NFL Combine 3 Cone Drill Explained

With the 2020 NFL Combine set to start in just under two weeks on Feb. 23, it's important to understand each drill. Some drills like the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump are fairly self-explanatory, but what about other drills that don't have as straightforward titles, like the 3 cone drill?

What Does the 3 Cone Drill Measure?

The 3 cone drill is arguably the most important drill used for evaluating players at every position on the field, not just skill positions. It evaluates short-range agility and body control, specifically in the lower body. It's especially useful for seeing how well running backs, wide receivers, and defensive ends can make cuts in order to run, go for routes, or rush the passer.

Sure, the 40-yard dash is good for measuring speed, but there are very few scenarios in which a player will get a chance to run 40 yards upfield without interference. The 3 cone drill gets measurements in a more realistic football scenario: one in which cuts, balance, lateral quickness, and agility are required.

To many scouts, this drill is the most important drill in evaluating which player will best apply his skills to the gridiron in the NFL.

What is the 3 Cone Drill?

The drill is set up by setting down three cones in a right angle.

When starting the drill, the player being evaluated lines up at the start in the three-point stance. When the whistle is blown, he runs straight for the cone ahead of him, touches it, and then runs back to the cone at which he started. After touching that cone, he runs back to the cone ahead but instead of touching it, goes around it to the cone at the other end of the right angle. He has to go around that cone, back around the cone at the vertex of the angle, and back to the start.

Famous NFL Players 3 Cone Drill Stats

With how highly scouts regard the 3 cone drill, it seems as though a bad mark could tank your draft status. That isn't true, however.

At last year's NFL Combine, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf ran a 7.38 second 3 cone drill. That was 0.18 seconds worse than Tom Brady, a notoriously non-athletic quarterback. Despite this, Metcalf caught seven touchdowns and accounted for 900 yards in 16 games in 2019, and was a beast in all other portions of the combine.

The 3 cone drill is hugely important for NFL prospects, but is not the be-all-end-all of the NFL Combine drills.