2023 NFL Combine: USC’s Andrew Vorhees records 38 bench press reps after tearing ACL

USC offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees, a prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, reportedly suffered a torn ACL during last weekend’s NFL combine. The injury could force Vorhees to miss his rookie NFL season. 

While a torn ACL would normally put an end to a player’s combine workouts, that was not the case with Vorhees. Following the injury, he set the high-water mark for bench press reps, notching 38 reps at 225 pounds — while only using one leg.

Vorhees’ performance went viral on social media, especially after no other combine participant was able to beat his total on the bench press.

[2023 NFL Draft prospect rankings: 64 best available players]

Vorhees was a key part of an offensive line that blocked for 2022 Heisman Trophy Winner Caleb Williams. In fact, he watched Williams accept the award in person after the quarterback arranged for that entire position group to attend the Heisman ceremony.

Several of Vorhees’ former Trojans coaches, including Lincoln Riley, praised the lineman on Twitter after his feat.

Vorhees missed the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game and 2023 Cotton Bowl due to an unspecified injury, the severity of which was never fully revealed. Riley often publicly alluded to Vorhees playing hurt during the second half of last season and did so again on Tuesday.

FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt also discussed Vorhees’ injury in the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” using Vorhees’ unfortunate setback as an example of why he has disdain for the combine.

“I’m sick to my stomach when I see guys doing things that have no translation to what they are going to do on the football field, and then they get hurt,” Klatt said. “Namely, I can’t stand that we put linemen through some of these drills [like the 40-yard dash] that, quite frankly, don’t translate at all, and then we wind up seeing an injury.” 

Still, Klatt gave Vorhees credit for coming back and excelling at the bench press.

“How about that?” Klatt said. “Good on Andrew Vorhees.”

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