Combine 101: Bench Press
Leading up to the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, theScore's staff will take you through all the events the top prospects will participate in. The combine takes place in Indianapolis from Feb. 17-23.
Combine Events
40-Yard Dash | Bench Press
Vertical Jump | Broad Jump
3-Cone Drill | Shuttle Run
Bench Press
The bench press tests the participants' strength. The athletes are asked to complete as many reps as they can at 225 pounds. This is also a good indicator for scouts of the player's endurance, and which players spent the most time in their college weight room.
Top All-Time Performers
| Player | Position | Year | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Paea | DT | 2011 | 49 |
| Mitch Petrus | G | 2010 | 45 |
| Jeff Owens | DT | 2010 | 44 |
| Dontari Poe | DT | 2012 | 44 |
Notable Performances
Paea unleashes the beast
Justin Ernest of Eastern Kentucky pushed out 51 reps back in 1999, according to NFL Draft Scout, but he was never drafted. As for Stephen Paea, he had 49 reps in 2011, and parlayed that performance into a spot in the league.
The Oregon State product was selected 53rd overall by the Chicago Bears.
Smoot's the worst
Coming out of Mississippi State in 2001, Fred Smoot was considered one of the top cornerback prospects in his class. He would go on to be selected by the Washington Redskins in the second round as the sixth corner off the board, but not because of his performance in the bench press portion of the combine. Smoot completed only a single rep at 225 pounds, fewest by any participant in the history of the event.
2015 Top Prospect Prediction
Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
A lot of offensive linemen would consider themselves strong, but Iowa's Brandon Scherff is in a class all his own. He once cleaned 443 pounds three times. There's also an endurance element to this competition, and Scherff isn't an ordinary lineman in that regard - the kid's an athlete. He played quarterback in high school, and was a four-year letterman in baseball. He also competed in basketball, tennis and track.