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Penn State DT Anthony Zettel raising money for each bench press rep at combine

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State’s Anthony Zettel is hoping to make some big bucks as an NFL defensive tackle, but before he gets there he has a side mission to accomplish during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine.

The soon-to-be NFL rookie is going to raise money for Uplifting Athletes, a national nonprofit organization aligning college football with rare diseases.

For each rep on the 225-pound bench press during this week’s combine, he’s hoping to raise $180. His “Reps for Rare Disease” will “benefit the rare disease community,” per Greg Pickel of PennLive.com.

Last year, fellow Nittany Lion Jesse James raised over $5,000 hoisting the bar 26 times, though his per-rep money was slightly higher, at just under $210.

Pickel reports Zettel hopes to break that mark this year, and fans hoping to help out his cause can do so by pledging money on his fundraising page here.

Zettel isn’t being touted as a top prospect by NFL draft evaluators due to a lack of size (6-foot-4, 274 pounds) inside and a lack of quickness on the outside. However, he could prove them wrong, based on his will to succeed and the fact that he gives his best effort on every single snap.

In four years at Penn State, he racked up 119 total tackles, 38 tackles for a loss, 20 sacks, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

This is what Dane Brugler of CBS Sports wrote in his scouting report:

“Although he doesn’t have prototypical size for an interior defensive line prospect, Zettel’s skill-set projects to both even and odd fronts in the NFL. Zettel was often overshadowed in 2015 by his defensive line teammates Austin Johnson and Carl Nassib, but he is still a very appealing prospect in the right scheme.”

If you didn’t have any interest in the bench press portion of the combine before you read this, perhaps you’ll have a reason to watch this year’s drill. Zettel and the rest of the defensive linemen will be hitting the bench on Saturday, Feb. 27.

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