It's been eight years since San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead took part in the NFL Scouting Combine, but he remembers it like it was yesterday.
"The combine was definitely a stressful time," Armstead said in a Career in Looks video. "Probably one of the hardest processes I've been through. They're very long days, but it was definitely worth it."
At the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, the Oregon defensive lineman ran the 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds and completed 24 reps on the bench press. NFL analyst Lance Zierlein noted Armstead had "elite size and the traits to become a dominant run-stuffing defensive end."
Arik Armstead's 2015 Combine Results
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Split | Vertical Jump | Broad Jump | 3-Cone Drill | 20-Yard Shuttle | Bench Press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 Seconds | 1.75 Seconds | 34" | 9' 9" | 7.57 Seconds | 4.53 Seconds | 24 Reps |
Armstead's sense of style has remained consistent since the beginning of his career, prioritizing comfort over anything else. The defensive lineman shared that although it was the status quo to dress in business attire during team meetings at the combine, he stayed in his athletic clothing.
"In training they were like, you want to be professional, so some guys decided to wear suits and stuff but I wasn't about to do all that," Armstead said. "I had like 26 meetings with teams so I wasn't about to wear a suit for all that. I just wore my combine gear to try to be as comfortable as I could because I knew I was going to be sweating in those meetings. The more comfortable you feel with yourself, the more confident you're going to be and the better you'll look. If you're wearing something that's nice but you don't look that comfortable in it, you're not going to give off energy and then there's really no point in wearing it."
Armstead had the right idea. His performance on the field spoke for itself and he went on to be picked in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the 49ers. In San Francisco, he's become an eight-year league veteran and a three-year team captain, still styling comfortable yet fashionable athleisure.
