WR Kelvin Benjamin: Scouting the NFL Draft

Feb 21, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver

speaks to the media in a press conference during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Time to continue scouting the NFL draft, as we spotlight WR Kelvin Benjamin. Tonight, we are looking at a guy with a lot of potential at the next level. He is a great size for an NFL wide receiver, which makes him appealing to several teams, including the New York Jets.

So, let’s begin, and take a look at what Kelvin Benjamin brings to the table. Here are his career stats from Florida State:

Receiving & Rushing

MEASURABLES

He measures in at 6’5″, and weighs 240 pounds, which makes him a wonderful sized specimen for a receiver at the next level.

At the combine, he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.61 seconds. In the 3 cone drill, he posted a time of 7.33 seconds. 119 inches is an explosive performance in the broad jump as well.

PROS: Here is a guy that will make a great target in the red zone. That 6’5″ frame is big, and Kelvin Benjamin knows how to use it. Nobody gets in his way when that ball is coming in. He runs good routes, and has a big catching “radius”, meaning that he can get to a lot of footballs that are thrown his way.

CONS: Too many passes get into his body before he makes the catch. I would definitely prefer to see him catch the ball more with his hands, instead of letting it come into his body. Stephen Hill catches with his body, and we see where that has gotten him. Here are his negatives from the NFL profile:

Lacks elite, top-end speed and many catches are contested. Hand use could improve releasing vs. tight, press coverage. Overly grabby. Is not yet a nuanced route runner and does not sink his hips and pop in and out of his breaks. Does not shake many defenders after the catch. Will make the easy concentration drop and focus could stand to improve at the break point (three drops vs. Florida). Seeks to run before securing the ball and double-catches more than he should. Blocking effort/sustainability has room to improve on the move.

Maybe it is me, but I thought is route running is not that bad. Double-catches are unbecoming of an NFL receiver. As I mentioned, he needs to catch the ball with his hands and secure it without letting it bobble.

Kelvin Benjamin has a lot of raw skills, I am just not sure if his skill set is as good as some of the other first round candidates.