The Cleveland Browns with a fourth round pick in the NFL Draft chose Travis Benjamin, a wide receiver with lightning speed to improve what many consider a questionable Browns receiving corp. Yes super speed, we are talking 4.36 seconds in the 40 yard dash, the fastest among receivers at the NFL Combine. No doubt this is impressive, but then will his lack of size at 5'10" and 172 pounds hamper his production, a production the Browns desperately need.

There is no doubt that Benjamin has amazing speed and has put it on display, of course this being in helmet and shorts with no defenders allowed to plaster him coming off the line. Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden states:

“Yeah, he can fly,” Weeden said on June 5. “We were joking about that, the wind coming this way so when we’re going toward the facility you have to let it go a few steps early because he can go. Downwind it’s not so bad, but if you’re trying to throw into any kind of breeze, you have to let it go and keep it pretty tight.”

Although there have been questions about his size one only has to look at DeSean Jackson, who many have compared Benjamin to, in finding an example of speed possessed by one of those "smaller guys" who has flourished in the NFL--Jackson is only 5'9" and 169 pounds and runs the 40 yard dash in 4.35 seconds. One inch, three pounds and 4.35 compared to 4.36--so close!

Since being drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson in the West Coast Offense has been very effective in the returned game. He has also proven to be a handful for defensive backs with 229 catches for over 4000 yards and 21 touchdowns. This kind of production is something the Browns offense desperately needs.

Benjamin is fast, very fast, however speed means little if you cannot breakaway from defenders who are trying to contain you physically stopping your progress downfield. This talent has yet to be revealed:

“We can’t bump and run in these camps,” Shurmur said. “So I can’t see him against press coverage, but from what I can tell he has the quickness to separate. We’ll know more about all that once we get into training camp.”

Browns coach Pat Shurmur is correct, he has not seen enough aside from the speed to know if Benjamin is capable of gaining seperation. Once the regular season starts he may see that he indeed has the latest version of DeSean Jackson--Browns fans can only hope!