Arrelious Benn: NFL Draft Profile

We’ll take a look at Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn as he prepares to enter the 2010 NFL draft.  We will examine his strengths/weaknesses, college career and our expectations for his upcoming NFL career.

Strengths

• Aggressive: Benn’s size (6-2, 220) allows him to confidentially go over the middle and gain yards after initial contact.
• Versatility: Ability to line up in the backfield and return kicks; perfect addition to a franchise with multiple needs.
• Great hands: Some receivers in the league have questionable hands; the ability to catch the football with consistency is an absolute necessity for a rookie wide out.

Weaknesses

• Route Running: Being a precise route runner is necessary in the NFL; struggled with this concept in college.
• Inconsistency: Benn’s junior year was riddled with sub-par outings after a great sophomore year.
• Injury concern: Benn struggled with nagging injuries his junior year; has to be a concern for NFL franchises.

(Retrieval of all statistical information obtained from Wikipedia and CBSsports.com)

It didn’t take long for Benn to arrive on the scene as a freshman in 2007.  He quickly became known for his consistency having grabbed at least four balls in his first 10 games.  His agility and angry approach he brought to the field quickly gained him respect amongst the coaching staff and his teammates.  Benn set the Illinois freshman record for receptions and receiving yards as he gained 676 yards on 54 catches and two touchdowns leading the Illini to a Rose Bowl matchup with USC.  Benn had a great showing hauling in five balls for 80 yards and a touchdown, but the team got blown out 49-17.  With the loss, Illinois ended the season on a negative note, but Benn was rapidly making a name for himself as he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Benn’s outstanding play in his sophomore season produced solid reaffirmation as to the future this kid was poised to have in the NFL.  His stat lines were as amazing as his ability to slice through defenses like a knife through butter.  Benn had six games in which he caught seven balls or more; four straight games with over 100 yards receiving including a 12 catch, 181 yard outburst against Minnesota and 87.9 receiving yards per game.  This kid humiliated defenses constantly with his versatility, strength and the willingness to go over the middle with his physicality being a decided advantage over opposing defensive backs.   While the Illini struggled all year (5-7), Benn had one of the better statistical performances in school history.  He caught 67 balls for 1,055 yards and five touchdowns; 1,662 all-purpose yards generated from rushing (5.1 average) and punt returns (7.6 average).

Expectations loomed large as Benn entered his junior season for the Fighting Illini.  Coming off a sophomore season where he lit up defenses constantly, the anticipation of a huge year rode on the shoulders of the 21 year old Benn.  Unfortunately, the season didn’t turn out the way both Benn and the college football nation had hoped.  His season was held back by constant double teams, horrible quarterback play and a nagging ankle injury that limited him to 38 receptions for 490 yards and two touchdowns.  Benn only had two games where he exceeded four receptions, and he did not register any 100 yard games.  After his first two years where he had a strangle hold on the rest of the Big Ten and after a season that only produced three wins for the Fighting Illini, total disappointment would be the only way to describe Benn’s final season.

Benn ended his career at Illinois with 159 receptions for 2,221 yards and seven touchdowns.

It was a bright decision for Benn to declare for the 2010 NFL draft coming off his terrible season with the Illini.  If he came back for his senior season, he would still be “stuck in the mud” with quarterback play that would probably be as horrific as it was his junior season.  There is no excuse for the quarterback play, but Benn’s effort was questioned consistently throughout his junior season.  Will that kind of attitude translate over to the league?  Prospective franchises are pondering the same question and it’ll be answered with time.  Benn has all the physical tools to be an all-pro receiver, but what will he do when a cornerback that matches that physicality stands opposite him?  After a season in which Benn struggled mightily, it’s very difficult to say that he’ll live up to the hype he brought with him after his sophomore season at Illinois.  It’s our assertion that Benn will be a bust in the NFL; the injury concerns coupled with absolutely no desire to overcome in the face of adversity will land Benn in the league dumpster with the rest of the flops.