DraftTracker
Round | Team | Pos. | School | Name
Cedric Benson
RB (5-10, 222, 4.55)
Texas
Grade: 96
Comments
Is at his best running between the tackles. Has decent quickness and good initial burst. Has patience and vision. Hits the hole hard when he sees it open up. Will do a good job of planting and driving quickly in order to hit the cutback lane. Runs with good balance and body control. Runs with leverage, will lower his shoulder and does a very good job of driving his legs after initial contact. He is a powerful inside runner with enough quickness and burst to get through the hole and to bounce runs to the outside. Is a load to bring down with a head of steam in space. Has adequate speed for his size but is not a burner. He is an adequate blocker in the passing game. Shows decent awareness and has good size and power at the POA to pick up the blitz. His hands are smooth and he has developed into a reliable short-yardage receiver. A powerful back who has been a workhorse at the college level. Has some burst to the second level but lacks the acceleration to run away from defenders in the open field. Lacks the natural speed to consistently turn the corner on the NFL level. Has reliable hands but isn't a matchup threat as a route runner and has some limitations in that area. No major injuries but has been nicked a lot throughout his career and also missed the '03 Holiday Bowl due to a pinched nerve in his neck. Has a lot of mileage on his legs 561 carries his last two years. Has had some off-the-field issues. Does he love playing the game of football? Will he work hard enough at it in the NFL? Benson was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round out of high school and spent two summers playing baseball in their farm system before deciding to concentrate fully on his football career. He had an excellent second-half of a season as a junior in 2003, rushing for 1,360 yards on 258 carries with 21 rushing touchdowns. Benson was expected to leave early but chose to return for his senior season in 2004. As a senior in 2004, Benson rushed for 1,764 yards and 19 touchdowns on 303 carries. Benson is a workhorse. He has size, power, quickness and enough speed to carry the load as a starting running back in the NFL. In that regard, he reminds us somewhat of Stephen Davis (Panthers). If used properly in a power running attack Benson can be a difference maker as a load-carrying NFL running back. Overall, Benson is certain to be a top-10 pick. However, there are some lingering concerns about his character, attitude and speed that make him a potential disappointment at the next level. In our opinion, Benson is the third-best NFL prospect of the top-3 backs in the 2005 draft class.
* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.
