The NFL Draft will begin on April 25, 2024. We take a look at Trey Benson, a bruising, elusive running back out of Florida State.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Draft scouting reports.
Trey Benson originally committed to Oregon as a four-star running back and was the sixth-ranked player in the state of Mississippi. After appearing in a few games during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Benson transferred to Florida State where he received Second Team All-ACC Honors in 2022. Benson was the first player in FSU history to have a kickoff return touchdown and two offensive touchdowns in a single game. After sitting out the Orange Bowl against Georgia, Benson ends his career with 1,917 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns.
Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Name: Trey Benson
Jersey: No. 3
Position: Running Back
School: Florida State University
Class: Redshirt Junior
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 223 lbs.
Strengths
Trey Benson will do exactly what old-school coaches love out of their running backs. He can break tackles, pass protect, and work north and south between the tackles. He also possesses soft hands out of the backfield, serving as an outlet for his quarterback. Another positive is his ability to get up to speed once he hits the hole. He has good open-field speed for his size and could move up draft boards depending on his 40-yard dash time.
Weaknesses
The main weakness that came up on Benson’s film was his habit of breaking down and not seeing holes available to him. Running back and offensive line coaches refer to this as “pitter-patter” with a running back’s feet, and it can be something that will prevent him from seeing the field if not corrected. Benson is also a very stiff runner, which limits what can be done when he has the ball in his hand. He breaks tackles with strength, but the athleticism needed to make players miss isn’t there.
Pro Comparison: Brian Robinson Jr.
Brian Robinson has more explosiveness than Benson, but their body types and ability in the passing game lead me to make this comparison. The Washington Commanders don’t ask Robinson to be the elusive running back that Jahmyr Gibbs is, instead leaning on his strengths. The same will happen for Benson at the next level. His size, ability to pass protect, and straight-line nature will land him a spot for a long time on an NFL roster.
Draft Projection: Fourth-Round Pick
With a large amount of top-end talent coming out this year (a direct result of COVID-19 giving players an extra year of eligibility), many good players will get bumped down some rounds. In previous years, Benson may have been a third-round pick. I believe the fourth round is a great area for him to go. A team can bring him in as a backup to an older running back on an expiring contract and mold him. Teams that could be a fit for Benson are Arizona, Dallas, Green Bay, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles (Chargers), Minnesota, and New York (Giants).
Main Image Credit:
