Jordan Jefferson on his way to 34 reps. / NFL.com
How many continuous reps can you bench 225? That’s the NFL bench press test, and fewer and fewer NFL prospects are electing to do it at the scouting combine, if at all.
On the first day, with defensive linemen and linebackers up, 32 of 80 (40%) did the bench press. Last year, 42 of 95 did: 44%. This year, only one of 16 tight ends benched.
The diminished importance of bench pressing 225 lbs. (102 kg.) for reps isn’t just reflected in combine participation. While other numbers, like the 40-yard dash and the vertical jump, continually improve for all positions, the bench press plateaued over a decade ago, at least for the biggest guys on both sides of the line who put up the biggest numbers.
The record for all scouting combine participants (51 reps) was set way back in 1999, and the record for those who played in the NFL (49 reps) was reached 13 years ago in 2011. For the best marks in various positions and categories, check out the NFL Combine Bench Press Record Book.
Last year, USC guard Andrew Vorhees put up the biggest tally—38 reps—before being drafted by the Ravens. And 11 guys benched 29 or more reps with four hitting at least 34. This year’s numbers were similar: 12 guys benched at least 29 reps, 2 hit at least 34, and Beaux Limmer put the biggest rep tally: 39.
2024 NFL COMBINE BENCH PRESS TOP PERFORMERS
Beaux Limmer — 39 reps (center, Arkansas)
Jordan Jefferson — 34 reps (interior d-line, LSU)
Jarrett Kingston — 32 reps (guard, USC)
Kingsley Suamataia — 31 reps (offensive tackle, BYU)
Jared Verse — 31 reps (edge, Florida State)
Zach Frazier — 30 reps (center, West Virginia)
Patrick Paul — 30 reps (offensive tackle, Houston)
Jackson Powers-Johnson — 30 reps (center, Oregon)
Tyler Davis — 29 reps (interior d-line, Clemson)
Delmar Glaze — 29 reps (offensive tackle, Maryland)
Kris Jenkins — 29 reps (interior d-line, Michigan)
Ruke Orhorhoro — 29 reps (interior d-line, Clemson)
NOTEWORTHY
◼️ Only 20 combine participants in history have bench pressed 40 or more reps. But 302-pound Beaux Limmer just missed becoming #21 with his 39 reps. The last to join Club 40 was o-lineman Netane Muti, who put up 44 reps in 2020.
◼️ Only one tight end bench pressed. But it’s no wonder Illlinois’ Tip Reiman didn’t skip the bench. The 271-pound TE racked up an impressive 28 reps. That ties him for the eighth best combine total by a tight end ever.
◼️ Michigan running back Blake Corum had pound-for-pound the most impressive bench press performance at the combine. He put up 27 reps while weighing only 205 pounds. (In a training video posted last March, he hit 30 reps with his team hyping him on.)
◼️ Two other running backs hit 25 or more reps: Wisconsin’s 235-lb. Braelon Allen (26 reps) and USC’s 220-lb. MarShawn Lloyd (25 reps).
◼️ Clemson teammates Davis and Orhorhoro, both defensive tackles, each hit an impressive 29 reps.
You can see all of the 2024 NFL Combine results here.
