Kyle Cook won the bench press competition -- 39 reps at 225 pounds

by Kirkendall on Jun 23, 2009 12:06 AM EDT Comment 5 comments

The Bengals elected to try something new. Marvin Lewis conducted Olympic-like competitions to bring the team some fun, as well as another way to get some work in.

"Great offseason, great plan," said quarterback Carson Palmer, after sharpening his elbow with a couple of touchdown lasers in the morning practice at Paul Brown Stadium. "This is as good as shape as we've been in since I've been here."

Before the start of mandatory camp, Geoff Hobson writes, the team's strength coach, Chip Morton and associate Ray Oliver put together a series of competition events to help in their strength and conditioning.

The Olympics included events like the bench press (won by center Kyle Cook for the gray with 39 reps of 225 pounds) three-point shooting, an obstacle course, tug-of-war, a football accuracy toss, and punt catching. Most of the events had a heavyweight, a middleweight and a lightweight class, and the edge seemed to carry over.

Our center, pumping 225 pounds 39 times. Strength. Nastiness. To put that in perspective, only one player at the NFL Combine matched Cook -- not that we're comparing incoming rookies with a second-year player. Close enough. In further perspective, Andre Smith benched 225 pounds only 19 times (not even half) during his Alabama Pro Day in early March. No word on Shayne Graham's total.

That's Kyle Cook. That's our center. While it's not accurate to grade anyone at this stage, that's a hell of a way to prove he just might belong.

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This also proves

Andre Smith is big but not in shape. For his size, the guy should be able to do 3 sets of 225, 20x every workout, or at least close to that. If the kid gets signed before the start of the seaon, his ass best get in the weight room and have Cook and Whit show him how it’s done.

by UpStateMike on Jun 23, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

225lb lifts

I think it’s hard to compare a Center with an OT because the OT’s tend to have more height & longer arms. Therefore then tend not to get as many reps as the shorter armed interior guys do…but it doesn’t mean they are any less “strong”.

Also, anyone who follows the combine can tell you that the #‘s don’t always translate well to actual NFL performance on the field.

But that being said, 39 still is a heck of a # of reps to put up. And yes, Andre Smith, while strong and a decent OT, has a ways to go to chisel himself into an NFL calibre athelete.

by ephram on Jun 23, 2009 9:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sure Longer Arms means less reps.

But Whitworth benched x 28 when he was a rook (combine #s) and he’s 6-7.

19 is underwhelming for an NFL lineman. Lets go, Chubsey Ubsey!!! Start pushes them plates AWAY from your mouth! ;-)

by UpStateMike on Jun 24, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nfl combine lift #'s

From what i’ve read the 225 lb lifts are more of an endurance than a pure strength measure. So the numbers can be misleading if you want to gauge pure, massive strength.
For example….Morgan Trent put up 23 this year, and Andre Smith only put up 19. But i don’t think you’ll get an argument that Trent is stronger than Andre.

Also, the events are things you can ‘train’ for to perform better in them, and i think most would agree that Andre Smith did little prep for the combine or pro-day…

So before we blow this out of proportion, keep in mind that Alex Boone from Ohio State put up 33 reps this year and I don’t think he even got drafted and was a terrible blocker at the OSU. While Andre Smith put up 19 and was the Lombardi winner as the top blocker.

Also, here are some other top lineman from this year drafted in the first 2 rounds with low bench rep totals:
OT Michael Oher 21
OT Eugene Monroe 23
OC Max Unger 22
DT Robert Ayers 18
DE Connor Barwin 21
DE Aaron Maybin 22

CONCLUSION:
IS ANDRE SMITH A LITTLE FLABBY AND OUT OF SHAPE? YES!!!
DOES HIS BENCH REP TOTAL INDICATE HOW HE WILL BLOCK IN THE NFL? NO!!!

by ephram on Jun 24, 2009 8:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs