Alabama Roots: 10 fastest NFL Combine shuttle runs

Alabama Roots: 10 fastest NFL Combine shuttle runs

Of all the football players from Alabama’s high schools and colleges who’ve tried to reach the pros, which one has had the best performance in the shuttle run at the annual NFL Scouting Combine?

A new group of players will have an opportunity to become the answer to that question this week in Indianapolis, where the NFL Scouting Combine will be held for the 36th time.

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For the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, players will arrive for testing and interviews in four groups and will be on the field from Wednesday through Sunday.

The shuttle run is one of the measurable drills conducted at the combine. The drill is designed to test lateral quickness. It’s sometimes called the 5-10-5. From a middle starting position, the player runs 5 yards to his right, touches a line, turns and runs 10 yards to the left and touches a line, then runs back to the starting spot.

Since 2000, the fastest shuttle run turned in by a player from an Alabama high school or college took 3.81 seconds, which was accomplished by Jason Allen in 2006.

Iowa wide receiver Kevin Kasper had the combine’s fastest shuttle run at 3.73 seconds in 2001.

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Records from the early combines can be sketchy, but complete data is available starting with the 2000 event. These are the 10 fastest shuttle runs since that year by players from Alabama high schools and colleges:

1. Jason Allen, Muscle Shoals High School: 3.81 seconds

After the 2006 combine, the Miami Dolphins drafted the Tennessee defensive back with the 16th pick. In seven seasons, he played in 98 games, with 23 starts, for three teams and recorded 15 interceptions. Allen’s time is tied for fifth-fastest in the combine’s history.

2. Bobby McCain, Oxford High School: 3.82 seconds

After the 2015 combine, the Miami Dolphins drafted the Memphis cornerback in the fifth round. He earned playing time as Miami’s slot corner in his first three seasons before seeing more time at boundary corner in 2018, when he started 13 games. In 2019, McCain switched to free safety. McCain suffered a shoulder injury that limited his season to nine games, but he returned in 2020 to make 15 starts. Since joining the Washington Commanders, McCain has started 32 games as a safety and cornerback and intercepted four passes over the past two seasons.

2. Carlos Rogers, Auburn: 3.82 seconds

After the 2005 combine, the Washington Redskins drafted the cornerback with the ninth pick. Rogers started 123 games in 10 seasons and was a Pro Bowler in 2011 with the San Francisco 49ers. Rogers’ shuttle-run time is tied for the seventh-fastest since 2000.

4. Jerricho Cotchery, Phillips High School: 3.91 seconds

After the 2004 combine, the New York Jets drafted the North Carolina State wide receiver in the fourth round. In 12 seasons with three teams, Cotchery caught 524 passes for 6,623 yards and 34 touchdowns.

5. Tim Carter, Auburn: 3.93 seconds

After the 2002 combine, the New York Giants drafted the wide receiver in the second round. He played in seven NFL seasons and had 81 receptions for 1,090 yards and four touchdowns.

6. Ameer Abdullah, Homewood High School: 3.95 seconds

After the 2015 combine, the Detroit Lions drafted the Nebraska running back in the second round. He was the NFL’s top kickoff returner as a rookie and led Detroit in rushing in 2015 and 2017 around a two-game, injured-shortened season. In 2018, Abdullah had only one rushing attempt while playing for the Lions and Vikings but has come back to work over the past four seasons as a reserve running back and special-teamer for Minnesota, the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders. Abdullah has 1,594 yards and six touchdowns on 413 carries, 144 receptions for 1,076 yards and eight touchdowns and an average of 24.6 yards on 142 kickoff returns during his career.

7. Richmond Flowers, Vestavia Hills High School: 3.96 seconds

After the 2001 combine, the wide receiver, who played at Duke and Chattanooga, was not drafted. He went to training camp with the Dallas Cowboys and spent time on the practice squads of the Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.

8. Chad Jackson, Hoover High School: 3.97 seconds

After the 2006 combine, the New England Patriots drafted the Florida wide receiver in the second round. He suffered a torn ACL in the AFC Championship Game during his rookie season and played in only six more NFL games.

9. Amari Cooper, Alabama: 3.98 seconds

After the 2015 combine, the Oakland Raiders drafted the wide receiver with the fourth pick. Cooper has earned four Pro Bowl invitations in eight seasons while being traded twice. Cooper has recorded six 1,000-yard receiving seasons on his way to career totals of 595 receptions for 8,236 yards and 55 touchdowns.

9. Sherrod Martin, Troy: 3.98 seconds

After the 2009 combine, the Carolina Panthers drafted the safety in the second round. Martin played in 83 games, with 38 starts, in six NFL seasons.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.