Trey Benson RB Florida State: Scouting Report

Height: 6’0 

Weight: 223

Overall

Trey Benson is an all-around back in Florida State’s pass-heavy offense. He began his career at the University of Oregon where he suffered a catastrophic knee injury during his true freshman season. He tore his ACL, MCL, both his lateral and medial meniscus, and his gracilis tendon according to 247 Sports. After recovering he then played in 10 games with the Ducks the following season but only had 6 carries. He then transferred to Florida State where over his last two seasons he played in 26 games with 19 starts and he had consistent production both years. His knee injury is concerning but with his production over the last 2 years and the talent he shows on film, he looks ready to make an impact at the next level.

Run Game

Benson played as a rotational back at Florida State and has experience both in zone and power running schemes. He has good footwork and balance to make quick cuts in the backfield to dodge penetrating defenders. He shows good burst after his initial moves to put his foot in the ground and accelerate up the field. He excels after contact and shows excellent contact balance to bounce off tackles especially out in space. When he fails to break tackles he does a good job of driving his feet to gain critical yardage at the end of plays. He has very good vision in finding open running lanes and once he gets to the second level he has the speed and instincts to get to the edge and outrun defenders. At the second level he again continues to break tackles against secondary defenders and he has a very good blend of speed and power. While he does not have elite explosiveness, he has home-run hitting speed to make big plays in the open field. 

Pass Game

In the pass game, Benson did not have a lot of reps in pass protection but when he did he consistently picked up his man and gave the quarterback enough time to get the ball out. As a receiver, he was primarily used on screens or as an outlet option but he showed very good hands in catching difficult passes away from his body. After the catch he again uses his vision to follow his blocks and make plays down the field. He was often subbed out in obvious passing situations on film but his talent as a receiver should make him an option at the next level if he can prove his worth as a pass blocker.

Last Word

Benson has experience both in zone and gap run schemes but plays his best on power runs where he can use his patience to follow his blockers and get to the 2nd level. He is a very strong runner and made big plays on film making him a valuable option on early downs. He has the talent to be used in the pass game but until he can prove that he can be a reliable pass protector he will not be super valuable on 3rd downs. On Special Teams, he was used as a kickoff returner in 2022 and he had some success, including a 93 yard return touchdown making him an immediate option for those units.

One-Liner: Trey Benson is an all-around back who can be an immediate contributor on early downs and if he develops as a pass-blocker, can be a dynamic weapon in the pass game.

Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter, 1st & 2nd Down)

Games Watched: 2023 - LSU, Miami, Clemson, Southern Miss, Wake Forest, Boston College

Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers