Outside of Oxford, Miss., and the NFL scouting community, D.K. Metcalf was a relatively under-the-radar player when entered the 2019 NFL Draft after his redshirt-sophomore year at Ole Miss. He had caught just 26 passes and five touchdowns in seven games before a neck injury ended what would become his final college season
Then, a photo of the shirtless wide receiver went viral, and suddenly, Metcalf was a mainstream name entering the 2019 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
DK Metcalf has somehow gotten bigger since last we saw him pic.twitter.com/DdkEZ2my6g
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) February 11, 2019
It was just the beginning of the physique-related legend that has become Metcalf.
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About a week before the Combine, another photo of the muscular wide receiver surfaced. This time it was Metcalf's Ole Miss teammate A.J. Brown, who also was entering the 2019 NFL Draft and set to work out at the Combine, who shared the photo.
This about to bigger than Odell and Jarvis Landry when they entered the draft . Two potential 1st round draft picks from the same school. @nfl I hope you’re ready . @olemissfb @exossports pic.twitter.com/UBEJDjZBNy
— AJ Brown (@Brown1arthur) February 21, 2019
Some doubt about Metcalf's pro prospects, mostly related to that neck injury, forced him to fall to the second round of the draft. The Seahawks, pleased with that development, traded into the last pick of Round 2 to select the big wideout. He was the ninth wide receiver picked in the draft.
"He may be even more unique than we thought," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of Metcalf in May, via The Seattle Times. "There has never been a guy who ran any faster who was that big and strong at the Combine. So he’s got all those things behind him.
"Now he’s got to figure out how to play football."
Spoiler alert: Metcalf figured it out.
It all started with that photo and, soon after, a historic NFL Combine performance.
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D.K. Metcalf Combine results
Somehow, D.K. Metcalf's physical appearance in the viral photos was less impressive than the performance he posted at the 2019 NFL Combine.
Below are Metcalf's results in the speed, strength and agility-related drills in which he competed.
Drill Result Rank among WRs
40-yard dash 4.33 seconds No. 4
Bench press 27 reps No. 1
Vertical jump 40.5 inches No. 3
Broad jump 134.0 inches No. 5
3-cone drill 7.38 seconds No. 27
20-yard shuttle 4.5 seconds No. 30
Though Metcalf's 40 time was not the best among receivers at the 2019 Combine, it was historic in the context of his weight (228 pounds).
According to NFL Media, Metcalf's 4.33-second 40-yard dash was the fastest ever recorded for a player 225 pounds or heavier. That list included freak NFL athletes like Calvin Johnson, Saquon Barkley and Vernon Davis.
It’s official @dkmetcalf14 ran a 4.33. It’s the fastest @nflnetwork has ever recorded by someone 225+ including @saquon @Shaquemgriffin @VernonDavis85 and yes @calvinjohnsonjr pic.twitter.com/swpXpClvDS
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) March 2, 2019
MORE: NFL Combine bench press records
D.K. Metcalf Combine measurements
Metcalf's weight at the Combine was notable in relation to his speedy 40-yard dash, with his other physical measurements verifying on paper the monster he was on the field. However, Metcalf's most notable measurement at the Combine might have been his absurdly low body fat percentage of 1.6. It explained his shredded appearance in the viral photos.
Height 6-3
Weight 228 pounds
Body fat 1.6 percent
Arms 34 7/8"
Hands 9 7/8"
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D.K. Metcalf Combine highlights
Metcalf is beginning to assemble an impressive highlight reel in the NFL featuring actual football, but as one might expect given his historic performance, the receiver's Combine highlights are something to behold.
Below are those highlights, followed by a couple videos that put into context the absurdity that was Metcalf's workout.
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