When it comes to the big guys -- the powerful guys -- on the offensive side of the ball, nothing measures brute strength like the bench press. With the NFL Combine not taking place because of COVID-19 and the travel complications it produced, these measurements were conducted solely in on-campus pro-day settings.
So how do the offensive athletes at the top of the BetMGM NFL Draft betting odds stack up in the bench press? Who was the most powerful this spring in the hundreds of pro days held all over the country? We take a look below at the offensive linemen, tight ends, and running backs, listed by how they rank in the NFL Draft odds to be the first pick taken at their respective positions.
Why only offensive linemen, tight ends, and running backs?
For offensive linemen, this measurement is way more important than the 40-yard dash. For a tight end, it’s not as critical to put up lineman-like numbers, but it can help make the case for a promising TE prospect. And for running backs, it shows how powerful a runner you are.
On the flip side, quarterbacks rarely do the bench press because they don’t want to injure their upper body before throwing drills, which take precedence over all of the measurables. And for wide receivers, the bench isn’t critical, though they do usually test for it.
The chosen weight to lift is 225 pounds, and the athlete completes as many repetitions as possible. The reason lifters are not measured on their top one-time lift total is to help prevent injuries that might hamper the participant for the rest of the day.
Lastly, when it comes to the rankings, we use DraftScout.com, a service NFL scouts use for data.
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The Bench Press - By Offensive Position
Offensive Linemen
Bench Press -- Measured in how many repetitions an athlete can lift 225 pounds
TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999 (number of reps):
45 -- Mitch Petrus, Arkansas (Guard: 2010 - Drafted 5th round)
41 -- David Molk, Michigan (Center: 2012 - Drafted 7th round)
40 -- Zach Piller, Florida (Tackle: 1999 - Drafted 3rd round)
TOP PRO DAY PERFORMANCES - 2021 (number of reps):
36 -- Three (Syrus Tuitele, Fresno St; Samuel Cosmi, Texas; Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma St.)
35 -- Two (Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina; Samuel Cooper, Merrimack)
34 -- Landon Young, Kentucky
TOP OL PROSPECTS (by BetMGM odds)
Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: -500
PRO DAY REPS: 30 times
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 2 overall)
Rashawn Slater, OG, Northwestern
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +250
PRO DAY REPS: 33 times
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 9 overall)
Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +2500
PRO DAY REPS: Did Not Lift (recent back surgery)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 13 overall)
Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, Southern Cal
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +3500
PRO DAY REPS: 32 times
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 21 overall)
Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +5000
PRO DAY REPS: 33 times
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st or 2nd round (No. 38 overall)
Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +5000
PRO DAY REPS: 36 times
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st or 2nd round (No. 32 overall)
Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +10000
PRO DAY REPS: 36 times
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd round (No. 49 overall)
Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
ODDS OF FIRST OL PICKED: +10000
PRO DAY REPS: Did Not Lift (choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd round (No. 58 overall)
Tight Ends
TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999 (number of reps):
35 -- Orson Charles, Georgia (2012 - Drafted 4th round)
35 -- Joe Don Duncan, Dixie State (2014 - free agent, Broncos - never played)
TOP PRO DAY PERFORMANCES - 2021 (number of reps):
26 -- Brock Wright, Notre Dame
26 -- Briley Moore, Kansas State
23 -- Three (Tony Poljan, Virginia; Tre McKitty, Georgia; Matt Bushman, BYU)
TOP TE PROSPECTS (by BetMGM odds)
Kyle Pitts, Florida
ODDS OF FIRST TE PICKED: -10000
PRO DAY REPS: 22
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 5 overall)
Brevin Jordan, Miami (Fla.)
ODDS OF FIRST TE PICKED: +2000
PRO DAY REPS: 17
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 3rd to 4th round (No. 106 overall)
Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
ODDS OF FIRST TE PICKED: +3500
PRO DAY REPS: Did not lift (shoulder surgery)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd round (No. 60 overall)
Tre McKitty, Georgia
ODDS OF FIRST TE PICKED: +6600
PRO DAY REPS: 23
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 5th round (No. 171 overall)
Running Backs
TOP COMBINE PERFORMANCE SINCE 1999 (number of reps):
32 -- Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern (2014 - Drafted 3rd round)
TOP PRO DAY PERFORMANCES - 2021 (number of reps):
28 -- Corey Taylor, Tulsa
26 -- Justin Henderson, Louisiana Tech
24 -- Asim Rose, Kentucky
TOP RB PROSPECTS (by BetMGM odds)
Najee Harris, Alabama
ODDS OF FIRST RB PICKED: -140
PRO DAY REPS: did not lift (choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st round (No. 28 overall)
Travis Etienne, Clemson
ODDS OF FIRST RB PICKED: +165
PRO DAY REPS: 18
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 1st to 2nd round (No. 33 overall)
Javonte Williams, North Carolina
ODDS OF FIRST RB PICKED: +600
PRO DAY REPS: 22
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 2nd to 3rd round (No. 66 overall)
Michael Carter, Duke
ODDS OF FIRST RB PICKED: +4000
PRO DAY REPS: 13
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 7th to HPFA (No. 264 overall)
Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis
ODDS OF FIRST RB PICKED: +4000
PRO DAY REPS: 21
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 3rd round (No. 104 overall)
Trey Sermon, Ohio State
ODDS OF FIRST RB PICKED: +4000
PRO DAY REPS: did not lift (choice)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJ: 3rd round (No. 102 overall)
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Brian McLaughlin is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of BMac and Herd’s FCS Podcast. He has covered the national recruiting scene in football and basketball for The Sporting News, headed up the PARADE Magazine High School All-America selections, and handled FCS college football for HERO Sports. Follow BMac on Twitter @BrianMacWriter.
