Former Penn State defensive end Garrett Sickels will be raising money for rare disease research at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.

The former “Wild Dog” launched his Reps for Research campaign in hopes of inspiring those affected by rare disease and raising as much as he can for medical research into this field. You can find his fundraising page here.

Garrett Sickels, a standout defensive end and key component of the Penn State Big Ten Championship run, was recently invited to the NFL Scouting Combine along with Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin. For those who aren’t particularly familiar with the event, this pre-draft workout session is a chance for top college prospects to showcase their physical abilities in the 40-yard dash, bench press, broad jump, and more.

Garrett Sickels is using his NFL Scouting Combine performance on the bench press to raise money for rare disease research. Fans can pledge money for every bench press rep that he performs at the combine.

On his PledgeIt campaign page, Sickels says, “I participated in Lift for Life every summer that I was on campus. This was a very important part of my PSU life and experience, and that is why I’ve chosen to launch my Reps for Research campaign for Uplifting Athletes in support of the rare disease community.”

Is there a better time of year than during THON weekend to donate to a cause like this?