Alabama reserve lineman Da'Shawn Hand is one strong dude
Alabama's defensive front is going to be just fine. Yes the Crimson Tide are losing starters A'Shawn Robinson, D.J. Pettaway and Jarran Reed, but with players like Da'Shawn Hand ready to step into a more meaningful role, don't expect much of a drop off in 2016.
Hand was of course was regarded by many as the nation's No. 1 overall prospect in 2014 and played in eight games this season, getting to the quarterback for three sacks and recorded 6.5 tackles-for-loss overall in his second college season.
But it isn't his recruiting ranking that has his Alabama teammates impressed, it's his display of strength in the weight room that has them entertained. According to AL.com, Hand is capable of bench pressing 225-pounds, 45 times. To put that into perspective, that's eight more than Ereck Flowers was able to do at the 2015 NFL Combine, which led all draft prospects last season.
"They said, 'Man, you can't hit 225 42 times.' I said, 'Bro, I really can. I did it. I ain't going to lie to ya'll,'" Hand said. "They said, 'Come on, man.' I said, 'You're really going to make me do it?' Because whenever someone challenges me to something, I've got to do it, especially when it comes to lifting weights, so I just got it done.".
Talk about beast mode.
If Alabama's backups are stronger than anyone heading to the NFL from college, the SEC still has a serious mountain to climb to reach the heights head coach Nick Saban currently has his Alabama program running at in Tuscaloosa.