9	1.6
71	Jamal Carter	Miami	S	218	35.0	33.4	1.6
72	Mitch Leidner	Minnesota	QB	226	34.5	32.9	1.6
73	Harvey Langi	BYU	DE	251	33.0	31.4	1.6
74	Takkarist McKinley	UCLA	DE	250	33.0	31.4	1.6
75	Dorian Johnson	Pittsburgh	OG	300	30.0	28.5	1.5
76	Carlos Henderson	Louisiana Tech	WR	199	36.0	34.5	1.5
77	K.D. Cannon	Baylor	WR	182	37.0	35.5	1.5
78	Dare Ogunbowale	Wisconsin	RB	213	35.0	33.7	1.3
79	Fred Ross	Mississippi St.	WR	213	35.0	33.7	1.3
80	Jehu Chesson	Michigan	WR	204	35.5	34.2	1.3
81	Montae Nicholson	Michigan St.	S	212	35.0	33.7	1.3
82	Adam Bisnowaty	Pittsburgh	OT	304	29.5	28.2	1.3
83	Ben Braden	Michigan	OG	329	28.0	26.7	1.3
84	Jamari Staples	Louisville	WR	195	36.0	34.7	1.3
85	Tarell Basham	Ohio	DE	269	31.5	30.3	1.2
86	D.J. Jones	Mississippi	DT	319	28.5	27.3	1.2
87	Brendan Langley	Lamar	CB	201	35.5	34.4	1.1
88	Jessamen Dunker	Tennessee St.	OG	318	28.5	27.4	1.1
89	Connor Harris	Lindenwood	ILB	242	33.0	31.9	1.1
90	Brian Allen	Utah	DB	215	34.5	33.5	1.0
91	Raekwon McMillan	Ohio St.	LB	240	33.0	32.0	1.0
92	Danny Isidora	Miami	OG	306	29.0	28.1	0.9
93	Tanoh Kpassagnon	Villanova	DE	289	30.0	29.1	0.9
94	Nate Hairston	Temple	CB	196	35.5	34.7	0.8
95	Montravius Adams	Auburn	DT	304	29.0	28.2	0.8
96	Tanner Vallejo	Boise St.	LB	228	33.5	32.8	0.7
97	Charles Harris	Missouri	DE	253	32.0	31.3	0.7
98	Adoree Jackson	USC	CB	186	36.0	35.3	0.7
99	Isaiah Ford	Virginia Tech	WR	194	35.5	34.8	0.7
100	Jonathan Allen	Alabama	DE	286	30.0	29.3	0.7
101	Brian Hill	Wyoming	RB	219	34.0	33.3	0.7
102	Justin Vogel	Miami	P	219	34.0	33.3	0.7
103	Jack Tocho	N.C. State	CB	202	35.0	34.3	0.7
104	Chad Hansen	California	WR	202	35.0	34.3	0.7
105	Samaje Perine	Oklahoma	RB	233	33.0	32.5	0.5
106	Ifeadi Odenigbo	Northwestern	DL	258	31.5	31.0	0.5
107	Jaleel Johnson	Iowa	DT	316	28.0	27.5	0.5
108	Hardy Nickerson	Illinois	LB	232	33.0	32.5	0.5
109	Conor McDermott	UCLA	OT	307	28.5	28.0	0.5
110	Darrell Daniels	Washington	TE	247	32.0	31.6	0.4
111	Eddie Vanderdoes	UCLA	DT	305	28.5	28.2	0.3
112	Davis Webb	California	QB	229	33.0	32.7	0.3
113	Vincent Taylor	Oklahoma St.	DT	304	28.5	28.2	0.3
114	Chidobe Awuzie	Colorado	CB	202	34.5	34.3	0.2
115	Charles Walker	Oklahoma	DT	310	28.0	27.9	0.1
116	Noble Nwachukwu	West Virginia	DE	268	30.5	30.4	0.1
117	Derek Barnett	Tennessee	DE	259	31.0	30.9	0.1
118	Tashawn Bower	LSU	DE	250	31.5	31.4	0.1
119	DeAngelo Henderson	Coastal Carolina	RB	208	34.0	34.0	0.0
120	Chuck Clark	Virginia Tech	DB	208	34.0	34.0	0.0
121	Delano Hill	Michigan	SS	216	33.5	33.5	0.0
122	Quincy Adeboyejo	Mississippi	WR	197	34.5	34.6	-0.1
123	Dan Feeney	Indiana	OG	305	28.0	28.2	-0.2
124	ArDarius Stewart	Alabama	WR	204	34.0	34.2	-0.2
125	Michael Roberts	Toledo	TE	270	30.0	30.3	-0.3
126	Kendrick Bourne	Eastern Washington	WR	203	34.0	34.3	-0.3
127	Malik McDowell	Michigan St.	DT	295	28.5	28.8	-0.3
128	Rushel Shell	West Virginia	RB	227	32.5	32.8	-0.3
129	Desmond King	Iowa	S	201	34.0	34.4	-0.4
130	Julie'n Davenport	Bucknell	OT	318	27.0	27.4	-0.4
131	Rasul Douglas	West Virginia	CB	209	33.5	33.9	-0.4
132	Forrest Lamp	Western Kentucky	OG	309	27.5	27.9	-0.4
133	Joshua Dobbs	Tennessee	QB	216	33.0	33.5	-0.5
134	Ejuan Price	Pittsburgh	DE	241	31.5	32.0	-0.5
135	Ken Ekanem	Virginia Tech	DL	257	30.5	31.0	-0.5
136	Nate Theaker	Wayne St. (MI)	OG	315	27.0	27.6	-0.6
137	Sam Rogers	Virginia Tech	FB	231	32.0	32.6	-0.6
138	Ashton Lampkin	Oklahoma St.	CB	189	34.5	35.1	-0.6
139	Art Maulet	Memphis	DB	189	34.5	35.1	-0.6
140	Garett Bolles	Utah	OT	297	28.0	28.6	-0.6
141	Jourdan Lewis	Michigan	CB	188	34.5	35.2	-0.7
142	Deshaun Watson	Clemson	QB	221	32.5	33.2	-0.7
143	Stacy Coley	Miami	WR	195	34.0	34.7	-0.7
144	Taywan Taylor	Western Kentucky	WR	203	33.5	34.3	-0.8
145	Al-Quadin Muhammad	Miami	DE	253	30.5	31.3	-0.8
146	Ryan Glasgow	Michigan	DT	302	27.5	28.3	-0.8
147	Ethan Pocic	LSU	C	310	27.0	27.9	-0.9
148	Dalvin Tomlinson	Alabama	DT	310	27.0	27.9	-0.9
149	Erik Austell	Charleston Southern	OT	301	27.5	28.4	-0.9
150	Jordan Morgan	Kutztown (PA)	OG	309	27.0	27.9	-0.9
151	JuJu Smith-Schuster	USC	WR	215	32.5	33.5	-1.0
152	Caleb Brantley	Florida	DT	307	27.0	28.0	-1.0
153	Marquel Lee	Wake Forest	LB	240	31.0	32.0	-1.0
154	Jadar Johnson	Clemson	S	206	33.0	34.1	-1.1
155	Jayon Brown	UCLA	LB	231	31.5	32.6	-1.1
156	Dawuane Smoot	Illinois	DE	264	29.5	30.6	-1.1
157	Cam Robinson	Alabama	OT	322	26.0	27.1	-1.1
158	Cameron Sutton	Tennessee	CB	188	34.0	35.2	-1.2
159	T.J. Logan	North Carolina	RB	196	33.5	34.7	-1.2
160	Michael Tyson	Cincinnati	S	204	33.0	34.2	-1.2
161	Jerry Ugokwe	William & Mary	OT	321	26.0	27.2	-1.2
162	Chase Roullier	Wyoming	C	312	26.5	27.7	-1.2
163	Riley Bullough	Michigan St.	LB	226	31.5	32.9	-1.4
164	O.J. Howard	Alabama	TE	251	30.0	31.4	-1.4
165	Damontae Kazee	San Diego St.	CB	184	34.0	35.4	-1.4
166	Alex Anzalone	Florida	LB	241	30.5	32.0	-1.5
167	Corey Levin	Tennessee-Chattanooga	OL	307	26.5	28.0	-1.5
168	Damarius Travis	Minnesota	S	206	32.5	34.1	-1.6
169	Isaac Asiata	Utah	OG	323	25.5	27.1	-1.6
170	Dion Dawkins	Temple	OG	314	26.0	27.6	-1.6
171	Noel Thomas	Connecticut	WR	205	32.5	34.1	-1.6
172	Tedric Thompson	Colorado	FS	204	32.5	34.2	-1.7
173	Tanzel Smart	Tulane	DT	296	27.0	28.7	-1.7
174	Jalen Robinette	Air Force	WR	220	31.5	33.2	-1.7
175	Sidney Jones	Washington	CB	186	33.5	35.3	-1.8
176	Zach Banner	USC	OT	353	23.5	25.3	-1.8
177	Sam Tevi	Utah	OT	311	26.0	27.8	-1.8
178	Kevin Davis	Colorado St.	LB	235	30.5	32.3	-1.8
179	Nathan Peterman	Pittsburgh	QB	226	31.0	32.9	-1.9
180	Josh Harvey-Clemons	Louisville	S	217	31.5	33.4	-1.9
181	Dan Skipper	Arkansas	OT	309	26.0	27.9	-1.9
182	Carroll Phillips	Illinois	DE	242	30.0	31.9	-1.9
183	Damien Mama	USC	OG	334	24.5	26.4	-1.9
184	DeShone Kizer	Notre Dame	QB	233	30.5	32.5	-2.0
185	Dylan Donahue	West Georgia	DL	248	29.5	31.6	-2.1
186	Daniel Brunskill	San Diego St.	OT	273	28.0	30.1	-2.1
187	Jamal Adams	LSU	S	214	31.5	33.6	-2.1
188	Stevie Tu'ikolovatu	USC	DT	331	24.5	26.6	-2.1
189	Billy Brown	Shepherd	WR	255	29.0	31.2	-2.2
190	Budda Baker	Washington	S	195	32.5	34.7	-2.2
191	Cameron Lee	Illinois St.	OG	312	25.5	27.7	-2.2
192	C.J. Beathard	Iowa	QB	219	31.0	33.3	-2.3
193	Jeremy Sprinkle	Arkansas	TE	252	29.0	31.3	-2.3
194	Donnel Pumphrey	San Diego St.	RB	176	33.5	35.9	-2.4
195	Keevan Lucas	Tulsa	WR	192	32.5	34.9	-2.4
196	Josh Carraway	TCU	DE	242	29.5	31.9	-2.4
197	Collin Buchanan	Miami (OH)	OL	316	25.0	27.5	-2.5
198	Jon Toth	Kentucky	C	307	25.5	28.0	-2.5
199	Trent Taylor	Louisiana Tech	WR	181	33.0	35.6	-2.6
200	Hayden Plinke	Texas-El Paso	TE	264	28.0	30.6	-2.6
201	Ethan Cooper	Indiana (PA)	OG	322	24.5	27.1	-2.6
202	Ben Boulware	Clemson	ILB	238	29.5	32.2	-2.7
203	Garrett Sickels	Penn St.	DE	261	28.0	30.8	-2.8
204	Nate Gerry	Nebraska	S	218	30.5	33.4	-2.9
205	Patrick Mahomes	Texas Tech	QB	225	30.0	32.9	-2.9
206	Amba Etta-Tawo	Syracuse	WR	208	31.0	34.0	-3.0
