Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him benched for five games during his season with Kentucky, showcased his impressive health and athleticism at the NFL’s annual scouting combine on Friday in Indianapolis. Demonstrating remarkable speed, Hairston recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time of the week, clocking in at 4.28 seconds.
His performance didn’t stop there, as he also displayed notable jumping abilities with a vertical leap of 39 1/2 inches, securing the second-best position in his category, and tied for third place in the broad jump with a distance of 10 feet, 9 inches.
Caleb Ransaw from Tulane also turned heads with his impressive physical feats, finishing the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, the third-best time. He topped the vertical jump leaderboard at 40 inches and matched Hairston’s broad jump performance. Iowa State’s Darien Porter secured the second place among cornerbacks in the 40-yard dash, recording a time of 4.3 seconds.
Among safeties, Marquis Sigle from Kansas State and Nick Emmanwori from South Carolina delivered standout performances. Sigle posted the fastest 40-yard dash at 4.37 seconds, followed closely by Emmanwori at 4.38 seconds. In the broad jump, Emmanwori excelled with a leap of 11-6, while Sigle recorded 10-10. Emmanwori also dominated the vertical jump with an impressive 43 inches, with Sigle following in fourth place at 38 inches.
The offensive segment saw tight ends take to the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium, with top performances from Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson and South Carolina’s Joshua Simon in the 40-yard dash. Ferguson achieved a time of 4.63 seconds, with Simon closely trailing at 4.65 seconds. Alabama’s CJ Dippre was the only other tight end to clock in under 4.7 seconds with a time of 4.69.
Ferguson and Simon further excelled in the vertical jumps, achieving 39 and 38 inches respectively, and were strong contenders in the broad jump. Simon achieved a distance of 10-4, while Ferguson achieved 10-2. Thomas Fidone II from Nebraska led the pack in the broad jump with an impressive distance of 10-6.
The combine will continue on Saturday afternoon, where quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers are set to showcase their abilities.
