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Oct 28, 2023; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Trey Benson

Former FSU Football Star Gives Insight on the Perfect NFL Running Back

The former Seminole knows what it takes to have success in the backfield.

Former Florida State star running back Trey Benson has been on the NFL radar in his past two seasons in Tallahassee. On top of his 2,458 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns, he set or tied multiple records with the 'Noles, including being the first player in FSU history with an 80-plus-yard touchdown catch and another 80-yarder on the ground in the same game. The two-time All-ACC player was known for breaking tackles and his explosive playmaking ability.

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Benson recently sat down with Uninterrupted, an athlete empowerment brand founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, to break down some of his favorite NFL players and build his perfect running back. It is no surprise that for strength, he chose Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker II.

"I'm one of the new guys, so I'm going with Kenneth Walker," Benson said. "The way he falls forward and just runs people over, it's crazy."

Of the six categories—strength, agility, catching, jukes, speed, and vision—San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey took two top spots for Benson: catching and agility.

"I'ma have to say, Christian McCaffrey. The way he moves between the tackles is crazy," Benson continued. "Christian McCaffrey, fasho."

At one point in his college career, the Greenville, MS native was responsible for a missed tackle ratio of over 50% per PFF. While his juking ability wasn't the sole factor contributing to this statistic, Benson selected Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs

"Jahmyr GIbbs. He came in last year but he — if you watch his tape he movin'," Benson said.

Benson's playmaking ability also relied on speed and vision. He routinely broke speeds of 21 and 22 mph making him a home-run hitter in the open field. He chose Miami Dolphins' De'Von Achane and Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson to complete his perfect NFL running back.

Speaking about speed, Benson pointed to De'Von Achane from the Dolphins, noting, 'He's a track guy, so I'ma go with his speed.' As for vision, Benson praised Bijan Robinson, saying, 'I'm gonna go with one of the running backs from last year, Bijan, my dog Bijan Robinson.'

With serious interest from multiple NFL franchises, including the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he recently took a top-30 visit, his impressive performance at the NFL Combine only improved his draft stock. Benson could find himself one day on another up-and-coming NFL prospects perfect list in the future.

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