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Marvin is 6-1 190lbs. Decent speed and good leaping ability. Hips are a little stiff in coverage. Should be a Top 30 player next year though. Was the talk ofthe Jacksonville camp this summer.
¹ 2008 Spring Football/Summer Workouts (updates) ©
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by gunna get it,
- Start date
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Looks like he will get the ball one way or another..
July 15, 2008 11:09 AM
[table][tr][td] [/td] [td]
[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]Stephen Dunn/Getty Images[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]Illinois wideout Arrelious Benn is looking to build on his strong freshman campaign.[/td] [/tr][/table]Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The term "freshman" is attached to Arrelious Benn's top honor as a college player, but the Illinois star neither looks nor acts the part.
Benn was anything but a novice last fall, as he sizzled as a wide receiver, kickoff returner and occasional backfield ball-carrier, racking up 1,114 all-purpose yards. The rare player who immediately lived up to his recruiting hype, Benn helped Illinois complete the nation's biggest one-year turnaround and reach the Rose Bowl.
He's the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but if you saw him without pads, you'd peg him for an NFL veteran or an assistant coach. I even spotted some gray in his goatee when we talked this spring. The guy looks 30. At least.
"I hear it all the time," Benn said last week of his adult appearance.
Does he ever have to convince his fellow students that he's one of them?
"Nah," Benn said, laughing. "A lot of people on campus know my face."
If the rest of the Big Ten doesn't already know his face, they soon will. At least they'll know the back of his helmet.
As Illinois goes out to prove that last season's Rose Bowl run was no fluke, Benn takes the field with his own lofty goals.
"My potential is to have a 1,000 yards (receiving) and at least 500 yards rushing," he said.
Why shouldn't he think big? Benn finished last season with 54 receptions and 676 receiving yards -- both Illinois freshman records -- to go along with a 28-yard average on kickoff returns. And he did it all with a right shoulder that spent more time out of its socket than in it. He first dislocated the shoulder during a preseason intrasquad scrimmage and reinjured it several times during the season.
Benn underwent shoulder surgery in January and sat out spring practice, participating only in agility drills and catching passes with the JUGS machine. Though the injury kept him off the field, the 6-2, 214-pound wideout still found ways to stand out.
"The first day I was in the weight room, I threw up some crazy numbers," said Benn, who often draws comparisons to the Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin because of his size. "I couldn't rep stuff like I could at first. I had to build my endurance back up, but I still could lift the heavy weight that I did -- and more. I'm stronger than I ever was before."
Benn expects to shoulder a greater burden this fall as Illinois starts life without running back Rashard Mendenhall, the 2007 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Spring practice produced few answers at running back, and the Illini need a viable threat for an offense that utilizes a lot of read-option from the shotgun. A reliable backfield presence will help junior Juice Williams, whom Benn reiterates is "a quarterback, not a running back."
Benn has someone in mind for the job.
"The coaches, as far as giving me the ball, they took it a little bit away from me because of the bum shoulder," said Benn, who had 32 carries for 158 yards last year. "I'm still a receiver, but they're taking a notice of what I can do out of the backfield. Any way to just get the ball in my hands, that's what it's all about."
Stabilizing the ground game is critical, but with Williams evolving as a passer, Illinois likely will go to the air more this fall.
That means more of the spotlight for the man everyone calls "Rejus." Benn doesn't know where the nickname came from, but it has stuck ever since he was little. Even his mom, Denise, uses it most of the time.
"She calls me Arrelious when she's mad," Benn said.
Opposing teams might come up with their own handle for Benn if he continues to burn them.
First up is Missouri, the team many wanted to see in a BCS bowl game instead of Illinois. The Tigers edged the Illinois 40-34 last season, and the teams' annual meeting Aug. 30 in St. Louis will have much more than Braggin' Rights on the line.
"They're top 5, we're top 20," Benn said. "We just want to go out and play. After what we did last year, we want to keep rolling. We're taking it from the bottom to the top."
July 15, 2008 11:09 AM
[table][tr][td] [/td] [td]
The term "freshman" is attached to Arrelious Benn's top honor as a college player, but the Illinois star neither looks nor acts the part.
