Clemson’s Vic Beasley Was The 2015 Combine Bench Press Champion

by Chase Stuart on March 1, 2015

As a general rule, shorter and heavier guys tend to dominate the bench press. When I looked at this last year, the best-fit formula to predict the number of reps of 225 a prospect could achieve was:

Expected BP = 30.0 – 0.560 * Height + .1275 * Weight

What does that mean? All else being equal, if Prospect A is 7 inches shorter than Prospect B, we would expect Prospect B to produce about 4 more reps than Prospect A. And for every eight pounds of body weight a player has, we would expect one additional rep out of that prospect.

Which brings us to Clemson outside linebacker Vic Beasley. Standing 6’3 and “only” 246 pounds, Beasley doesn’t exactly fit the profile of a bench pressing machine. But in Indianapolis, he pumped out an incredible 35 reps, tied for the third most at the combine (no other player under 300 pounds had even 33 reps). Given his height and weight, the formula above would project Beasley for 19.4 reps, which means he exceeded expectations by a whopping 15.6 reps. No other player came close to exceeding expectations to such a significant degree.

The table below shows the results of all players who participated in the bench press at the combine. All data comes courtesy of NFLSavant.com.

Rk	Name	Pos	College	Height	Weight	Exp BP	Actual BP	Diff
1	Vic Beasley	OLB	Clemson	75	246	19.4	35	15.6
2	Mike Hull	OLB	Penn St.	72	237	19.9	31	11.1
3	Josh Shaw	CB	USC	72	201	15.3	26	10.7
4	Joe Cardona	LS	Navy	74	242	19.4	30	10.6
5	Mitch Morse	OG	Missouri	77	305	25.8	36	10.2
6	Gerald Christian	TE	Louisville	75	244	19.1	28	8.9
7	Joey Iosefa	RB	Hawaii	72	247	21.2	30	8.8
8	Ereck Flowers	OT	Miami	78	329	28.3	37	8.7
9	Sean Hickey	OT	Syracuse	77	309	26.3	35	8.7
10	Mario Edwards Jr.	DT	Florida St.	75	279	23.6	32	8.4
11	Gus Johnson	RB	Stephen F. Austin	70	215	18.2	26	7.8
12	Gabe Wright	DT	Auburn	75	300	26.3	34	7.8
13	Kevin White	WR	West Virginia	75	215	15.4	23	7.6
14	David Johnson	RB	Northern Iowa	73	224	17.7	25	7.3
15	Randy Gregory	OLB	Nebraska	77	235	16.8	24	7.2
16	Bryce Hager	ILB	Baylor	73	234	19	26	7
17	Jesse James	TE	Penn St.	79	261	19	26	7
18	Geremy Davis	WR	Connecticut	74	216	16.1	23	6.9
19	Sammie Coates	WR	Auburn	73	212	16.2	23	6.9
20	Jeff Heuerman	TE	Ohio St.	77	254	19.3	26	6.7
21	Denzel Perryman	ILB	Miami	71	236	20.3	27	6.7
22	Deon Simon	NT	Northwestern St. (LA)	76	321	28.4	35	6.6
23	Ameer Abdullah	RB	Nebraska	69	205	17.5	24	6.5
24	Kyle Emanuel	OLB	North Dakota St.	75	255	20.5	27	6.5
