The NFL Scouting Combine is always a showcase of extraordinary athleticism, but this year, Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou stole the spotlight in a way that left scouts and fans alike in awe. At 6-foot-6 and 332 pounds, Membou’s 4.91-second 40-yard dash wasn’t just impressive—it was historic. According to Next Gen Stats, it was the fastest time for a lineman of his size since 2003, when mammoth athletes like Vince Wilfork and Dontari Poe set the standard for big men with speed.
Membou’s performance didn’t stop there. He also posted a 32-inch vertical leap, a 9-foot-5 broad jump, and bench-pressed 225 pounds 28 times, further solidifying his status as a freak athlete. His combination of size, strength, and speed is rare even among NFL-caliber linemen, and it has scouts re-evaluating his draft stock. Once projected as a mid-round pick, Membou is now being discussed as a potential Day 2 selection, with some analysts even speculating he could sneak into the late first round.
But what makes Membou’s story even more compelling is his background. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he moved to the United States at the age of 12, where he quickly fell in love with football. Despite being relatively new to the sport, his raw athleticism and work ethic caught the attention of college recruiters, and he eventually became a standout at Missouri. Now, he’s on the verge of achieving his dream of playing in the NFL.
Membou’s Combine performance has drawn comparisons to some of the most dominant linemen in NFL history, including Hall of Famer Larry Allen, who famously ran a 4.85-second 40-yard dash at 325 pounds. If Membou can translate his Combine success to the field, he could become a cornerstone for an NFL franchise in need of a dominant force in the trenches. As one scout put it, “Guys like this don’t come around often. When they do, you don’t let them slip away.”
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