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RAS Score For The NFL Explained: This is How Relative Athletic Scores Affects The NFL Draft

Last Updated on 10/31/2025
Fact checked by: Mark Lewis

The NFL Combine and Pro Days are crucial parts of the pre-draft process. They give scouts, analysts, and teams the chance to check whether what they’ve seen from a prospect on game film matches his athletic testing — or whether they need to go back and review more tape.

The Relative Athletic Scoring Table, known as RAS, is a helpful tool that puts all those testing numbers into context when comparing players. Let’s dive in and look at how you can compare RAS scores in the NFL.

What is RAS & how is it used?

Kent Lee Platte developed RAS to help compare athletes across different positions. Kent describes RAS this way:

“For the past half-decade, I have worked to create a metric that can intuitively and easily gauge a player’s athletic ability relative to their position and give tools to compare and contrast based on known measurements.”

To qualify for a RAS score, a player must have these testing or measurement inputs: Height, Weight, 40-yard dash, 20-yard split, 10-yard split, Bench Press, Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, Short Shuttle, and 3-Cone.

Shemar Stewart RAS Score

RAS Stat Shemar Stewart RAS Score 2025
Height 8.90
Weight 6.97
40-yard Dash 9.70
20-yard Dash 9.57
10-yard Split 9.65
Bench Press NA
Vertical Jump 9.89
Broad Jump 9.95
Short Shuttle NA
3-Cone NA

 

RAS Football scoring scale

The RAS scale is 0-10, with ten being the most elite and 5 being the average. It’s used to rank players in their position groups. Cornerbacks and guards could have the same RAS score, even though they may have different testing results. It makes it easier to compare the impact of athletes in other positions.

Simply put, RAS allows us to easily compare guard A and guard B in athleticism, even though the testing numbers might differ for each category. RAS scores are not the only way to evaluate talent. RAS scores are not a guarantee of success in the NFL, but they can be used as a tool to help you evaluate potential prospects.

It’s important to remember, particularly for fans, that each team, when drafting, might not be looking at all the numbers the same. Some teams might value different attributes than what another team likes. RAS is not a be-all end-all, it is more of a starting point when evaluating players.

What RAS score is an average NFL player on a roster?

The average RAS score for a player on an NFL roster is 7.16. Teams value this stuff. It should never be the entirety of your evaluation process, but frankly, if you’re omitting it entirely from your evaluations, you’re making a massive, altogether avoidable mistake.

I know people look at teams like the Raiders who fall in love with players’ measurables and think that devalues something like RAS, and it doesn’t.

RAS Football scoring scale

The RAS scale goes from 0 to 10, where 10 is the most elite and 5 is roughly average. It’s used to rank players within their position group. So a cornerback and a guard might both have a 7.5 RAS, even though their testing numbers (and physical demands) are very different.

In plain terms: RAS gives us an easier way to compare “athleticism” among players at the same position—or across positions—without getting lost in the raw drill times alone. RAS is not the sole way to evaluate a player, but it’s a very useful starting point.

A couple of extra reminders for the novice:

  • Even if a player has a high RAS, it doesn’t guarantee NFL success.

  • Each team values different traits and numbers differently (one team might care a lot about the 10-yard split, another about the 3-Cone).

  • Film (how a player plays in games) still matters more in most cases.

What RAS score is an average NFL player?

The average RAS score for a player on an NFL roster sits around 7.16. If someone has a score much below that, teams will ask more questions. If someone is well above it, that’s a red flag of elite athleticism. But again: this is just one piece of the puzzle.

Is a 40-yard dash enough to evaluate?

No — not by itself. The 40-yard dash is the most anticipated drill at the Combine (and for good reason: speed matters). But it measures straight-line sprint without pads, without game context.

Here’s how it works:

  1. The athlete runs 40 yards from a still start in shorts/track shoes.

  2. Lasers or timing tech measure the start and the 10-, 20-, and 40-yard marks.

  3. The raw time gets recorded.

But here’s the catch: football isn’t just about sprinting straight ahead. It’s about changing direction, reacting, exploding, stopping, starting, being strong, being smart. That’s why we also have the Broad Jump, Vertical Jump, 3-Cone, Shuttles, Bench Press, etc.—and why RAS uses a combination of inputs, not only the 40-yard dash.

Some teams (yes, one example being the Las Vegas Raiders historically) have over-valued the straight-line speed aspect. That has led to drafting “freak athletes” who didn’t translate well on the field. That’s a cautionary tale for us: athletic testing is valuable, but it must be married to film and context.

What tests are used in RAS score calculations?

Here are the key drills/measurements that typically feed into RAS:

  • 40-yard dash: Measures running speed.

