The NFL continues to progress to nearly a full-year cycle with the NFL Combine next up on the schedule. With the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory freshly in the rearview mirror, each NFL team will shift their focus to next season and be looking to add some difference-making players.
Evaluations at the combine will be a huge part of this as each hopeful prospect does their best to prove why they are worthy of taking a chance on. Events like the 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill, 20-yard shuffle, vertical jump, long jump, and bench press are carefully measured on each willing prospect.
A few props are being offered regarding these events on DraftKings Sportsbook. This article will look at which player has the best chance of recording the most bench press reps and why I like the -120 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook for one of the upcoming rookies to record over 36.5 reps on the bench press.
Bench Press Testing Rules:
The NFL Combine rules for bench press are pretty simple. Players have as much time as possible to lift the 225-pound bar as many times as possible. For each rep to count, the bar must touch the player’s chest and their arms must fully extend at the top of each rep. Players are not allowed to bounce the bar off their chest.
Spotters are available for the safety of the players but they cannot assist outside of counting reps. Players also must keep their back and shoulders on the bench during each rep and their hips cannot rise from the bench. The set is considered over when the player can no longer finish a rep using an acceptable form.
NFL Combine Bench Press Record:
The NFL combined record was set back in 1999 by Justin Ernest, a defensive tackle out of Eastern Kentucky, who lifted the 225-pound bar 51 times. Despite his record-setting combined performance, Ernest went undrafted and never suited up for a game at the NFL level. He also ran an impressive 4.79 40-yard dash while measuring at 6-foot-3 and 281 pounds at the combined. Ernest briefly spent time on the New Orleans Saints practice squad.
The next best bench press performance was logged by Stephen Paea who produced 49 reps at the 2011 combine. He played 83 total games at the NFL level for four different teams. Three players have tallied 45 reps on the bench press in NFL history and four players have recorded 44 bench press reps. Only 20 players have ever recorded 40 or more bench press reps.
The over/under of 36.5 reps is set on DraftKings Sportsbook for this year’s combine. Jaguars defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson was the only player last year to record over 30 reps, leading the rookie class with 34.
Five players recorded 30 or more reps in 2023, with Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith leading the combine with 34 reps. Chargers guard Zion Johnson led the 2022 combined with 32 bench press reps.
However, in 2021, two players recorded over 36.5 reps on the bench press. Both Texans defensive tackle Tommy Togiagi and free agent Jaylen Twyman, who has not officially played an NFL snap, each tallied 40 bench press reps. Going back to the data over the past 25 years, at least one player has recorded over 36.5 bench press reps in 19 of the 25 years.
Who Will Record Most Bench Press Reps?
Traditionally speaking, it has been defensive tackles and offensive linemen who tend to fair the best in this bench press test. With these positions being plenty comfortable relying on their brute strength and this type of push-off being so vital to their success, this should not be a surprise.
It also should be noted that when looking at the players who performed the best in this event, there is not much overlap with success in the NFL. While there are exceptions, many of the names with the highest bench press output were unable to find an NFL home or did not last long in the league. Don’t be shocked if one of the more under-the-radar players ends up taking the crown this year.
When looking at some of the names that should be in the mix, Michigan DL Mason Graham will be in the mix for being the top defensive lineman off the board and has showcased some impressive strength. He holds a monstrous 6-foot-3 and 318-pound frame. Graham has a background in wrestling and powerlifting and has gotten some strong praise from teammates for his performance in the weight room. His smaller arms are an advantage in this event and the power he possesses is evident in the film. Graham would be my pick to lead the combine in bench press reps.
While it has been since 2021 for a player to record over 36.5 bench press reps at the combine, expect this to change this year. History tells us this has just been a down stretch in the production at the bench press test with a player recording over 36.5 reps in 19 of the past 25 years. This draft class has plenty of available players at the interior line positions who are each set to give their best chance at the event. Look for one of them to make the most of their moment and log over 36.5 bench press reps at the combine.
