Scouting Report: Trey Benson (RB) - Florida State
Sales Pitch: “Big back with a powerful lower half and explosive first step. Projects as a lead back with three down versatility in a gap scheme that can highlight his contact balance and breakaway speed when he gets his shoulders down field.”
Athletic Profile
Height: 6’ 0 1/4”
Weight: 216 lbs
Arm Length: 31 1/2”
Hand Size: 9 1/4”
40 Yard Dash: 4.39
10 Yard Split: 1.55
Vertical: 33.5”
Broad Jump: 10’ 2”
Short Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Age: 21
Relative Athletic Score: 9.76 / 10.00
Statistics
Career: 316 Carries - 1,918 Yards - 6.1 YPC - 24 Touchdowns
2023: 156 Carries - 906 Yards - 5.8 YPC - 14 Touchdowns
Strengths
Bigger back with a thick lower half and explosive first step
Efficient downhill runner who uses jump cuts to slide to space
Athletic ability and instincts in space to create extra yardage
Acceleration and long speed to breakaway at the 2nd and 3rd level
Elite contact balance when shoulders are square to the line of scrimmage
Leg drive and toughness to fall for extra yards at the end of his runs
Above average pass catcher out of the back field
Capable of lining up in the slot and quickly transitions to ball carrier after the catch
Effort and size to be a plus blocker
0 career fumbles
Gap scheme back w/ three down versatility
Weaknesses
Average change of direction skills and foot speed
Struggles to find cutback lanes on zone runs
Does not display the ability to set up LBs w/ his eyes
Tendency to get bounce happy when working laterally
Burst and contact balance fall off when forced to stop momentum or run horizontally
High pad level can reduce his ability to drive piles
Route running is average at best
Limited pass blocking reps in college
Gap scheme specific runner
Summary
Trey Benson is a big powerful back with the frame and burst to be a bell cow at the next level. The former 4-Star recruit originally committed to Oregon out of high school, where he spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons. After suffering a serious knee injury that cost him most of his 2021 season he transferred to Florida State for his final two years of college, leading the Seminoles in rushing both years. Benson is at his best as a downhill gap scheme runner. He has good first step burst and excellent leg drive when his shoulders are square to the line of scrimmage. He has the contact balance to run through tacklers in the hole as well as the long speed (4.39 40-Yard Dash) to pull away in the open field. Benson is not the most laterally agile back in the world and relies on jump cuts and small micro adjustments to find creases to run through. As a result he struggles to create production as consistently on zone runes. He lacks the vision or athletic ability to find cutback lanes, struggling to change the direction of his momentum. He also fails to use his eyes to set up 2nd level defenders. Benson’s physical gifts are far less effective when forced to move laterally, a big problem for a back who can get bounce happy at times. Benson is a quality pass catcher out of the backfield. While he is not a dynamic route runner he has soft hands (only 3 career drops) and quickly transitions to becoming a ball carrier. Florida State did not ask him to pass protect often but he has the size and toughness to become at least an average player in that regard. Trey Benson projects as a lead back with three down versatility in a gap scheme. Questionable vision and average lateral quickness limits his potential landing spots but his combination of size and speed in a weaker RB class gives him a legit shot to be the first one taken.