it is very much a shocker, and it's the 3rd-worst bench performance by anybody at the combine since 1999 when they started keeping combine records. TM7 weighed in at 186, and even guys that are below 175 at the combine do three to four times as much. since 1999, here's what the players weighing 175 lbs or below did on the bench: 175lbs -- 17 (CB Reggie Austin, Wake Forest) -- Drafted 4th Round 175lbs -- 14 (WR Travis Benjamin, Miami) -- Drafted 4th Round 175lbs -- 13 (CB Dexter Wynn, Colorado St) -- Drafted 6th Round 174lbs -- 11 (CB Ryan Smith, Florida) -- Drafted 6th Round 173lbs -- 11 (CB Jerametrius Butler, Kansas St) -- Drafted 5th Round 172lbs -- 20 (WR Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss) -- Drafted 2nd Round 172lbs -- 14, then 17 at his Pro Day (CB Cliff Harris, Oregon) -- not drafted 172lbs -- 13 (CB Scott Starks, Wisconsin) -- Drafted 3rd Round 171lbs -- 18, then 21 at his Pro Day (CB Wilrey Fontenot, Arizona) -- Drafted 7th Round 170lbs -- 6 (CB Bruce Johnson, Miami) -- not drafted 168lbs -- 13 (CB Cedrick Williams, Kansas State) -- not drafted 166lbs -- 10 (Trindon Holliday, LSU) -- Drafted 6th Round note that the only two players to have a worse bench press than TM7 since 1999 both got drafted... Worst Bench Press Results, NFL Combine 1999-2013 (players in bold got drafted) 6 -- WR Darius Johnson, SMU, 2013 (not projected to be drafted) 6 -- WR Owen Spencer, NC State, 2011 (not drafted) 6 -- CB Rashad Holman, Louisville, 2001 (6th Round) 6 -- CB Chris McKenzie, Arizona State, 2005 (6th Round) 6 -- CB Bruce Johnson, Miami, 2009 (not drafted) 5 -- CB Demarcus Van Dyke, Miami, 2011 (3rd Round) 5 -- CB Jacoby Shepherd, Oklahoma State, 2000 (2nd Round) 5 -- FS Carl Nesmith, Kansas, 2001 (not drafted) 4 -- CB Demetrius McCray, Appy State, 2013 (projected 7th R/UDFA) 4 -- TM7 (projected mid-to-late rounds) 3 -- CB Demarcus Faggins, Kansas State, 2002 (6th Round) 2 -- CB Joshua Moore, Kansas State, 2010 (5th Round) (note: TE D.C. Jefferson, 6-6/255, only did 3 reps on the bench at the 2013 Combine before stopping due to injury, it looks like he tore his pectoral muscle)
While I don't care how many reps he can do, a CB needs good upper body strength to fight through blocks and jam the receiver at the line. He should be able to do better than 4. I could do better than 4 as a sophmore in HS.
Bench press is the least important combine stat for a DB. His 40 time helps, but his interviews and film will have the biggest impact. The film will show poor man coverage. The interviews only the teams know. Ball hawking ability and return skills get him in the league. Hard work and keeping his nose/bong clean give him an NFL career. He has more potential than T'eo, but is a bigger gamble.
Poor man coverage in 1 game. What AJ and Bama did against Tyrann in the national championship game was play mistake free football when attacking him. Tyrann was still good in man coverage. You have to throw a perfect pass and make a perfect catch and hold on to the ball. If not you will get exploited. Ask Jacoby Brissett, and Andre Debose, or Ryan Tannehill and Ryan Swope.
99.9% of his big plays were playing nickel. He was absolutely exposed playing corner. Doesn't mean he can't play it, just means he has work to do. Not NFL CB ready, out of FB for a year and off the field problems drop his draft pisition. However if he gets his act together someone could get an impact player at a steal of a deal. Much depends on where his head is.
His natural position is nickel or free safety where is ability to read and make the big play is enhanced, but to say he was exposed at corner is going a little far. His lack of height is his main problem not his skill.
Good article breaking down his combine performance. http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1544917-breaking-down-tyrann-mathieus-nfl-combine-performance
So because of his bench we are now questioning the physicality of tyrann? He was sure very physical on staurdays to me. Just because some people do not perform well in NFL combines doesn't mean they cannot play the game. We put WAY to much stock in the combine.....all I care about is how a player performs when they strap it up.
