FSU’s Trey Benson Runs With Purpose

Florida State University (FSU) running back (RB) Trey Benson could’ve played in the smash-mouth NFC East era I grew up loving.

He’ll slam into the line of scrimmage as often as he’s asked and see what the defense has for an answer.

Benson thrives on contact – – seems to love it.

Last season was his breakout year after transferring from Oregon to FSU and this season he will look to do it again putting together back-to-back productive seasons prior to the 2024 NFL Draft.

What stands out on game film?

The first thing that caught my attention in this six-game film study from 2022 is how good his contact balance is when he is able to overcome potential tacklers.

Time and time again he stayed on his feet after the first tackling attempt and was able to keep going.

This has a lot to do with why he was able to average 6.4 yards per carry last season and it’s an attribute that will serve him well at the next level in the NFL.

What else stands out?

Benson will fight for every yard. Granted, he runs too high, but still, he’s a violent and very sudden runner with quick feet.

Vision and patience are two other traits that are noticeable.

When all of this is combined with that contract balance, this is the value Benson brings to an NFL team.

The thing that’s intriguing about him is his short-area burst, which is what kept him in the round I am projecting him and didn’t cause him to slide further. While he lacks home-run long-distance speed, he has some real initial get-up-and-go and if defenses are not careful he can get into the second level (where the linebackers line up pre-snap) and beyond that in a hurry.

Benson moves the meter

This is precisely the type of player who helps an NFL team get better. Benson is a selfless prospect who demonstrated nine times (that I charted in these six games) that he will stay in to blitz pickup. I also spotted him throwing a lead block for another running back against Oklahoma.

I wouldn’t call Benson a pass-catching back, but when he does catch one, he’s just as tough to bring down as when he’s taking a handoff.

Bottom line – – at this point of the process he squeezes his way into the top 100 and makes an NFL roster next season.

#3 Trey Benson 6-foot-1, 221 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: Third-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 4.0% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of August 18, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Game film reviewed (2022): LSU, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Louisville, Florida, and Oklahoma (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 rushing stats: 154 carries, 990 yards (6.4 avg.), 9 touchdowns

2022 receiving stats: 13 catches, 144 yards (11.1 avg.), 0 touchdowns

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Rough and tumble aggressive runner with vision, patience, and initial short-range acceleration. Thick thighs and a powerful muscular upper body frame. Hits holes with suddenness and he can and will break arm tackling attempts. Rips through the line. Erect runner. Effective in the 1-20 yard range. Lacks top-shelf breakaway speed to outrun a defense. Doesn’t look to go out of bounds. Will stay in to block. Not only does he not have a lot of pass-catching production, he doesn’t look like he has ever had much work doing it. Raw looking coming out of the backfield as a receiver with average hands and an average catch radius.

What to watch for during the 2024 college football season

1. Can he put together another strong season of production?

2. Does he get his pad level down?

3. How does he look catching the ball out of the backfield?

4. Does he outrun any defenses?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.