  • Broad Jump: Measures how far you can jump from a standing start — lower body explosion.

  • Vertical Jump: Measures how high you can jump — explosion + lower body power.

  • 3-Cone Drill: Measures agility and change of direction — how well you can stop/start and move laterally.

  • 20-yard Shuttle / 10-yard Split: Shorter-distance agility and burst.

  • Bench Press: Measures upper body strength (typically reps of 225 lbs) — especially for linemen.

  • Height & Weight: Basic physical frame.

  • Short Shuttle: Similar to 20-yard shuttle — agility emphasis.

Because of missing data (some players skip drills because of injury, choice, or other factors), there are sometimes “holes” in RAS profiles. That’s okay — but the more complete the data, the stronger the comparative value.

Why the 40-yard dash alone isn’t sufficient

Because football isn’t run in shorts on a track. Drills at the Combine give us metrics. They give us data. But real football is played in pads, on grass/turf, reacting to opponents, executing tasks under fatigue, intelligence, route-running, play recognition, blocking, all of that.

A straight-line sprint doesn’t tell us:

  • How well a player changes direction.

  • How he reacts when his first read is wrong.

  • How he plays when he’s tired.

  • How he executes technique under pressure.

That’s why relying only on the 40-yard dash is risky. RAS helps avoid that by bringing in more dimensions of athleticism.

QB Metrics RAS Score Explained With Example

Metric Average Best Mark Worst Mark League Avg
QB RAS 6.21 6.98 5.43 6.81
QB Height 74.13in 6023 6017 74.6in
QB Weight 216.5lb 218lb 215lb 220.24lb
QB 40 4.82 4.81 4.83 4.78
QB 20 2.81 2.79 2.83 2.77
QB 10 1.64 1.56 1.71 1.67
QB Bench n/a n/a n/a 11.5
QB Vertical 31.5in 32in 31in 31.77in
QB Broad 111in 904 902 111.93in
QB Shuttle 4.33 4.33 4.33 4.35
QB Cone 7.28 7.28 7.28 7.09

Updated examples from the 2025 draft class

Here are a few prospects from the 2025 class, to help illustrate RAS and athletic testing in today’s context:

  • Nick Emmanwori (Safety, South Carolina) — At the Combine he measured about 6-3, 220 lbs, ran the 40-yard dash in ~4.38 sec, posted a ~43″ vertical jump and ~11’6″ broad jump. Detroit Lions

    • Why this matters for RAS: He has a rare combination of size, speed, and explosion for his position.

  • Jihaad Campbell (Linebacker, Alabama) — He posted a 40-yard dash around 4.52 sec at ~235 lbs and a broad jump of ~10’7″.

    • Why this matters: He shows above-average burst and speed for a linebacker-size frame.

  • Shemar Stewart (Edge Rusher, Texas A&M) — At ~6-5 and 267 lbs, he showcased explosive testing (e.g., ~40″ vertical, ~10’11″ broad jump) that caught attention.

    • Why this matters: For edge rushers, size plus explosion is a premium trait—and his testing confirmed it.

These examples demonstrate how athletic testing + RAS can help us spot players who have elite physical traits that may translate to the NFL.

How to interpret these for a novice

  • RAS is a number from 0-10 (where 10 = elite within that position).

  • Higher score = stronger athletic testing relative to past prospects at the same position.

  • Example: Emmanwori’s 10.00 = he’s the top explosion + speed + size safety prospect (on those metrics) in that data set.

  • Stewart’s ~9.99 = same idea, but for edge rushers.

  • Hairston’s 9.63 = exceptional for a CB, though slightly below perfect.

  • But remember: RAS alone isn’t everything. A player still needs football skills, technique, intelligence, health, etc.

  • As a novice: think of RAS as a “physical upside meter” for each player in their role.

Missing values in RAS NFL data

Some athletes, for whatever reason, choose not to do some drills at the combine or on their pro days; this leads to gaps in the data. Missing values are a problem for both RAS data and NFL Draft Combine data. Many prospects don’t have test results for all metrics due to injury, postponement, choice or other reasons. They have incomplete profiles, which can cause missing data in the database. This is a common occurrence, and it is expected that all players will not have completed data. Their database has missing sections (the 60-yard Shuttle) and oddly specific missing data (3 Cone drill for Running Backs), which is actually extremely important for this position.

RAS Score is a Grey Box metric

The RAS is a “grey box” metric that uses both standard body measurements and popular physical tests for college football players to determine athleticism. The raw score is then compared with previous college football players who have been available for the NFL Draft to produce a final RAS score. Although it is not known how the score is calculated, we know what inputs are used.

