Florida State running back Trey Benson met with the Buffalo Bills in a top-30 pre-draft visit before the 2024 NFL Draft, as reported by Aaron Wilson. Even though the role of a featured back has evolved in the NFL, Benson is seen as someone who could thrive in such a position at the professional level. The Bills currently have three running backs on their roster: James Cook, Ty Johnson, and Darrynton Evans. They are expected to add at least one more running back between the draft and training camp. Benson is projected to be drafted on Day 2, which some may consider too early to pick a running back for Buffalo. However, Benson’s potential is appealing. He brings good size for a feature back, standing at 6 feet and weighing 216 pounds. His Next Gen Stats total score of 80 ranked him first among running backs from the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Benson excelled in his combine tests, recording a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, 1.52-second 10-yard split, 33.5” vertical leap, and a 10’2” broad jump. Despite being a sizable dual-threat running back, Benson prefers to play in an elusive style rather than a more physical approach. One drawback is that Benson seems to lack exceptional vision, and teams may prefer to use him as an inside bruiser to wear down opponents. As a one-cut back, Benson has the ability to make big plays due to his explosiveness. Benson started his college career as a redshirt at Oregon before transferring to Florida State for his junior year, where his production soared. In two seasons with the Seminoles, Benson recorded 310 carries for 1,896 yards and 23 touchdowns, along with 33 receptions for 371 yards and one receiving touchdown. He amassed over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in both seasons with Florida State and was named a two-time Second-Team All-ACC recipient in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. With the Bills, Benson could offer a more versatile, potentially three-down running back who can catch passes in traditional RB roles and do enough damage when blocking. Although he only had more than 20 carries in a game once in college, he may be able to handle a heavier workload with only two years of college play. Given that Trey Benson is projected to be drafted in Rounds 2 or 3, he may not be a perfect fit for the Buffalo Bills. However, if he starts to slip in the draft, there are enough positive aspects in his game to warrant being drafted in the pursuit of what could be a successful NFL career.
