Boston College’s Zion Johnson dominates at NFL Combine bench press
The Eagles guard could turn into one of the NFL Combine's breakout stars, which could move him up teams' draft boards.
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Boston College offensive lineman Zion Johnson might be about to make himself one of the stories of the NFL Combine, which could mean big things for his NFL Draft status.
Johnson cranked out 32 reps on the bench press, leading all offensive linemen who participated in the drill Friday morning. He was one of just a handful who benched as many players opted out in order to save themselves for the on-field workouts later in the evening.
His 32 reps edged out Georgia’s Jamaree Salyer and Chattanooga’s Cole Strange, who both cranked out 31 reps. Salyer actually would have tied Johnson at 32, but the former Bulldog was assessed a penalty for not fully completing one of his reps.
Regardless, Johnson’s performance was the talk of the drill and put the Boston College star firmly in the spotlight heading into Thursday night’s primetime workout.
In addition to his solid size (6-foot-2, 314 pounds), Johnson’s impressive physical measurements (10 7/8-inch hands, 33 7/8-inch arms and massive 82 7/8-inch wingspan) could make him a high-upside player at the guard position. A good day of on-field testing could ensure he doesn’t make it out of Round 2 in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Also, four of the last five offensive linemen drafted by the Patriots have put up more than 25 bench press reps at the NFL Combine or their pro days: Justin Herron (27), Michael Onwenu (26), Yodny Cajuste (32) and Hjalte Froholdt (31). So it’s safe to say Johnson’s strength and overall athleticism will have him on New England’s radar.
After Johnson, Boston College center Alec Lindstrom had a solid performance on the bench himself, topping out at 25 reps.
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