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Most Bench Press Reps In NFL Combine History
We take a look at the players who have had the most bench press reps in NFL Combine history, along with where they were drafted and how their careers worked out.
February 18, 2016
Every football player is strong, but when the NFL Combine rolls around, we get to see who among them can separate themselves and become modern-day Hercules at the bench press.
Below we look at the combine’s top-10 performances by players lifting the standard 225 lbs on the bench press, along with where they went in the draft, and a short recap of their career to date.
Note: The statistics used for this article are as recognized by NFL.com.
1. Stephen Paea
Position: Defensive Tackle
Number of Reps: 49
College: Oregon State
Draft Recap: Round 2 – Pick 53 – Chicago Bears
Spending time with both the Bears and Redskins, Paea has recorded 113 tackles, 13.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in his five-year career.
T-2. Mitch Petrus
Year: 2010
Position: Offensive Lineman
Number of Reps: 45
College: Arkansas
Draft Recap: Round 5 – Pick 147 – New York Giants
He saw action in only 27 games during his short career and started in four of them. Petrus was a member of the Super Bowl XLVI Champion New York Giants.
T-2. Mike Kudla
Year: 2006
Position: Defensive Lineman
Number of Reps: 45
College: Ohio State
Draft Recap: Undrafted
Kudla agreed to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers after going undrafted, but he never saw game action during his career.
T-4. Jeff Owens
Year: 2010
Position: Defensive Tackle
Number of Reps: 44
College: Georgia
Draft Recap: Round 7 – Pick 243 – Philadelphia Eagles
Owens played in only one game in his NFL career before his left patellar tendon ruptured in a game against the Vikings in 2010.
T-4. Dontari Poe
Year: 2012
Position: Defensive Tackle
Number of Reps: 44
College: Memphis
Draft Recap: Round 1 – Pick 11 – Kansas City Chiefs
Poe has become a nightmare for NFL quarterbacks, as he’s tallied 173 tackles and 11.5 sacks in his four-year career. He has been named to the Pro Bowl twice: 2013 and 2014.
T-4. Brodrick Bunkley
Year: 2006
Position: Defensive Lineman
Number of Reps: 44
College: Florida State
Draft Recap: Round 1 – Pick 14 – Philadelphia Eagles
During his nine-year career, Bunkley racked up 240 tackles and 8.5 sacks while spending time with the Eagles, Broncos and Saints.
7. Scott Young
Year: 2005
Position: Offensive Guard
Number of Reps: 43
College: BYU
Draft Recap: Round 5 – Pick 172 – Philadelphia Eagles
Scott Young played in only 14 games during his five-year career before retiring in 2009.
T-8. Isaac Sopoaga
Year: 2007
Position: Defensive Tackle
Number of Reps: 42
College: NC State
Draft Recap: Round 4 – Pick 104 – San Francisco 49ers
He spent nine seasons with the 49ers before moving on to the Eagles and Patriots. Sopoaga recorded 228 tackles and 8.5 sacks from 2004 to 2013.
T-8. Russell Bodine
Year: 2014
Position: Center
Number of Reps: 42
College: North Carolina
Draft Recap: Round 4 – Pick 111 – Cincinnati Bengals
Bodine has been the starting center for the Cincinnati Bengals the past two years, helping the Bengals make the playoffs in each season.
T-8. Tank Tyler
Year: 2007
Position: Defensive Lineman
Number of Reps: 42
College: NC State
Draft Recap: Round 3 – Pick 82 – Kansas City Chiefs
Tank Tyler started 19 of the 37 games he saw action in with the Chiefs from 2007 to 2009, recording 74 tackles in that time.
