The Arizona Cardinals ended up with four selections in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft last week. With the first of those four selections, with the 66th overall pick, they selected running back Trey Benson out of Florida State.
It was a fantastic choice with the pick.
As we continue grading the picks, it is hard to give this pick anything but an ‘A’.
Benson was only the second running back taken in the draft after Texas’ Jonathon Brooks. Benson has a mix of size, athleticism, production and use that make him very intriguing for the Cardinals.
He has size at six feet tall and 220 pounds. But he has breakaway speed, running the 40 at the combine in 4.39 seconds. He is nearly the size of Cardinals starting running back James Conner but with much better speed.
He reminds me a big physically of Kenyan Drake. Others have compared him to Melvin Gordon, who was drafted in the first round.
He doesn’t have the use other back sometimes have after playing four years. He had 349 total touches in college so he has not been overused.
He had over 900 rushing yards in both seasons he played for Florida State, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and scoring 24 total touchdowns. He had over 1,100 yard from scrimmage.
NFL Films’ Greg Cosell said he believes that Benson the one back in the draft who can handle a full feature-back load.
He won’t have to early with James Conner as the clear starter. But the Cardinals, who had a great rushing attack over the final half of the season, now have another weapon. He viably could be their No. 2 back as a rookie and, with James Conner only under contract through 2024, he could become the starter in 2025.
To get all of that in the third round is awesome.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