Benn was anything but a novice last fall, as he sizzled as a wide receiver, kickoff returner and occasional backfield ball-carrier, racking up 1,114 all-purpose yards. The rare player who immediately lived up to his recruiting hype, Benn helped Illinois complete the nation's biggest one-year turnaround and reach the Rose Bowl.
He's the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but if you saw him without pads, you'd peg him for an NFL veteran or an assistant coach. I even spotted some gray in his goatee when we talked this spring. The guy looks 30. At least.
"I hear it all the time," Benn said last week of his adult appearance.
Does he ever have to convince his fellow students that he's one of them?
"Nah," Benn said, laughing. "A lot of people on campus know my face."
If the rest of the Big Ten doesn't already know his face, they soon will. At least they'll know the back of his helmet.
As Illinois goes out to prove that last season's Rose Bowl run was no fluke, Benn takes the field with his own lofty goals.
"My potential is to have a 1,000 yards (receiving) and at least 500 yards rushing," he said.
Why shouldn't he think big? Benn finished last season with 54 receptions and 676 receiving yards -- both Illinois freshman records -- to go along with a 28-yard average on kickoff returns. And he did it all with a right shoulder that spent more time out of its socket than in it. He first dislocated the shoulder during a preseason intrasquad scrimmage and reinjured it several times during the season.
Benn underwent shoulder surgery in January and sat out spring practice, participating only in agility drills and catching passes with the JUGS machine. Though the injury kept him off the field, the 6-2, 214-pound wideout still found ways to stand out.
"The first day I was in the weight room, I threw up some crazy numbers," said Benn, who often draws comparisons to the Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin because of his size. "I couldn't rep stuff like I could at first. I had to build my endurance back up, but I still could lift the heavy weight that I did -- and more. I'm stronger than I ever was before."
Benn expects to shoulder a greater burden this fall as Illinois starts life without running back Rashard Mendenhall, the 2007 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Spring practice produced few answers at running back, and the Illini need a viable threat for an offense that utilizes a lot of read-option from the shotgun. A reliable backfield presence will help junior Juice Williams, whom Benn reiterates is "a quarterback, not a running back."
Benn has someone in mind for the job.
"The coaches, as far as giving me the ball, they took it a little bit away from me because of the bum shoulder," said Benn, who had 32 carries for 158 yards last year. "I'm still a receiver, but they're taking a notice of what I can do out of the backfield. Any way to just get the ball in my hands, that's what it's all about."
Stabilizing the ground game is critical, but with Williams evolving as a passer, Illinois likely will go to the air more this fall.
That means more of the spotlight for the man everyone calls "Rejus." Benn doesn't know where the nickname came from, but it has stuck ever since he was little. Even his mom, Denise, uses it most of the time.
"She calls me Arrelious when she's mad," Benn said.
Opposing teams might come up with their own handle for Benn if he continues to burn them.
First up is Missouri, the team many wanted to see in a BCS bowl game instead of Illinois. The Tigers edged the Illinois 40-34 last season, and the teams' annual meeting Aug. 30 in St. Louis will have much more than Braggin' Rights on the line.
"They're top 5, we're top 20," Benn said. "We just want to go out and play. After what we did last year, we want to keep rolling. We're taking it from the bottom to the top."
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That game is gonna be so nice. Lots of points for sure. Can't wait to see Maclin go up against Vontae. Also, waiting to see if Martez Wilson does bigthings this year. That class Zooker got in 2007 is gonna be big time for them this year.
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Let there be no doubt about the impact Ricky Jean-Francois had on LSU's national title run last year. He played in all of two games -- the SEC championshipgame and the BCS national title game -- and it was abundantly clear:
"The best player on the field," says Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, LSU's defensive coordinator last season.
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<a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v...scxxful0140000418ful/direct;wi.300;hi.250/01/" target="_blank"><img src="http://view.atdmt.com/APM/view/pscxxful0140000418ful/direct;wi.300;hi.250/01/8011819"/></a><noscript><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v...scxxful0140000418ful/direct;wi.300;hi.250/01/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://view.atdmt.com/APM/view/pscxxful0140000418ful/direct;wi.300;hi.250/01/8011819" /></a></noscript>
[/td] [/tr][/table]Let's put that statement into perspective. Also on the field in the BCS title game: LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (No. 5 overall pick in theNFL draft) and Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston (No. 6). Jean-Francois, a junior defensive tackle, missed the first 12 games of the season while onacademic suspension and was reinstated in time for the SEC championship game. He was on the field for 20 snaps against Tennessee because of conditioningissues, then got into shape over the next month and was dominant in the national title game against Ohio State, blocking a field goal and commandingdouble-teams on the interior.