25	Zach Zenner	RB	South Dakota St.	71	223	18.7	25	6.3
26	Michael Dyer	RB	Louisville	68	218	19.7	26	6.3
27	Ibraheim Campbell	SS	Northwestern	71	208	16.8	23	6.2
28	Justin Coleman	CB	Tennessee	71	185	13.8	20	6.2
29	Davis Tull	OLB	Tennessee-Chattanooga	74	246	19.9	26	6.1
30	Danielle Hunter	DE	LSU	77	252	19	25	6
31	Kwon Alexander	OLB	LSU	73	227	18.1	24	5.9
32	Mark Nzeocha	OLB	Wyoming	74	232	18.1	24	5.9
33	Clayton Geathers	SS	Central Florida	74	218	16.4	22	5.6
34	David Parry	NT	Stanford	73	308	28.4	34	5.6
35	Trae Waynes	CB	Michigan St.	72	186	13.4	19	5.6
36	Trey Flowers	DE	Arkansas	74	266	22.5	28	5.5
37	Tevin Coleman	RB	Indiana	71	206	16.5	22	5.5
38	Martrell Spaight	OLB	Arkansas	72	236	19.8	25	5.2
39	Anthony Chickillo	DE	Miami	75	267	22	27	5
40	Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil	OLB	Maryland	74	248	20.2	25	4.8
41	Doran Grant	CB	Ohio St.	70	200	16.3	21	4.7
42	Kyshoen Jarrett	SS	Virginia Tech	70	200	16.3	21	4.7
43	Tyler Varga	FB	Yale	71	222	18.5	23	4.5
44	Mark Glowinski	OG	West Virginia	76	307	26.6	31	4.4
45	Ramik Wilson	ILB	Georgia	74	237	18.8	23	4.2
46	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Alabama	73	226	17.9	22	4.1
47	Stephone Anthony	ILB	Clemson	75	243	19	23	4
48	Lynden Trail	DE	Norfolk St.	79	269	20.1	24	3.9
49	Michael Burton	FB	Rutgers	71	242	21.1	25	3.9
50	Tevin McDonald	FS	Eastern Washington	71	195	15.1	19	3.9
51	Obum Gwacham	DE	Oregon St.	77	246	18.2	22	3.8
52	Eric Rowe	FS	Utah	73	205	15.3	19	3.7
53	Xavier Cooper	DT	Washington St.	75	293	25.4	29	3.6
54	Ali Marpet	C	Hobart & William Smith	76	307	26.6	30	3.4
55	D'Joun Smith	CB	Florida Atlantic	70	187	14.6	18	3.4
56	Neiron Ball	OLB	Florida	74	236	18.7	22	3.4
57	Kevin White	CB	TCU	69	183	14.7	18	3.3
58	Ryan Russell	DE	Purdue	76	269	21.7	25	3.3
59	Cameron Erving	C	Florida St.	77	313	26.8	30	3.2
60	Ryan Delaire	DE	Towson	76	254	19.8	23	3.2
61	Tyeler Davison	DT	Fresno St.	74	316	28.9	32	3.2
62	Steven Nelson	CB	Oregon St.	70	197	15.9	19	3.1
63	Owamagbe Odighizuwa	DE	UCLA	75	267	22	25	3
64	Braylon Heard	RB	Kentucky	70	198	16	19	3
65	Terrence Magee	RB	LSU	68	213	19.1	22	2.9
66	Amarlo Herrera	ILB	Georgia	73	244	20.2	23	2.8
67	Preston Smith	DE	Mississippi St.	77	271	21.4	24	2.6
68	Lorenzo Mauldin	OLB	Louisville	76	259	20.5	23	2.5
69	Derrick Lott	DT	Tennessee-Chattanooga	76	314	27.5	30	2.5
70	Melvin Gordon	RB	Wisconsin	73	215	16.5	19	2.5
71	DeVante Parker	WR	Louisville	75	209	14.6	17	2.4
72	B.J. Dubose	OLB	Louisville	76	284	23.7	26	2.4
73	Alex Carter	CB	Stanford	72	196	14.7	17	2.3
74	Chris Conley	WR	Georgia	74	213	15.7	18	2.3
75	Danny Shelton	NT	Washington	74	339	31.8	34	2.2
