NFL Combine 2016: Northwestern alum Dan Vitale top performer in bench press

Former Northwestern superback Dan Vitale rattled off 30 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press at the NFL Combine on Thursday, good enough for the top mark within his position group.

We call him SUPERback for a reason. #B1GCats #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/qNDJMEOja1

— #B1GCats Football (@NUFBFamily) February 25, 2016

Vitale's mark was good enough to be tied with Andy Janovich of Nebraska for the best among running backs. Both Vitale and Janovich are slated to be fullbacks in the NFL. Fullback prospect Soma Vainuku of USC was second with 26 reps. Kansas State's Glenn Gronkowski, who is rated ahead of Vitale as the draft's top fullback prospect, finished with just 17 reps.

To put Vitale's mark in perspective, he finished fifth in total reps when offensive lineman—another position group tested Thursday—are added to the pool. The top offensive lineman this year did 34 reps. The record for reps by a running/fullback is 36, set by Wake Forest's Tommy Bohanon in 2013. The overall record is 49, set by defensive lineman Stephen Paea in 2011.

Last season, former Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell was tops in his position in the bench press at the Combine with 23 reps.

Vitale also met with the media and went through psychological testing in Indianapolis on Thursday. On Friday, Vitale will complete his NFL Combine with the rest of the physical drills. His teammate, Dean Lowry, will begin his Combine process with the other defensive linemen over the weekend.