2020 NFL Draft Prospect – Eno Benjamin, RB Arizona State
Our NFL rookie profile series continues with this analysis of 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Eno Benjamin, RB from Arizona State. We will continue to provide you with these in-depth rookie profiles and a ton of other fantasy football rookie analysis right up through the NFL Draft. Stay tuned, and stay ahead of your league!
The 2020 rookie class has long been touted as exceptional. The running back group features a handful of top-tier talents earmarked as first-round dynasty rookie picks as well as a group of intriguing later-round options. Eno Benjamin is squarely in the group of later-tier backs possessing attractive upside. His production and athletic traits check boxes in several categories and suggest he can find success in the NFL.
THE STATS
Statistics from sports-reference.com.
Benjamin has been on the devy radar since 2017 as a consensus four-star high school prospect. After a quiet freshman year at Arizona State, he burst on the scene as a sophomore with nearly 2,000 total yards from scrimmage. His production fell in 2019 but he still caught 42 passes. His career statistics make a case as a quality prospect, and his market share and target share metrics are in the top 15% of historical NFL running back prospects.
THE FILM
The film gives mixed signals of Benjamin’s potential as a legitimate NFL running back. We immediately see his stocky build, involvement in the passing game and lateral agility. However, we also see a lack of strength, inconsistent elusiveness and few evaded tackles. His explosive athletic testing numbers do not always translate to the field.
Additional videos can be found on Benjamin’s DLF videos player page.
MEASURABLES
Benjamin had an overall poor showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. His 5’9” height and 207-pound weight combine for a respectable 59th-percentile body mass index, but his 4.57-second 40-yard dash is disappointing, as are 12 bench press reps. His overall athletic testing is in the lower third of NFL running backs.
However, he tested well in the agility and explosion drills. This is reflected in his Mock Draftable profile and suggests his athletic attributes include short-area quickness, lateral agility and burst rather than strength or straight-line speed.
His player comparisons include Cierre Wood, Ryan Williams, Marlon Mack, Ronnie Hillman and Dare Ogunbowale in an underwhelming peer group.
Overall, Benjamin’s measurables suggest he has the tools to be a functional timeshare receiving back in the NFL.
DYNASTY VALUE
According to DLF’s March 2020 Rookie ADP, Benjamin currently sits as the rookie 2.11 with an ADP of 23. If you look at February startup ADP, he sits at RB34 with an ADP of 136. This is around running backs Ke’shawn Vaughn, Darrell Henderson, Devonta Freeman and Rashaad Penny.
He sits at 24 in the DLF staff rookie rankings between Zack Moss and Donovan Peoples-Jones, implying a late second-round rookie pick value in line with ADP.
The DLF Dynasty Trade Analyzer, whose algorithm determines values based on actual MFL trades, ADP data and DLF rankings, places Benjamin’s value around the rookie 3.02 pick, suggesting actual MFL trades are depressing his value relative to the Trade Analyzer’s other inputs. This suggests he may be a bit less expensive in real leagues relative to rankings and ADP.
CONCLUSION
Eno Benjamin has already seen his value fluctuate in devy leagues. It peaked after a productive sophomore season in which he produced nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards but came back to earth in 2019 and through the NFL Combine. He projects as a late-second to early-third round dynasty rookie pick and an immediate fringe RB3 with an overall ADP of 136 (RB34).
The film shows a runner who lacks explosion, evaded tackles and yards created. I contend Benjamin possesses limited upside despite the positive aspects of his profile. At his current rookie ADP, he could make a sensible Zero-RB pass-catching stash, but higher upside options are available at that range in rookie drafts.
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