76	Marcus Peters	CB	Washington	72	197	14.8	17	2.2
77	Grady Jarrett	NT	Clemson	73	304	27.9	30	2.1
78	Matt Jones	RB	Florida	74	231	18	20	2
79	Rob Crisp	OT	N.C. State	79	301	24.1	26	1.9
80	John Miller	OG	Louisville	74	303	27.2	29	1.8
81	Jamil Douglas	OG	Arizona State	76	304	26.2	28	1.8
82	Shane Ray	DE	Missouri	75	245	19.2	21	1.8
83	Justin Cox	FS	Mississippi St.	73	191	13.5	15	1.5
84	Andy Gallik	C	Boston College	74	306	27.6	29	1.4
85	Josh Robinson	RB	Mississippi St.	68	217	19.6	21	1.4
86	Paul Dawson	ILB	TCU	72	235	19.6	21	1.4
87	Dezmin Lewis	WR	Central Arkansas	76	214	14.7	16	1.3
88	Senquez Golson	CB	Mississippi	69	176	13.8	15	1.2
89	Da'Ron Brown	WR	Northern Illinois	72	205	15.8	17	1.2
90	Jay Ajayi	RB	Boise St.	72	221	17.9	19	1.1
91	Craig Mager	CB	Texas St.	71	201	15.9	17	1.1
92	J.T. Surratt	DT	South Carolina	73	304	27.9	29	1.1
93	Damien Wilson	ILB	Minnesota	72	245	20.9	22	1.1
94	Rannell Hall	WR	Central Florida	72	198	14.9	16	1.1
95	Arik Armstead	DT	Oregon	79	292	23	24	1
96	Dean Marlowe	FS	James Madison	73	203	15	16	1
97	Corey Robinson	OT	South Carolina	79	324	27.1	28	0.9
98	Nick O'Leary	TE	Florida St.	75	252	20.1	21	0.9
99	Jake Ryan	OLB	Michigan	74	240	19.2	20	0.8
100	Cedric Reed	DE	Texas	77	269	21.2	22	0.8
101	Tyrus Thompson	OT	Oklahoma	77	324	28.2	29	0.8
102	Jordan Hicks	OLB	Texas	73	236	19.2	20	0.8
103	Bobby McCain	CB	Memphis	69	195	16.2	17	0.8
104	Alani Fua	OLB	BYU	77	238	17.2	18	0.8
105	Edmond Robinson	OLB	Newberry	75	245	19.2	20	0.8
106	Randall Telfer	TE	USC	76	250	19.3	20	0.7
107	Trey Williams	RB	Texas A&M	67	195	17.3	18	0.7
108	Quandre Diggs	CB	Texas	69	196	16.4	17	0.6
109	Anthony Jefferson	CB	UCLA	73	198	14.4	15	0.6
110	Za'Darius Smith	DE	Kentucky	76	274	22.4	23	0.6
111	Clive Walford	TE	Miami	76	251	19.4	20	0.6
112	Tye Smith	CB	Towson	72	195	14.5	15	0.5
113	Donatella Luckett	WR	Harding	72	211	16.6	17	0.4
114	Jalston Fowler	FB	Alabama	71	254	22.6	23	0.4
115	Malcolm Brown	RB	Texas	71	224	18.8	19	0.2
116	Dres Anderson	WR	Utah	73	187	13	13	0
117	Devin Funchess	WR	Michigan	76	232	17	17	0
118	D.J. Humphries	OT	Florida	77	307	26	26	0
119	Devante Davis	WR	UNLV	75	220	16.1	16	0
120	Ben Heeney	ILB	Kansas	72	231	19.1	19	-0.1
121	Marcus Hardison	DE	Arizona State	75	307	27.1	27	-0.1
122	Taiwan Jones	ILB	Michigan St.	75	245	19.2	19	-0.2
123	Eric Kendricks	ILB	UCLA	72	232	19.3	19	-0.3
124	J.R. Tavai	OLB	USC	74	249	20.3	20	-0.3
125	Jake Fisher	OT	Oregon	78	306	25.3	25	-0.3
126	Jermaine Whitehead	FS	Auburn	71	197	15.4	15	-0.4
127	Todd Gurley	RB	Georgia	73	222	17.4	17	-0.4
128	Tre McBride	WR	William & Mary	72	210	16.5	16	-0.5
