The NFL Combine is here, and there are countless athletes ready to show off and make themselves a lot of money when it comes to the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Combine features a plethora of different drills, allowing teams to gauge the skill, strength, and athleticism of different players at different positions. One of those drills is the bench press. What is the average bench press at the NFL Combine?
What Is the NFL Combine’s Average Bench Press?
The NFL Scouting Combine takes place in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. It started in 1982, with teams holding individual visits prior to then.
In addition to the on-field portion, there’s a plethora of interviews and medical evaluations as well, all playing important roles in the process.
The bench press, however, is pretty straightforward. Players who choose to participate in this drill will see how many times they can press 225 pounds consecutively. Additionally, they have a spotter who also counts their reps.
Ultimately, the average bench press depends on the position group doing it. However, here’s a list of the different position groups and their average.
Quarterbacks and specialists have no average, with most players in those groups opting not to participate.
- Linemen: 30-39
- Tight Ends: 25-30
- Linebackers: 25-30
- Running Backs: 20-25
- Wide Receivers: 15-20
- Defensive Backs: 15-20
The Combine record for bench press came in 2011, when defensive tackle Stephen Paea, out of Oregon State, set it with 49 reps of 225 pounds. To make it sound even crazier, that’s 11,025 pounds of weight. He was later selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and played seven seasons in the NFL.
While it was mentioned earlier that most quarterbacks and specialists opt out of participation in the event, sometimes they don’t. In 2020, punter Michael Turk out of Arizona State put up 25 reps on the bench press, a record for the position. Turk never made an NFL roster, however.
Some other players who have put up impressive bench press performances include Mitch Petrus (2010), Jeff Owens (2010), Dontari Poe (2012), and Russell Bodine (2014). Yet, none came close to Paea’s performance.
2026 NFL Scouting Combine Schedule by Position Group
Thursday, Feb. 26 (3-8 p.m. ET)
Defensive linemen, linebackers, and specialists.
Friday, Feb. 27 (3-8 p.m. ET)
Defensive backs, tight ends
Saturday, Feb. 28 (1-8 p.m. ET)
Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
Sunday, March 1 (1-5 p.m. ET)
Offensive linemen
A total of 319 prospects received invitations to this year’s event, with names like Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, running back Jeremiyah Love, linebackers Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles headlining the field.
How to Watch the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine
Fans can attend on-field workouts inside Lucas Oil Stadium by registering through the NFL OnePass app. The event airs on NFL Network across all four days of drills, with streaming available on NFL+, which includes live press conferences, drill analysis, and insider breakdowns on connected TV and mobile devices.
No cable? DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV all carry NFL Network for cord-cutters looking to catch the action.