At one point, Pelini was running stunts to free up Jean-Francois.
"There's no doubt in my mind," says one AFC scout, "if (Jean-Francois) stays out of trouble and plays at a high level like he did inthose two games, he could develop into the No. 1 overall pick in the draft."
Big words for a player with little experience. Jean-Francois (6-3, 281) was a top backup his first season, earning Sporting News Freshman All-Americanhonors after solid play at tackle and end. A year later, in two games against premier competition and with the season riding on every play, he stood out.
Jean-Francois had nearly walked away from LSU his freshman year, when coach Les Miles pulled him into his office and handed out the suspension before theteam's bowl game against Notre Dame. "A humbling experience," Jean-Francois says. "I just prayed that one stupid mistake wouldn't defineme."
Now Jean-Francois has a chance to define himself on the field for a full season. Others ready to break out this fall:
LB Rolando McClain, 6-4, 255, So., Alabama. Scout's take: "I absolutely love this kid. Big run stuffer, plays with attitude. Ialways look for guys who kind of play on the edge, who enjoy the vicious aspect of the game. Rolando was a freshman last year; he didn't really get it alland had a huge season. I can't wait to watch him develop."
DE Jason Worilds, 6-2, 252, So., Virginia Tech. Scout's take: "This is a man here, folks. Whoa! As an end, strictly relating toNFL potential, he's not the typical size. But he has the get-off move on the edge. Speed, speed, speed. He didn't have any idea what he was doing lastyear, and that's to be expected of young guys. Wait until he understands what's going on. Holy cow, will he be good."
RB Mike Ford, 6-2, 225, So., South Florida. Scout's take: "Big, tough kid with good speed. He's a 20-carry guy in (the NFL).What I like best about him is he understands cutbacks and following zone blocking. He knows where to go, but it's obvious his ball security issues havemade him a little tentative in hitting holes."
DE Lawrence Wilson, 6-4, 274, Jr., Ohio State. Scout's take: "Saw him a couple of times as a freshman, then saw him in the springbefore last fall, before he got hurt in the first game of the season. Still have my notes: 'Wilson better than Gholston?' The complete package. He canstop the run, and his size and wingspan -- he's 280 pounds, for goodness sake -- are impossible for those poor (offensive) tackles."
RB DeMarco Murray, So., 6-0, 191, Oklahoma. Scout's take: "Bob (Stoops) has had a bunch of terrific runners there, and I'mtelling you, this kid could be his best. Including (Adrian) Peterson. His speed, he hits the high gear immediately. He's a hard runner, but he's notthe tough inside guy Peterson was. At least not yet."
DE Everson Griffen, 6-3, 265, So., USC. Scout's take: "In two years, we'll all be talking about who's in line to pickGriffen No. 1. He started really slow last year, and then it all clicked. He was unblockable at times. Wait until (USC coach) Pete (Carroll) gets his techniqueand motor to catch up to his desire. Wow, will he be terrific."
WR Duval Kamara, 6-5, 222, So., Notre Dame. Scout's take: "Saw them twice last year, and he's the only guy on offense wholooked comfortable. He knows how to get off the jam (at the line of scrimmage), knows how to use his hands to separate. He's got good speed. Once hefigures out how to use his big frame to shield himself, he'll be a terror. No one in college football will be able to match up with him --no one."
Also ready to shine
ACC: DE Allen Bailey, 6-4, 287, So., Miami; SS Myron Rolle, 6-2, 218, Jr., Florida State
Big East: DE Greg Romeus, 6-5, 250, So., Pitt; WR Marcus Barnett, 6-2, 164, So. Cincinnati
Big Ten: LB Martez Wilson, 6-4, 246, So., Illinois; OT Rocco Cironi, 6-6, 305, Jr., Michigan State
Big 12: WR Dezmon Briscoe, 6-3, 200, So., Kansas; WR Josh Smith, 6-0, 180, So., Colorado
Pac-10: RB LaGarrette Blount, 6-2, 230, Jr., Oregon; WR Nyan Boateng, 6-2, 210, Jr., California
SEC: RB Chris Rainey, 5-9, 167, Fr., Florida; WR Gerald Jones, 6-0, 185, So., Tennessee
Outside the BCS: QB Case Keenum, 6-1, 210, So., Houston; QB Justin Willis, 6-1, 210, Jr., SMU; RB Ryan Mathews, 5-11, 205, So., Fresno State;QB Nate Davis, 6-2, 217, Jr., Ball State
"The best player on the field," says Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, LSU's defensive coordinator last season.
[table][tr][td]
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[/td] [/tr][/table]Let's put that statement into perspective. Also on the field in the BCS title game: LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (No. 5 overall pick in theNFL draft) and Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston (No. 6). Jean-Francois, a junior defensive tackle, missed the first 12 games of the season while onacademic suspension and was reinstated in time for the SEC championship game. He was on the field for 20 snaps against Tennessee because of conditioningissues, then got into shape over the next month and was dominant in the national title game against Ohio State, blocking a field goal and commandingdouble-teams on the interior.
At one point, Pelini was running stunts to free up Jean-Francois.
"There's no doubt in my mind," says one AFC scout, "if (Jean-Francois) stays out of trouble and plays at a high level like he did inthose two games, he could develop into the No. 1 overall pick in the draft."
Big words for a player with little experience. Jean-Francois (6-3, 281) was a top backup his first season, earning Sporting News Freshman All-Americanhonors after solid play at tackle and end. A year later, in two games against premier competition and with the season riding on every play, he stood out.
Jean-Francois had nearly walked away from LSU his freshman year, when coach Les Miles pulled him into his office and handed out the suspension before theteam's bowl game against Notre Dame. "A humbling experience," Jean-Francois says. "I just prayed that one stupid mistake wouldn't defineme."
Now Jean-Francois has a chance to define himself on the field for a full season. Others ready to break out this fall:
LB Rolando McClain, 6-4, 255, So., Alabama. Scout's take: "I absolutely love this kid. Big run stuffer, plays with attitude. Ialways look for guys who kind of play on the edge, who enjoy the vicious aspect of the game. Rolando was a freshman last year; he didn't really get it alland had a huge season. I can't wait to watch him develop."
DE Jason Worilds, 6-2, 252, So., Virginia Tech. Scout's take: "This is a man here, folks. Whoa! As an end, strictly relating toNFL potential, he's not the typical size. But he has the get-off move on the edge. Speed, speed, speed. He didn't have any idea what he was doing lastyear, and that's to be expected of young guys. Wait until he understands what's going on. Holy cow, will he be good."
RB Mike Ford, 6-2, 225, So., South Florida. Scout's take: "Big, tough kid with good speed. He's a 20-carry guy in (the NFL).What I like best about him is he understands cutbacks and following zone blocking. He knows where to go, but it's obvious his ball security issues havemade him a little tentative in hitting holes."
DE Lawrence Wilson, 6-4, 274, Jr., Ohio State. Scout's take: "Saw him a couple of times as a freshman, then saw him in the springbefore last fall, before he got hurt in the first game of the season. Still have my notes: 'Wilson better than Gholston?' The complete package. He canstop the run, and his size and wingspan -- he's 280 pounds, for goodness sake -- are impossible for those poor (offensive) tackles."
RB DeMarco Murray, So., 6-0, 191, Oklahoma. Scout's take: "Bob (Stoops) has had a bunch of terrific runners there, and I'mtelling you, this kid could be his best. Including (Adrian) Peterson. His speed, he hits the high gear immediately. He's a hard runner, but he's notthe tough inside guy Peterson was. At least not yet."
DE Everson Griffen, 6-3, 265, So., USC. Scout's take: "In two years, we'll all be talking about who's in line to pickGriffen No. 1. He started really slow last year, and then it all clicked. He was unblockable at times. Wait until (USC coach) Pete (Carroll) gets his techniqueand motor to catch up to his desire. Wow, will he be terrific."
WR Duval Kamara, 6-5, 222, So., Notre Dame. Scout's take: "Saw them twice last year, and he's the only guy on offense wholooked comfortable. He knows how to get off the jam (at the line of scrimmage), knows how to use his hands to separate. He's got good speed. Once hefigures out how to use his big frame to shield himself, he'll be a terror. No one in college football will be able to match up with him --no one."
Also ready to shine
ACC: DE Allen Bailey, 6-4, 287, So., Miami; SS Myron Rolle, 6-2, 218, Jr., Florida State
Big East: DE Greg Romeus, 6-5, 250, So., Pitt; WR Marcus Barnett, 6-2, 164, So. Cincinnati
Big Ten: LB Martez Wilson, 6-4, 246, So., Illinois; OT Rocco Cironi, 6-6, 305, Jr., Michigan State
Big 12: WR Dezmon Briscoe, 6-3, 200, So., Kansas; WR Josh Smith, 6-0, 180, So., Colorado
Pac-10: RB LaGarrette Blount, 6-2, 230, Jr., Oregon; WR Nyan Boateng, 6-2, 210, Jr., California
SEC: RB Chris Rainey, 5-9, 167, Fr., Florida; WR Gerald Jones, 6-0, 185, So., Tennessee
Outside the BCS: QB Case Keenum, 6-1, 210, So., Houston; QB Justin Willis, 6-1, 210, Jr., SMU; RB Ryan Mathews, 5-11, 205, So., Fresno State;QB Nate Davis, 6-2, 217, Jr., Ball State
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I honestly don't put much stock into coaches gassing up their players as seen with Pelini and Jean-Francois.
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[h1]Team preview: Ohio State[/h1]
After reading that, I completely forgot how many injuries the Buckeyes had on the defensive side. I think depth is gonna be huge this yr. That and thedefensive line play.
After reading that, I completely forgot how many injuries the Buckeyes had on the defensive side. I think depth is gonna be huge this yr. That and thedefensive line play.
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Myron Rolle finally ready to shine....lol
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That boy Regis rocking the best cleats out right now.
Bout to get them @+@@! myself...
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Originally Posted by GUNNA GET IT
DLO, aw man, I forgot to tell you I was in the 'A' last week, but it was work related ( and I was working with an expense account that had been cut in half for the trip) .
I stayed at the Atlanta Airport MarriottNice place!
Our expense accounts took a major cut at the beginning of the year. I told the boss I was done traveling. Cheap bastard can do it his damn self...Imma chillat a desk and get fat.
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Laughable
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Here's a picture of Lache Seastrunk (RB out of Temple, Texas; Class of 2010) at the 7 on 7 tournament in College Station...
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Thats some bounce fa'real.
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I really do not see how Lache is not in the Top 5-10 next year for that class. He is a freak athletically and he is just as good on the field. He has sprinterspeed and football speed. Kid is starting to fill out and his ability to change direction and get back up to speed is crazy. Should be a fun battle between LSUand Texas for him.
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I heard he was really impressed with his trip to College Station, but I've been hearing for the last year and a half how he grew up a huge Texas fan andhas been following Texas football for a long time. My guess is he ends up in Austin, with LSU following close behind.
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Completely forgot about this dude.
no its not.
for real murray is the truth. better than peterson i dont think so. but murray has it all for a running back he is a game changer and a big timeplaymaker.
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Originally Posted by tmay407
Here's a picture of Lache Seastrunk (RB out of Temple, Texas; Class of 2010) at the 7 on 7 tournament in College Station...
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Completely forgot about this dude.
no its not.
2008: The DeMarco Murray Show...
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I haerd he had a good visit too but the family is all about the Horns and hates TAMU. His Aunt has said as much on a couple of message boards. It sounds likeTexas is the team close to home which he loves but his family has ties to Louisana too. He mentions Michigan when talking favorites but I really can't seehim leaving the south.
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Gad damn...
That boy got some bunnies
That boy got some bunnies
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I had heard about Seastrunk, but that's damn ridiculous.
Any Bama fans on here? I read they lost another LB recently, so they're basically down to McClain (who's nasty).
Any Bama fans on here? I read they lost another LB recently, so they're basically down to McClain (who's nasty).
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Yea, I've definitely heard that the family doesn't like A&M too much. Oh well, even if the family did like A&M, I wouldn't see the staffbeing able to reel in a big recruit.
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Yeah I just watched an interview and he dropped the "no offense to A&M but..". Then he said maroon wasn't his color.
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What's the update on WR Deandre Brown. He commited to Southern Miss.
