At the top of the third round with the 66th overall selection, the Arizona Cardinals get their running back of the future. Florida State’s Trey Benson is the second running back taken in the draft, only behind Jonathon Brooks in the second round at pick 46.
The 21-year-old senior was a consensus top-five back in this draft class and offers a nice size and speed combination to complement the other running backs on the roster.
At 6’0″ and 216 pounds, Benson was the fourth pick for the Arizona Cardinals in this draft class and could be a role player early on as a pass-catching weapon. With veteran James Connor as the slated starter, Arizona gets their potential three-down option behind him with Trey Benson.
Arizona Cardinals: Select Trey Benson 66th Overall
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— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 27, 2024
Trey Benson to the Cardinals makes a ton of sense, as they retool at offensive skill positions in this draft. Arizona took wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall selection in round one.
Many had the former Seminole as a top-five back in the draft class and can be eased in with the other running backs on the roster. Benson would be in a rotation with veteran James Connor, former rookie Emari Demercado, free agent DeeJay Dallas, Michael Carter, and Tony Jones.
There will likely be a heated competition at camp over the summer, as this Arizona Cardinals offense likes to utilize and rotate their backfield frequently. Connor at age 28 isn’t getting any younger, so mini and training camp, along with preseason games will be big for Benson to earn more share of the backfield.
Arizona Cardinals: Draft Outlook for 3rd Round RB
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The Arizona Cardinals are now loaded at running back, bolstering the rushing attack to add to Kyler Murray’s scrambling ability. Benson didn’t hit over 1,000 rushing yards in any single season but his play-making ability could translate early on the field.
The former Oregon transfer was second-team All-ACC back-to-back seasons and has dealt with injuries in his collegiate career. Benson had over 900 rushing yards in 2022 and 2023, going from nine touchdowns to 15 total touchdowns. He could also be an early special teamer, as he had a kickoff return for a touchdown back in 2022.
It will be interesting to see if he can transition to a full-time player eventually. The Cardinals will likely ease him in and not give him the full workload during his rookie season. In college, Benson has only had 20 carries once and tested extremely well for his size at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Arizona is set up nicely with their offensive skill positions around their star quarterback Murray and Harrison Jr.
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