Most reps of 225 at the NFL Combine is by Stephen Paea who bench pressed 49 reps in 2011. The Chicago Bears drafted him that year.
The bench press is one of the four most popular marking systems of strength during the NFL Scouting Combine. It is conducted annually just before the NFL Draft of the year begins.
National Football League demands a lot of muscular strength to be put into the game. So It is a necessary ritual to test the athletic strength of a player before the draft.
As a matter of fact, NFL also holds 40-Yard Dash, Board Kump, and Vertical Jump tests along with the Bench Press to test the players to be drafted into NFL.
Actually, Eastern Kentucky University’s defensive tackle Justin Earnest is the all-time most reps 225 lbs who pressed 51 reps. But his record is unofficial as he was not selected in the draft that year.
The more reps a player have the more is his chance to get selected by the best teams in the NFL. The number of reps is regarded as the badge of honor and is the emblem of the players’ toughness.
Most Bench Reps At NFL Combine
The defensive tackle of Oregon State, Stephen Paea stands at the top of the list of Most Bench Reps at the NFL Combine.
The 136 kg DT threw 225 pounds 49 times. Though there is his name in the official record, Justin Ernest came up with 51 reps and remains the only player to surpass the 50 reps in the NFL combine history.
Ernest was not selected by any teams in 1999, so he never appeared in the NFL games. Although undrafted, any of the succeeding players have not broken his record.
Let’s look at the top 10 Bench Reps at NFL Combine in the table below:
| Name of Players | Number of Reps |
| Stephen Paea (DT) | 49 |
| Mitch Petrus (OL) | 45 |
| Jeff Owens (DT) | 44 |
| Dontari Poe (DT) | 44 |
| Russell Bodine (C) | 42 |
| Harrison Phillips (DT) | 42 |
| Tank Tyler (DT) | 42 |
| David Molk (C) | 41 |
| Vita Vea (DT) | 41 |
| Justin Blalock (G) | 40 |
Stephen Paea
Stephen Pea was the defensive tackle of Oregon when he lifted 225 pounds 49 times in the air. It was the year 2011 when he created the historic official record for the most bench reps at NFL Combine.
He played for a very short time in NFL but still holds the most chest press record in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine.
Mitch Petrus
The offensive lineman for Arkansas lifted 225 pounds 45 times in 2010 and is the second-most chest press of all time. He was 143 kg when he wrote his name on the list.
Petrus had a chance to play only 27 games during his NFL career but went on to win the Super Bowl XLVI ring in that short career as well.
Besides, Mike Kudla (2006) and Leif Larsen (2000) have also bench-pressed 45 reps in the Scouting.
Jeff Owens
Jeff Owens bench-pressed the 225 pounds 44 times, almost getting close to Petrus. It was also the year of 2010 when the 139 kg Georgia’s defensive tackle did the amazing chest press.
Brodrick Bunkley (2006) and Netane Muti (2020) are other names from the past and recent, who did 44 reps in the combine.
Dontari Poe
Dontari Poe was the defensive tackle for the Memphis when he bench pressed 44 reps in the 2012 Scouting Combine, tieing with the record of Owens.
The 157 kg DT is the fourth most chest presser during NFL Scouting Combine and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Russell Bodine
Russell Bodine, the Center for the North Carolina Taar Heels, did 42 reps in the 2014 Scouting Combine. The 141 kg center had scored top in the vertical jump that year and had a hope to do so in the Bench Press as well but was out of luck.
Similarly, Isaac Sopoaga did 42 reps in 2004, Harris Phillips went for 42 reps in 2018, Tank Tyler for 42 in 2007, David Molk got 41 reps in 2012, Vita Vea had 41 again in 2018, and Justin Blalock got 40 in 2007.
Lowest Bench Press NFL Combine
The lowest bench press NFL Combine record is under Fred Smoot, who only pressed 1 rep. It was 2001 when the least raise of 225 pounds occurred.
Despite his lowest score of all he was still drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft of 2001 by the Washington Redskins as the 14th pick. Smoot had an exciting 9-year career in the NFL.
