Ideally how many times would you like to see an offensive lineman bench 225 lbs ? Is that a good number, great ?
Not really sure what teams would consider a good set of reps of a guard, but it's pretty common for players with short arms to average more reps than players with a large wingspan. 27 is probably a good number for a guy that is 6'5" with a large wingspan like Iupati. I doubt teams stress the bench press as much as a lot of fans do. If you look at the players that put up the most reps every year, I doubt a lot of them even end up as Pro Bowl players.
I have no problem trading up IF a player will work meet and exceed any expectations we have for him. If this guy ends up being an elite top of the line offensive lineman than glad we did. If hes average than we completely screwed ourselves. Truthfully I think theres almost no chance we trade up or get this guy to land to us.
The bench press is a great indicator of how well he can lie down on his back and lift a barbell weighing 225 lbs. perpendicular to his chest. 27 is a good number for a rookie interior lineman. His strength will improve as he plays in the league. Exercises like these in the combine typically get more attention from fans than from GMs. If Iupati was a little known or questionable prospect, this number would affect him. Since he is a premier interior line prospect, his bench was not going to matter unless he put a ridiculous number or failed to come close to the average. The best thing the bench tests is your ability to press a static object in a straight line, a situation he is less likely to run into when trying to block an NFL interior DLineman, even if it is a NT.
Benching is also a great indicator of upper body strength as well as endurance, being that its one of the best upper body exercises. Figured they might as well have em do squats and deadlifts to complete the full trifecta. 225 27 times definitely sounds low for a guy of his size though. Looking at the leadboards for DL/OL the top performers were looking @ around 40. Even WRs and RBs and some QBs got over 20.
Numbers like this aren't going to do much to or for Iupati. If he put up a 35+ performance than it might have pushed him up a couple of spots, nothing more. The Combine is not really for premiere players to do basic exercises. Everything the Jets, or any team, for that matter, needs to know about Iupati they will get from his game film and his interviews. You can work on a players' bench totals with very little expenditure of effort on the coaching staff. EDIT: Rex: OK, son, block it!
Just thinking of it, I would cry before I put rep 225x27. That's pretty impressive for anyone, much less a NFL Offensive Lineman.
Oh I know, but if a team is deciding between 2 guys it can definitely be a difference maker. The bench number shows a team about what kind of dedication this guy puts into his workouts. If someone looks like they put a lot of work and dedication vs slacking off in the weight room says alot about their attitude. But youll always have exceptions to that rule, which is how our Gholston saga began.
In this case, I don't think it is going to make a difference. If someone has to make a decision between drafting Iupati vs. any other gaurd, someone should be out of a job very quickly.
cbssports.com has Jets going after Golden Tate in rd. 1. I liked him at ND, but haven't seen his name on the Jets radar until this. Since I can't post a link yet, here is what it says: "Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame: The Jets reached the AFC Championship game on the legs of the league's best running game and top-rated defense. On the other hand, they've received very little out of their passing game despite the big trade for Braylon Edwards. Tate has the speed to challenge defenses deep and the return skills to make an impact on special teams." While the WR need is definitely still a priority, I am thinking this is just fluff.
Fixed your post But seriously unless Faneca is going to be released I dont see this pick happening even if he is on the board
I agree with the majority here. No trading up, if he falls to us that'd be sick. I'd like us to address OL/DL with our first two picks. The bench press means fuckall to me after Gholston benched 225 I think 38 times but can't do shit on the field.
No way we should trade up this year. We can fill needs where we are and we need at least 4 picks (out of our current 6) to spend on a slot receiver, defensive end, free safety, and a pass rusher. There's plenty of depth at those positions. Peronally, I'd rather have Jared Odrick (if he were to drop). A defensive end would help us more right now than a guard (though injuries are always a possibility).
I've put up 225 before. I can probably do it 4-8 times. I know my little brother whom is 18 can put up 280 5 times. So I dunno how impressive this shit is, but 27 times actually now I that I rethink it would make my arms explode.
First, I highly doubt he'll be around at 29, and, of course, trading up for depth (not to mention, a G) would be a little ridiculous. Second, there are other needs greater than G, ATM. I also didn't like what I saw from him at the Senior Bowl. Mayock pointed it out several times, not that he really needed to: he too often kicks his elbows out and grabs linemen by their shoulder pads, drawing a penalties. He did it pretty consistently throughout the game, and it's a terrible habit he really needs to break in TC this summer, wherever he ends up. Don't get me wrong, the kid's clearly a great talent and sure 1st rounder. But there will almost certainly be equal, if not greater, talent at more needy positions sitting at 29. Unless there's someone too good to pass up at 29 (e.g. Thomas), I still think trading down makes the most sense in this draft.