129	Josh Harper	WR	Fresno St.	73	191	13.5	13	-0.5
130	Gerod Holliman	FS	Louisville	72	218	17.5	17	-0.5
131	Ezell Ruffin	WR	San Diego St.	72	218	17.5	17	-0.5
132	Ross Scheuerman	RB	Lafayette	72	204	15.7	15	-0.7
133	Jordan Phillips	NT	Oklahoma	77	329	28.8	28	-0.8
134	Eric Tomlinson	TE	Texas-El Paso	78	263	19.9	19	-0.9
135	Terry Poole	OG	San Diego St.	77	307	26	25	-1
136	Detrick Bonner	FS	Virginia Tech	72	207	16.1	15	-1.1
137	Quinten Rollins	CB	Miami (OH)	71	195	15.1	14	-1.1
138	Darius Philon	DT	Arkansas	73	298	27.1	26	-1.1
139	Laurence Gibson	OT	Virginia Tech	78	305	25.2	24	-1.2
140	Damarious Randall	FS	Arizona State	71	196	15.2	14	-1.2
141	Tyler Kroft	TE	Rutgers	77	246	18.2	17	-1.2
142	Hayes Pullard	ILB	USC	72	240	20.3	19	-1.3
143	Phillip Dorsett	WR	Miami	70	185	14.4	13	-1.4
144	Tavaris Barnes	DE	Clemson	76	282	23.4	22	-1.4
145	Dominique Brown	RB	Louisville	74	234	18.4	17	-1.4
146	Geneo Grissom	DE	Oklahoma	75	262	21.4	20	-1.4
147	E.J. Bibbs	TE	Iowa St.	74	258	21.5	20	-1.5
148	Daryl Williams	OT	Oklahoma	77	327	28.6	27	-1.6
149	Nick Boyle	TE	Delaware	76	268	21.6	20	-1.6
150	JaCorey Shepherd	CB	Kansas	71	199	15.6	14	-1.6
151	Rakeem Nunez-Roches	DT	Southern Miss	74	307	27.7	26	-1.7
152	Davaris Daniels	WR	Notre Dame	73	201	14.7	13	-1.7
153	Mario Alford	WR	West Virginia	68	180	14.9	13	-1.9
154	A.J. Cann	OG	South Carolina	75	313	27.9	26	-1.9
155	Tony Washington	OLB	Oregon	76	247	18.9	17	-1.9
156	Mike Davis	RB	South Carolina	69	217	19	17	-2
157	Xzavier Dickson	OLB	Alabama	75	260	21.2	19	-2.1
158	Deon Long	WR	Maryland	72	192	14.2	12	-2.2
159	Maxx Williams	TE	Minnesota	76	249	19.2	17	-2.2
160	Dante Fowler Jr.	OLB	Florida	75	261	21.3	19	-2.3
161	John Crockett	RB	North Dakota St.	72	217	17.3	15	-2.3
162	Aaron Davis	OLB	Colorado St.	72	225	18.4	16	-2.4
163	P.J. Williams	CB	Florida St.	72	194	14.4	12	-2.4
164	David Cobb	RB	Minnesota	71	229	19.4	17	-2.4
165	Karlos Williams	RB	Florida St.	73	230	18.4	16	-2.4
166	Leterrius Walton	DT	Central Michigan	77	319	27.6	25	-2.6
167	Reese Dismukes	C	Auburn	75	296	25.7	23	-2.7
168	Benardrick McKinney	ILB	Mississippi St.	76	246	18.8	16	-2.8
169	Ronald Darby	CB	Florida St.	71	193	14.8	12	-2.8
170	Ladarius Gunter	CB	Miami	73	202	14.9	12	-2.9
171	Cedric Ogbuehi	OT	Texas A&M	77	306	25.9	23	-2.9
172	Nelson Agholor	WR	USC	72	198	14.9	12	-2.9
173	Ty Sambrailo	OT	Colorado St.	78	311	26	23	-3
174	Tony Lippett	WR	Michigan St.	74	192	13	10	-3
175	Malcom Brown	DT	Texas	74	319	29.2	26	-3.2
176	Jahwan Edwards	RB	Ball St.	69	220	19.4	16	-3.4
177	Donovan Smith	OG	Penn St.	78	338	29.4	26	-3.4
