Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Size:
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 216 pounds
Arm Length: 31 1/2"
Hand Size: 9 1/4"
Accomplishments:
Second Team All-ACC (2022)
“Trey Benson has a great blend of size, speed, and power that will allow for him to be an impactful running back in any offense.”
Strengths:
Smooth accelerator
Speed to create big plays running the football
Make defenders miss in the open field
Scheme-versatile running back
High IQ
Concerns:
Needs to improve pass protection
Run with power for short-yardage situations
High pad level
Film Analysis:
Trey Benson plays in a Florida State offense that runs both gap and zone concepts, both of which Benson has proven to be able to operate within at a high level. On zone runs, Benson shows to be patient enough to be able to allow for the blocking upfront to develop and he can read the edges of the offensive line to decide whether to continue to stretch the play out or when to cut the ball up vertically into the defense. Benson can make an explosive vertical cut into the defense to clear the first level of the defense. Once in the open field, Benson showcases plus-level burst and speed to pick up significant yardage quickly and be able to separate from defenders to rip off long runs. Benson is a smooth runner who effortlessly picks up yardage and outruns defenders' angles.
On gap scheme runs, Benson also shows patience and the ability to wait for his blocks to develop in front of him. From the handoff, Benson has shown a good job to be able to handle defensive penetration, making lateral cuts and jump-cuts to make them miss. Once the hole is created for Benson, he shows to be able to quickly accelerate through the hole and pick up yardage. Benson runs with enough power to run through some arm tackles and bounce off defenders to continue to pick up yardage. On gap runs, Benson’s speed and burst is a key element to how effective he is and it appears that his acceleration can surprise defenders, catching them out of place, and he can capitalize on that by picking up significant yardage.
Benson’s improvements as a runner stem from issues that arise from his high pad level. Benson is high-cut and plays with a high pad level, which appears to limit the amount of power that he is able to play with and his ability to consistently run through defenders in the box. The high pad level also affects his overall balance and contact balance when running the football. There are instances where Benson is tripped up in the open field by arm tackles due to him simply losing his balance.
Overall, Benson has all of the physical tools and the IQ to be a highly productive running back on the next level. Simply improving the minor details of his game will help him become a more impactful player for offenses.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Written By: Keith Sanchez
Exposures: LSU (2023), Clemson (2023), Miami (2023), Florida (2023), LSU (2022), Louisville (2022), Syracuse (2022), Miami (2022)
