Michigan's David Molk believes he is draft's top center, blasts critics who say otherwise

NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said this weekend that Molk helped himself at the combine by beating every other offensive lineman in the bench press with 41 repetitions (of 225 pounds). It was the second-best performance overall.

But Mayock also said Molk is too much of a "finesse" player for some teams, which will hurt his stock. Molk disputes that.

"He never played against me," Molk said. "I don’t think a finesse player has ever had defensive linemen quit during a game; quit and give up because you’re hurting them. I don’t think a finesse player has ever done what I do, which is just ground kids out of the hole.

"I think the fact he called me a finesse player is because he hasn’t watched me on film. And if he has? Well ..."

Mayock, along with pretty much everyone else, lists Wisconsin's Peter Konz as the No. 1 center in the draft. He's giant for the position at 6-foot-5, 314 pounds, and is slotted as a late first-round pick.

But Konz shocked some at the combine by posting only 18 reps in the bench press. For comparison, that's three fewer than Michigan receiver Junior Hemingway. Or, reaching further back, the same number as former Wolverines punter Zoltan Mesko in 2010.

For that reason, and others, Molk says it's "uninformed" to rank Konz ahead of him.

"No doubt about it," he added. "I have skills he doesn’t have. Obviously, my strength is far better, I’m faster, I would say I’m smarter. Obviously, he’s an intelligent person, I’ve talked to him, but I just think I have a technique that’s unmatched (by him)."

Molk said during a recent interview he still is upset coaches voted Konz their first-team All-American center. Molk was the first-team selection by The Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America All-America, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Foundation.

"The fact that I wasn’t a ... consensus All-American pisses me off," he said. "Well, maybe (the coaches) should have checked in to who was All-Big Ten and the lineman of the year in the ... Big Ten before they did some stupid (crap) like that. Its just, stuff like that pisses me off."

Molk had similar thoughts regarding Ohio State center Mike Brewster, who is ranked ahead of him according to nearly every national analyst not named Kiper.

"He is no where near me as a player," Molk said.

Molk said 11 teams have contacted his agent searching for a center, and expects to be taken late-first round to early-third round.

He's back at his apartment in Novi now, and will continue to work out with former Michigan strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis. He will attend Michigan's pro day March 15 and hopes to run a 40-yard dash after missing that event at the combine while recovering from foot surgery.

Molk said it also is possible he will hold a private workout between an April 13 checkup and the start of the draft April 26.