178	Cam Worthy	WR	East Carolina	74	211	15.5	12	-3.5
179	Nick Marshall	QB	Auburn	73	207	15.5	12	-3.5
180	Jarvis Harrison	OG	Texas A&M	76	330	29.5	26	-3.5
181	Frank Clark	DE	Michigan	75	271	22.6	19	-3.6
182	MyCole Pruitt	TE	Southern Illinois	74	251	20.6	17	-3.6
183	Jeremiah Poutasi	OG	Utah	77	335	29.6	26	-3.6
184	Thomas Rawls	RB	Central Michigan	69	215	18.8	15	-3.8
185	Takoby Cofield	OT	Duke	76	310	27	23	-4
186	Al Bond	OG	Memphis	76	303	26.1	22	-4.1
187	Cody Prewitt	FS	Mississippi	74	208	15.1	11	-4.1
188	Dorial Green-Beckham	WR	Missouri	77	237	17.1	13	-4.1
189	Jordan Richards	SS	Stanford	71	211	17.1	13	-4.1
190	Laken Tomlinson	OG	Duke	75	323	29.2	25	-4.2
191	T.J. Clemmings	OT	Pittsburgh	77	309	26.3	22	-4.3
192	Justin Hardy	WR	East Carolina	70	192	15.3	11	-4.3
193	Blake Bell	TE	Oklahoma	78	252	18.5	14	-4.5
194	Adam Shead	OG	Oklahoma	76	338	30.5	26	-4.5
195	Brandon Scherff	OG	Iowa	77	319	27.6	23	-4.6
196	Darren Waller	WR	Georgia Tech	78	238	16.7	12	-4.7
197	Devin Smith	WR	Ohio St.	72	196	14.7	10	-4.7
198	A.J. Derby	TE	Arkansas	76	255	20	15	-5
199	Lorenzo Doss	CB	Tulane	70	182	14	9	-5
200	Kyle Brindza	K	Notre Dame	73	236	19.2	14	-5.2
201	La'el Collins	OT	LSU	76	305	26.3	21	-5.3
202	Zack Wagenmann	DE	Montana	75	247	19.5	14	-5.5
203	Jamison Crowder	WR	Duke	68	185	15.5	10	-5.5
204	Marcus Murphy	RB	Missouri	68	193	16.5	11	-5.5
205	Kaelin Clay	WR	Utah	70	195	15.7	10	-5.7
206	Chaz Green	OT	Florida	77	314	26.9	21	-5.9
207	Ellis McCarthy	DT	UCLA	77	338	30	24	-6
208	Christion Jones	WR	Alabama	70	182	14	8	-6
209	Javorius Allen	RB	USC	72	221	17.9	11	-6.9
210	Garry Peters	CB	Clemson	72	191	14	7	-7
211	Martin Ifedi	DE	Memphis	75	275	23.1	16	-7.1
212	Kenny Bell	WR	Nebraska	73	197	14.2	7	-7.2
213	Angelo Blackson	DT	Auburn	76	318	28	20	-8
214	B.J. Finney	C	Kansas St.	76	318	28	20	-8
215	Andrew Donnal	OT	Iowa	78	313	26.2	17	-9.2
216	Trenton Brown	OG	Florida	80	355	30.5	20	-10.5
217	Austin Shepherd	OT	Alabama	76	315	27.6	17	-10.6
218	Rob Havenstein	OT	Wisconsin	79	321	26.7	16	-10.7

The star of other drills at the combine may have been Bud Dupree, but he chose to sit out the bench press drill.

Wide receivers are not traditionally built to do well in the bench press, of course, but Kevin White continued his impressive combine by hitting 23 reps. He was one of three receivers to hit that number, a rarity in combine history.

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems pretty weird seeing offensive linemen from Wisconsin, Alabama, and Florida at the bottom of the lists.

Tagged as: Combine

{ 2 comments }