Redskins trade for Jason Taylor (updated)

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I think the bench press is one way of measuring how much upper body strength a prospect has. Moreover, upper body strength is of obvious importance to defensive linemen.

However, sometimes draft prospects underperform due to lingering injuries, or because they are just having a bad day. Moreover, some defensive ends who don't bench 225 pounds 35 times manage to do quite well against the run and the pass. Consider the below snippet about Terrell Suggs.

SUGGS WORKOUT HURTS DRAFT STOCK

Suggs was a dominating defensive end in the college ranks, but at 6-foot-3 3/8 and 257 pounds, which he measured in at during his workout, he probably doesn't have the size to get it done week after week in the NFL.

Strength was also not on Suggs' side, as he managed just 19 reps during bench press drills. In the 40-yard dash, his times were a very pedestrian 4.84 and 4.88. He had a 33.5" vertical jump, 9-foot-0 broad jump, 32 7/8" arm length, 7.46 three-cone drill and 4.37 and 4.47 short shuttle. Whether he's just a poor workout player or what not, teams are definitely going to be forced to think twice come draft day and this workout probably pushed him out of the top five selections.

Agree with you on the premise. My points to Drift are specifically about Campbell, who at 280-290 lbs turned in the worst bench numbers at the combine for DL, looked soft, and there were also motiviation/motor questions on him.

Also, upper body strength is not as critical at RDE or OLB (Suggs positions) as it is for LDE.