207	Shelton Gibson	West Virginia	WR	191	32.0	35.0	-3.0
208	Jahad Thomas	Temple	RB	190	32.0	35.0	-3.0
209	Javarius Leamon	South Carolina St.	OL	332	23.5	26.6	-3.1
210	Treston Decoud	Oregon St.	CB	206	31.0	34.1	-3.1
211	Cooper Kupp	Eastern Washington	WR	204	31.0	34.2	-3.2
212	Shalom Luani	Washington St.	S	202	31.0	34.3	-3.3
213	Dalvin Cook	Florida St.	RB	210	30.5	33.8	-3.3
214	Josh Malone	Tennessee	WR	208	30.5	34.0	-3.5
215	James Conner	Pittsburgh	RB	233	29.0	32.5	-3.5
216	Jalen "Teez" Tabor	Florida	CB	199	31.0	34.5	-3.5
217	Leonard Fournette	LSU	RB	240	28.5	32.0	-3.5
218	Colin Holba	Louisville	LS	248	28.0	31.6	-3.6
219	Ryan Switzer	North Carolina	WR	181	32.0	35.6	-3.6
220	Travis Rudolph	Florida St.	WR	189	31.5	35.1	-3.6
221	Justin Senior	Mississippi St.	OT	331	23.0	26.6	-3.6
222	Devine Redding	Indiana	RB	205	30.5	34.1	-3.6
223	Channing Stribling	Michigan	CB	188	31.5	35.2	-3.7
224	Nazair Jones	North Carolina	DT	304	24.5	28.2	-3.7
225	Victor Bolden	Oregon St.	WR	178	32.0	35.7	-3.7
226	Travin Dural	LSU	WR	202	30.5	34.3	-3.8
227	Artavis Scott	Clemson	WR	193	31.0	34.9	-3.9
228	Ricky Seals-Jones	Texas A&M	WR	243	28.0	31.9	-3.9
229	Wayne Gallman	Clemson	RB	215	29.5	33.5	-4.0
230	De'Veon Smith	Michigan	RB	223	29.0	33.1	-4.1
231	Tarik Cohen	North Carolina A&T	RB	179	31.5	35.7	-4.2
232	Scott Orndoff	Pittsburgh	TE	253	27.0	31.3	-4.3
233	James Quick	Louisville	WR	186	31.0	35.3	-4.3
234	Freddie Stevenson	Florida St.	FB	234	28.0	32.4	-4.4
235	Corey Clement	Wisconsin	RB	220	28.5	33.2	-4.7
236	Pat Elflein	Ohio St.	C	303	23.5	28.3	-4.8
237	Cordrea Tankersley	Clemson	CB	199	29.5	34.5	-5.0
238	Drew Morgan	Arkansas	WR	190	30.0	35.0	-5.0
239	David Sharpe	Florida	OT	343	20.5	25.9	-5.4
240	Sefo Liufau	Colorado	QB	232	27.0	32.5	-5.5
241	Gabe Marks	Washington St.	WR	189	29.5	35.1	-5.6
242	Rodney Adams	South Florida	WR	189	29.5	35.1	-5.6
243	Cooper Rush	Central Michigan	QB	228	27.0	32.8	-5.8
244	Jerod Evans	Virginia Tech	QB	232	26.5	32.5	-6.0
245	Matt Dayes	N.C. State	RB	205	28.0	34.1	-6.1
246	Bradley Northnagel	California	LS	243	25.5	31.9	-6.4
247	Darreus Rogers	USC	WR	216	26.5	33.5	-7.0
248	Jarron Jones	Notre Dame	DT	316	20.5	27.5	-7.0
249	Avery Gennesy	Texas A&M	OT	318	20.0	27.4	-7.4

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