This might also indicate that to be drafted by any team in the League, strength is not always the most needed show factor.
The names for the lowest Bench Press NFL Combine record since 2000 are listed below:
- Fred Smoot – 1 rep – 2001
- Joshua Moore – 2 reps – 2010
- Bryan Mills – 2 reps- 2021
- Demarcus Faggins – 3 reps – 2002
- D.C. Jefferson – 3 reps – 2012
- Jamel Hamler – 4 reps – 2011
- Jarred Abbrederis – 4 reps – 2013
- Jordan Thomas – 4 reps – 2018
- Channing Stribling – 5 reps – 2017
- Chris Mckenzie – 6 reps – 2005
- Bruce Johnson – 6 reps – 2009
- Harlan Miller – 6 reps – 2016
- Antoine Wesley – 6 reps – 2019
- Jabari Greer – 7 reps – 2004
- Chase Minnifield – 7 reps – 2012
- Garry Peters – 7 reps – 2015
- Chris Finke – 7 reps – 2020
- Lawrence Richardson – 8 reps – 2004
- Darrell Hunter – 8 reps – 2006
- Rafael Little – 8 reps – 2008
- Antonion Johnson – 8 reps – 2023
- Dennis Weathersby – 9 reps – 2003
- Gary Russell – 9 reps – 2007
- Justyn Ross – 11 reps – 2022
NFL Combine Bench Press Average By Position
NFL combine bench press averages by position are 15-20 reps for Defensive Backs and Receivers, 20-25 reps for Running Backs, 25-30 reps for Linebackers, and so on.
The average value of the bench pass is not provided for special players and Quarterbacks because they don’t usually take the bench press in the scouting combine.
Let’s look at the NFL Scouting Combine bench press average in the table below:
| Positions | Average Value |
| Linemen | 30-39 reps |
| Tight Ends | 25-30 reps |
| Linebackers | 25-30 reps |
| Running Backs | 20-25 reps |
| Defensive Backs | 15-20 reps |
| Receivers | 15-20 reps |
As listed above, it must have been clear that the average of different positions differs in the bench press in NFL Scouting. The average is high for offensive and defensive linemen.
Below are brief descriptions of players with the highest reps in the abovementioned position. Let’s go through them:
Defensive Linemen
Defensive Lineman which has the highest average on the list was dominated by Stephen Paea who pressed 49 reps creating a record in the history of NFL Scouting.
Other best unforgettable pressers under this category are Dontari Poe, who bench pressed 44 reps and Jeff Owens who also pressed 44 reps. These are the top defensive linemen who enlisted themselves among the best.
Offensive Linemen
The top offensive linemen who threw up 225 lbs the most are Mitch Petrus who had 45 reps, Russell Bodine who pressed 42 reps and Netan Muti who lifted in 44 repetitions.
Linebackers
The remarkable linebackers with the most 225 reps NFL Combine are Cornelius Washington and Ronnell Lewis, each of who pressed the chest up to 36 reps.
Other notable players include Vic Beasley and Donald Butler. They both bench-pressed up to 35 reps after which Beasley went on to be picked up by the Atlanta Falcons as the 8th pick in the NFL draft.
Running Backs
Jerick McKinnon who came up with the strength to lift up 225 lbs for 32 reps stands as the most reps presser for the running back position. Later in 2022, he went on to win the Super Bowl Championship with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Another markable rep achieved in the full-back position was 36 reps by Tommy Bohanon in 2013. Alex Barnes also delivered his muscle strength by pressing 34 reps in 2019 but couldn’t make it to the NFL roster that year.
Quarterbacks
To maintain the top record in the quarterback position Rhett Bomer threw 225 pounds for 25 reps and achieved the title of QB with the most rep records in the NFL Combine.
The New York Giants drafted him as a backup quarterback in the 2009 NFL draft, but he never got to play the actual game and remained on the substitution list for a few years.
Another quarterback to maintain an outstanding record was Brady Quinn, who was able to chest press 24 reps in 2007 and is second on the record list.