Trey Benson Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Charles Mays/Tomahawk Nation)

School: Florida State

Class: Redshirt Junior

Position: RB

HT: 6’1

WT: 223 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #45

Background: Trey Benson was a 4-star running back out of Greenville, Mississippi. He attended St. Joseph Catholic High School in Mississippi. He rushed for over 3,600 yards and 48 touchdowns in 2 high school seasons. He was a team captain for both of those seasons in high school. These were seasons in which he led his team to win back-to-back 3A MAIS state championships. He played all three phases in high school as a defensive back, running back, and return specialist. On top of being a top football player in the state, he also lettered in basketball. His recruitment was wide open and many thought that he would stay close to home. However, Benson committed to Oregon over Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Penn State, and others.

College: In Benson’s two years spent at Oregon, he was a roster stash buried deep within the depth chart. It is clear to see why he transferred; he needed a better path for more snaps. In his first season at Florida State, Benson rushed for 990 yards and nine touchdowns. His final year as a Seminole, Benson had 14 touchdowns and 906 rushing yards.

Strengths: Trey Benson is a fast and elusive player who is more than dangerous with the ball in his hands. Benson is best used when he has manufactured touches not only in the run game, but in the passing game as well. In the open field, Benson is good for making multiple guys miss as he is incredibly difficult to track down. Benson has quick feet to cut and maneuver through traffic. He has the speed to perform a double move and then accelerate and create space between himself and the defense. Benson gashes defenses with speed in chunks at a time. He is an intelligent runner with exceptional vision. He consistently chooses the correct gap to run through and if a gap has yet to form, he displays patience with the football and waits until he has an opportunity. When met with contact, Trey Benson has great contact balance. He will not be brought down on initial contact as defenders have a tendency to slip right off of him. Benson has consistent hands and does well to look the ball in before turning up field. This makes him a perfect safety net in the shallow flats for the quarterback. Benson is lacking in pass protection.

Weaknesses: He is not the strongest running back and he is susceptible to being bullied when trying to keep a clean pocket. When throwing chip blocks, Benson is inconsistent. He has his moments, but for the most part he struggles to throw his weight around. This lack of lower half strength is also seen when Benson is being brought down. He rarely falls forward on his own and can lose a yard or so when other bigger backs would take that yard falling forward. When squeezing between the tackles, Benson can afford to make himself smaller and put more bend in his knees. He plays too upright closer to the line of scrimmage. While he is already difficult to tackle, shrinking himself would make it near impossible to track him down at the line of scrimmage.

Conclusion: Benson will be a reliable addition to a backfield that needs an addition. The league is shifting towards a running back by committee approach. While Benson will not be a workhorse, he can be productive in his role when given an opportunity.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: Between the Tackles Runner

Best Team Fits: BUF, NE, LV

Player Comparison: Breece Hall

Player Grade: 83.9