As fans of the team who drafted Mike Mamula after his great combine performance, we’re always wary of each years’ workout warrior. You know, the guy who comes into the combine as a mid round pick due to his actual play, but boosts his draft stock way up thanks to a great combine workout?
This year’s warrior just might be Syracuse center Ryan Bartholomew, who did 34 repetitions of the 225 pound bench press to lead all players at the combine. Bartholomew, who measured at 6-1, 305 also ran a sub 5 second 40 yard dash.
Prior to the combine ESPN had him pegged as a 3rd or 4th round pick, but he know could have pushed himself into the second round. In fact, ESPN’s AFC West blogger thinks the Raiders, who always love the workout warriors, could very well take Bartholomew with their second round pick. The Raiders have no first round pick this year after trading it to the Patriots for Richard Seymour two years ago.