It's all about explosiveness in the broad jump drill at the NFL Combine, with players firing from a standing position, then having to balance and hold a pose to finish the measurement. The quarterbacks took part in the broad jump on Sunday morning and, not surprisingly, Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor and Joshua Porter tied for the best jump, easily out-leaping Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker and others. Overall, though, the quarterbacks all showed well in the broad jump, with plenty showing off the drill.
In total, five quarterbacks jumped further than 10 feet in the drill, with 12 of the top-15 jumping farther than nine feet. Couple that with fast 40 times and you've got a quarterback class that brings explosiveness and athleticism to the table in this year's NFL Draft.
Here's the full results of the broad jump, with Newton nearly breaking the combine record, 10-foot-8, for quarterbacks.
Cam Newton 10'6
Joshua Portis 10'6
Tyrod Taylor 10'6
Blaine Gabbert 10'
Jake Locker 10'
Jerrod Johnson 9'11
Pat Devlin 9'8
Christian Ponder 9'8
It's clear the quarterbacks have the measurables, but scouts are looking at the intangible aspects of each at the combine, putting them through the interview process and picking apart their throwing ability during drills. The quarterbacks are off the field already, and official results are continuing to roll in as the combine staff tracks the performance of each.
For the latest results, check out our 2011 NFL Combine StoryStream.