The RAS score varies from 1 (lowest percentage) to 10 (10 highest) levels of athleticism. The RAS scores are only comparable to past players in the same position. This doesn’t allow you to list all the top draftees, but it does keep wide receivers from being compared with offensive guards. The RAS can be used to quickly assess draftees to identify the stronger, faster and more athletic ones.

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FAQ RAS Score

❓ Who were the NFL Draft 2025’s top 3 most athletically gifted prospects?

S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina The term “freak athlete” gets thrown around often, but it genuinely fits Emmanwori. At 6’3”, 220 pounds, he ran an unofficial 4.38 forty-yard dash, leaped 43 inches in the vertical, and posted an 11’6” broad jump — all incredible numbers for a safety. His perfect 10.00 RAS places him among the most athletic defensive backs ever tested.

EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M Stewart measured 6’5” and 267 pounds with a 40″ vertical and 10’11” broad jump. His near-perfect 9.99 RAS highlights rare explosiveness for a man his size. Scouts rave about how his power and burst show up on film — not just in testing.

CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky Hairston ran a blazing 4.35 forty and posted elite agility numbers across the board, earning a 9.63 RAS. For a cornerback, that means he’s in the 96th percentile of athletic testing. He’s long, fast, and fluid — exactly what NFL teams covet in modern coverage specialists.

❓ What prospects are mega-athletes?

LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama Campbell lit up the combine with a 4.52 forty at 235 pounds, adding a 10’7” broad jump and a 38.5” vertical. His 9.7 RAS shows how unique his blend of power and range is for a linebacker. Simply put, he moves like a safety in a linebacker’s body.

QB Carson Beck, Georgia Beck isn’t often mentioned among “testing freaks,” but he surprised scouts by running in the mid-4.6s with excellent agility drills for a 6’4”, 220-lb passer. His athletic testing landed him a RAS around 8.6, which puts him in the “above-average athlete” tier for quarterbacks. For novice fans: that means he’s not just a pocket passer — he has real mobility and functional athleticism.

❓ What about players we know nothing about or who received little media attention?

LB Curtis Jacobs, Penn State Jacobs was overshadowed by flashier names but quietly tested as one of the best athletes at his position with a 9.35 RAS. His 4.50 forty and 40” vertical jump turned heads, showing he has every athletic tool to become an immediate NFL contributor.

WR Tahj Washington, USC Washington didn’t grab headlines like the bigger names in the class, but he clocked a 4.37 forty, hit a 39” vertical, and had elite short-area quickness. His 9.1 RAS highlights the type of twitch and burst smaller receivers need to thrive in today’s NFL offenses.

❓ What is the role of athleticism?

The role of athleticism in NFL scouting remains complex. Athleticism isn’t everything, but it’s still a critical indicator of ceiling and upside. Each team values it differently — some prioritize raw testing numbers, while others emphasize game film, instincts, or production.

Why? Because the Combine is held in shorts and a T-shirt, not pads and helmets. A 4.3 forty is impressive, but it doesn’t measure route precision, football IQ, or how a player performs under pressure.

A freak athlete who struggles with reads or effort can still fail at the next level, while a slower, smarter, more polished player can thrive. Athleticism gives you the potential — but football ability determines the reality.

Summary – What RAS is used for

After the Combine or Pro Day, teams and analysts will review the athletic/testing side of things in detail. Drills and measurements are only one part of selecting foundational players. RAS takes those various tests and condenses them into a single, comparative number (for a given position).

Imagine you want to compare two guards or two corners: While their testing numbers may differ (one jumps higher, one runs faster, one weighs more), RAS can help say “which one is more athletic relative to his peers?” It doesn’t replace film work, scheme fit, character, or football IQ—but it gives you another layer of data.

One cautionary story: A player can have a perfect score (10.0) and still not succeed in the NFL—because football is more than just athleticism. For example: A long-time NFL player with a very low RAS score—Tom Brady—went on to have a legendary career despite poor athletic testing. So the tool is helpful, but not definitive.

The key takeaway: When evaluating prospects, especially novice fans, keep in mind:

  • High RAS = high athletic ceiling, but not guaranteed success.

  • A “normal/average” RAS is okay, if accompanied by good film, intelligence, and work ethic.

  • Don’t ignore position context — a 7.5 RAS at guard isn’t the same as a 7.5 RAS at cornerback; RAS is within position groups.

  • Use athletic data alongside game film, interviews, character checks, and scheme fit.

With the 2025 draft class now in view, tools like RAS help simplify one piece of what’s otherwise a very complex evaluation process. For novice fans: think of it like a stat radar that says “this player is supreme athletic talent for his position” — then you layer other stuff on top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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