The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin:
What he can do
– Similar size and body type as Packers running back Aaron Jones
– Ran for over 2,700 yards and scored 26 rushing touchdowns as the feature back the last two seasons at Arizona State
– Didn’t run a scorching time in the 40-yard dash (4.57 seconds) but had impressive jumps (39″ vertical, 10-2 broad) and a good time in the three-cone (6.96 seconds). Suggests nice mix of lower-body explosiveness and quickness
– Shifty in the open field. Uses lateral agility to avoid tackle attempts. Skips through attempts at his ankles
– Uses a nice little jump cut to shift from gap to gap at the line and find the opening
– Will be interesting to see if he can grind yards between the tackles. Can run to daylight and make people miss in the open field but might only be a change-of-pace back without ability to create the tough yards
– Caught 82 passes at the college level. Ready for third-down duties in pass pro
– Showed some one-cut abilty in the zone run game. Ran well out of the shotgun
– Physical for a smaller guy. Unafraid to put his shoulder down and attempt to plow through a defender, especially down near the end zone
– Smaller hands. Had fumble issues in 2019
How he fits
Benjamin may never be a true No. 1 back capable of handling 300 or more carries a season at the next level, but he offers value as a change-of-pace option who can play on third down and contribute in the passing game. His highlights are thrilling to watch because he’s so good in the open field. He combines lateral agility, strong legs and a whole lot of creativity to beat people in space. The process of getting into the open field, however, could be his stumbling block at the next level. Smart teams will use him as a rotational player while finding ways of producing the space he needs to be most effective. The Packers could use Benjamin as a complementary player in 2020 before transitioning him into a bigger role in 2021, when either Aaron Jones or Jamaal Williams could be gone.
NFL comp
Size and athleticism are fairly similar to former Packers running back Johnathan Franklin. Benjamin won’t be as good between the tackles but he’s probably better than Franklin in the open field.
Where Packers could get him
Either late on Day 2 or at some point on Day 3. Good passing teams may value what he can offer in the passing game at the next level and target him earlier than expected. Then again, he’s probably not a full-time player at a position most teams have devalued.
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