Arizona State’s Michael Turk hopes to make an NFL career with his legs. After Thursday, scouts are probably intested in his upper body, too.
In one of the more unexpected feats of strength at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the 6-foot-1, 228-pound punter pushed out 25 reps of 225 pounds in the bench-press exercise.
PUNTER POWER.@ASUFootball punter Michael Turk puts up 25 reps on the bench press! #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/gI8sK8IjnT
— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2020
Per NFL.com:
Turk’s effort is a modern record, as it’s the most reps by a punter since 2003, per NFL Research. Tennessee’s Trevor Daniel posted 23 reps in 2018. Tennessee’s Trevor Daniel posted 23 reps in 2018. Turk began to struggle on the 21st rep but managed to deliver four more before finishing.
That doesn’t figure to do him any good as a punter, but it will give him some bragging rights among combine participants. His total was more than that of 19 offensive linemen at the combine, including top prospects such as Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs (24) and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton (23).
Turk didn’t start his college career at a football powerhouse. As a freshman in 2017, he kicked for Lafayette and then transferred to the Sun Devils. He sat out 2018 because of the transfer rules and played for ASU in 2019.
He made quite an impression for Herman Edwards. On 67 punts, 36 were inside the 20. He also had 23 boots of 50 yards or more with a long of 75. Overall, Turk averaged 46 yards per kick.
He also has NFL genes in his family:
- Trained in the offseason with his uncle, former NFL punter Matt Turk, who played 17 seasons in the NFL.
- His other uncle, Daniel Turk, spent 15 seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman.