The NFL Combine 2026, starts from February 23rd to March 2nd in Indianapolis, serves as the premier pre-draft showcase where the league’s top college prospects undergo rigorous medical evaluations, athletic testing, on-field drills, and interviews with all 32 teams. It remains the most comprehensive event for assessing raw talent before the April draft.
Fans gain critical insights into hidden strengths and weaknesses- 40-yard dash times, bench press reps, vertical leaps. shuttle runs, and positional drills reveal speed, explosiveness, and technique. Medical reports, interviews, and other measurables often reshape draft boards, creating buzz around breakout stars and potential sleepers.
What is the Bench Press at NFL Combine?
The NFL Combine bench press is a key strength test where prospects lie on a flat bench and press a 225-pound barbell as many times as possible without stopping or resting. It measures upper-body power, endurance, and raw pressing strength, particularly in the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
This drill has become on of the most watched events at the Combine since the 1990s, offering scouts a quick, objective look of a player’s physical toughness and ability to sustain effort, qualities that are vital for offensive and defensive lineman, linebackers, and even some tight ends.
High rep counts often provide a significant boost a draft stock for trench players and those expected to anchor the line of scrimmage, while lower numbers rarely derail top prospects if they excel in other areas such as speed, agility, technique, or on-field production. So, while the Combine offers various insights, it is not an end all be all situation.
Bench Press Record Odds
The NFL Combine bench press tests upper-body strength and muscular endurance, requiring prospects to lift a 225-pound (102 kg) barbell as many times as possible without pausing. Since 1194, only 20 players have exceeded 40 repetitions, highlighting the drill’s difficulty. The all-time record stands at 51 reps, set by Justin Ernest (but wasn’t drafted to the NFL), with Stephen Paea tying for second at 49 reps in 2011.
Other notable high marks include 45 reps by Mike Kudla (2006), Mitch Petrus (2010), and Leif Larsen (2000); 44 reps by Brodrick Bunkley (2006), Jeff Owens (2010), Dontari Poe (2012), and Netane Muti (2020). And 43 reps by Larry Allen (1994) and Scott Young (2005). At the 2025 Combine most recently, the top performance was 32 reps by tight end CJ Dippre, who tied the high mark from the previous year.
Here’s an approximate idea of what is generally considered an excellent time at the bench press drill;
Roughly 15-25 reps at 225 – Average performance
25-35 reps at 225 – Good performance
35-40 reps at 225 – Elite Performance
Beyond 45 reps – All-time records
Stephen Paea with 49 reps on the bench press is still UNREAL. 😯 @PAEA_90 (via @nflthrowback)
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Top Candidates Who Can Break the Bench Press Record This Year at NFL Combine 2026
Breaking the bench press record is absolutely not easy to say the least. With medical advances, technology, and sport sciences, athletes are now more certainly faster, stronger, smarter. However, even if you take out the record set by Ernest with 51 reps since he wasn’t drafted, the official record is set at 49 reps set by Stephen Paea in 2011.
Over the years many NFL prospects or now players, have come close to the record, but none have come out successful at beating the record so far. Apart from Paea with 49 reps, others such as Mike Kudla, Mitch Petrus, and Leif Larsen all put up 45 reps, which is the second highest official record. With that said, let us take a look at top contenders who could possibly challenge the record this year.
Peter Woods – DL (Clemson Tigers)
Peter Woods, the Clemson Tigers’ rising interior defensive lineman, enters the 2026 NFL Draft as a versatile prospect with strong starter potential in even front schemes. The young defense brings explosive lower-body power and synced hands-feet action to win at the point of attack, excelling as an active brawler who overpowers blockers as reps develop.
While shorter arms can allow crowding and limit pure one-gap dominance, his play strength continues to grow as he adds mass. Woods lacks elite solo-rush quickness but thrives in collective pocket collapse, with his 2024 tape showcasing clear upside. His explosiveness and strength makes us believe that he has a shot at coming close to the bench press record at the combine.
Proctor is a massive, long-limbed offensive lineman who dominates with brute strength and bulldozing power. He excels as a people move when rolling downhill, flattening defenders with overwhelming force. Once set and centered, his stout anchor and powerful hands stonewall speed-to-power rushes, creating a formidable roadblock. While slants and quickness can exploit him in the run game and he struggles to mirror athletic edge rushers in space, his raw power gives him clear potential as a strong right tackle or very good guard.
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Francis Mauigoa – OT (Miami)
Francis Mauigoa, the highly touted Miami Hurricanes right tackle, enters the 2026 NFL Draft as a durable three-year starter who consistently met expectations on the edge. Built like a guard with a broad, powerful frame (elite lean muscle mass as per NFL.com), he moves fluidly like a tackle in pass protection, showcasing impressive football IQ, strong core stability, and excellent contact balance.
Dontay Corleone – DT (Cincinnati)
Nicknamed “The Godfather,” is a squatty, broad-built run-down defender with natural play strength and a low center of gravity. The Cincinnati Bearcats nose tackle stays rarely on the ground, maintaining squared pads and solid short-area athleticism to hold the point. Lacking ideal length and quick shed ability, he needs improved initial explosiveness off the snap to gain early leverage. His brute strength is a standout which could helps his bench press numbers at the combine.
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I cover the National Football League and things cannot get better than that. I always dreamed to play football or basketball professionally since I’m built like a Running Back. But now that I can’t, since I’m technically in the “Unc” age, I thought why not pick a career in sports industry? So here I am, doing what I love, and hoping that the Commanders win the Super Bowl. I give love to players when it’s due, but can be critical about their performances at the same time. Enough about me, now let my articles do all the talking.
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