Arrelious Benn facts for kids
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | September 8, 1988 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) | ||||||||
| College: | Illinois (2007–2009) | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2010 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Arrelious Markus Benn (born September 8, 1988) is an American former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Benn played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose him in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft.
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Early Life and High School Football
Arrelious Benn grew up in Washington, D.C.. He went to Dunbar High School. There, he played alongside future NFL players like Vontae Davis.
Benn was a very versatile player in high school. He played wide receiver, running back, safety, and linebacker. In his senior year, he was named a First-team High School All-American. He caught 56 passes for 1,039 yards and nine touchdowns that year. He was the first player from Dunbar to gain over 1,000 receiving yards. As a junior, he had 50 catches for 1,147 yards and 17 touchdowns. After high school, Benn was invited to play in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Many colleges wanted Benn to play for them. He was considered a top wide receiver prospect. He decided to play for the University of Illinois.
College Football Career
Arrelious Benn made a big impact during his freshman year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He caught 43 passes for 521 yards. This was the most on his team and a new school record for a freshman. He also ran for 158 yards and returned 10 kickoffs for 280 yards. One of his most exciting plays was a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Penn State. He was named the 2007 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
In his second year, Benn's performance got even better. He had 67 receptions for 1,055 yards, leading the Big Ten conference. He also scored 3 receiving touchdowns. He added 101 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. Benn was recognized as one of the top college football players to watch.
During his junior year, Benn suffered an ankle injury early in the season. Despite the injury, he played in all 12 games. He finished the season with 38 catches for 490 yards and two touchdowns. After his junior season, Arrelious Benn decided to enter the 2010 NFL draft.
College Statistics Overview
Here's a look at Arrelious Benn's performance during his college career:
| Season | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Punt Returns | Kick Returns | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | 13 | 13 | 54 | 676 | 12.5 | 2 | 32 | 158 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 10 | 280 | 28.0 | 1 |
| 2008 | 12 | 12 | 67 | 1,055 | 15.7 | 3 | 23 | 101 | 4.4 | 2 | 15 | 114 | 7.6 | 0 | 20 | 398 | 19.9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 12 | 12 | 38 | 490 | 12.9 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 3.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 12 | 318 | 26.5 | 0 |
| Total | 37 | 37 | 159 | 2,221 | 14.0 | 7 | 62 | 282 | 4.5 | 3 | 15 | 114 | 7.6 | 0 | 42 | 996 | 23.7 | 1 |
College Awards and Honors
Arrelious Benn received several awards during his college career. He was named the 2007 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He was also recognized as a Freshman All-American in 2007. In 2008, he was part of the First-team All-Big Ten.
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
219 lb (99 kg) |
32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.42 s | 1.52 s | 2.60 s | 4.32 s | 6.78 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) |
10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) |
20 reps | 11 |
| All values from NFL Combine/Illinois Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Arrelious Benn in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the 39th player chosen overall.
Philadelphia Eagles
In March 2013, Benn was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed a contract extension with them. However, he suffered a serious knee injury (ACL tear) in August 2013. This injury ended his 2013 season. He was later released by the Eagles in May 2014. He briefly re-signed but was placed on injured reserve again.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Benn signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in January 2015. He was released and then re-signed with the team in September 2016. The first game of that season was his first time on an active NFL roster in three years. In Week 6, he scored a 51-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears. This was his first touchdown reception since 2011.
The Jaguars re-signed Benn for another year in February 2017. He was placed on injured reserve in November 2017 due to a knee injury. In February 2018, the Jaguars did not pick up the option on his contract, making him a free agent.
