Punter outperforms some linemen on bench press
Every year at the NFL scouting combine, a few performances turn some heads.
One of them this year is from a punter.
Michael Turk, formerly of Arizona State, on Thursday threw up 25 repetitions on the bench press at 225 pounds.
By comparison, Turk’s 25 bench press reps outpaced some of the figures posted Thursday by various offensive linemen. North Carolina tackle Charlie Heck (21), Washington center Nick Harris (20), and even Louisville tackle Mekhi Becton (23), widely projected to be one of the top linemen taken in the draft, couldn’t top Turk.
Turk, who was measured at 6-0 1⁄2 and 226 pounds, spent two seasons at Arizona State, though 2018 was a redshirt year after he transferred from Lafayette.
The bench press drill at the combine is usually a litmus test for raw strength and can be useful in assessing linemen for their ability to generate push and drive.
Turk is the nephew of former NFL punter Matt Turk, who played in the league from 19952011 with six teams. Throughout his time with the Sun Devils, Michael Turk trained with Matt.
Fall of Patterson: As a pack of media swarmed Tua Tagovailoa on Tuesday, a small crowd of reporters gathered around Shea Patterson. The former quarterback of Michigan football and Ole Miss, and IMG Academy, Calvary Baptist
Academy and Hidalgo High, understood he was no longer the man of the hour — having come to that realization long before he was pushed off to a side podium inside the Indiana Convention Center during the NFL scouting combine.
“It’s not weird,” he said. “But it is a lot different for me. Coming out of high school — I know it’s a long time ago — but I was one of the top guys.”
Less than a week ago, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. hammered that point home, saying he didn’t even expect Patterson to be drafted. “I have a priority free-agent grade on him,” he said.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to turn out for the peripatetic Patterson. He was going to be the next big thing, a surefire star who once drew comparisons to the best version of Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
In 2016, he was the No. 1 prostyle passer, the fourth-ranked recruit in the nation and a fivestar prospect.
Alabama offered him a scholarship. So, too, did Oklahoma, Notre Dame and LSU. But he signed with Ole Miss, transferred after an NCAA scandal rocked the program, wound up at Michigan but never developed into the player everyone expect.
“I don’t really have any regrets,” Patterson said. “What I’ve gone through and all the change I’ve dealt with, it’s made me who I am today.”