The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Benson selected by Chicago Bears with No. 4 pick in 2005 NFL Draft
04.23.2005 | Football
University of Texas running back Cedric Benson was selected by the Chicago Bears with the fourth pick of the first round of Saturday's NFL Draft.
Benson becomes the fourth Longhorns running back in history to be selected in the first round and is the first since Ricky Williams in 1999. He is also the highest selected UT running back since Earl Campbell was also selected fourth overall in 1978.
"I can't express what I'm feeling," Benson said. "It's been a long process for me and I didn't know how things were going to turn out or what was going to happen. It just feels so good for it to be over. It feels good overall. Obviously the Bears believe in me, and we're going to get some things done in Chicago."
Following the selection ESPN's Chris Berman described Benson as "a perfect fit" for the Bears and Mel Kiper, Jr., recounted one NFL general manager describe him as the best red zone running back he had ever scouted.
"We're very excited about having Cedric Benson be a part of our team," said Bears head coach Lovie Smith. "We did a lot of research. We watched a lot of film and studied a lot of good players. Going into the draft, we wanted to help the offensive side of the football. We feel like we've done that. Who can argue with the numbers Cedric has put up over the last four years? Going back to high school ball, he's been a dominant running back every year he's played the game for a long time. We looked at all of the running backs in the draft and believe we were unanimous with the running back we wanted. We're extremely excited about him being a part of what we're doing offensively."
Benson becomes UT running back in the last 17 years to be taken in the Top 15. He is also the fourth player in the last four years taken in the draft's first five selections and the fifth player in the last four years taken in the first 10 selections. Benson is the 12th player coached by Mack Brown to be drafted in the first round in the last eight years.
"I thought Cedric would have been taken as one of the best players in the country, besides people saying this was the year for the running back," Brown said. "I was confident throughout, and I didn't think there was a better place Cedric could go. It's a cold-weather place with a lot of wind where they run the ball. They've had a great running game throughout their history. They're missing that running game now, and they need it back. I think it will be perfect. Plus the fact that (former UT wide receivers coach and Bears receivers) Coach (Darryl) Drake is there to help guide him, and I was just on the Chicago Bears radio network and Nathan Vasher said he was glad he had a roommate coming.
The 2005 Doak Walker Award winner (nation's top RB) rushed for 5,540 yards (No. 6 in NCAA history) and 64 TDs (No. 3 in NCAA history) during his career. He also became just the fifth player in NCAA history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons during that time. Last season, Benson ran for 1,834 yards (No. 3 on UT's single-season list) and 19 TDs (No. 4 on UT's single-season) on 326 carries.
Benson is the second Longhorn selected by the Bears in the last two years. Nathan Vasher was chosen in the fourth round last season. Chicago also used a first round selection to draft UT offensive tackle Stan Thomas in 1991. Benson is the highest draft pick by the Bears since they selected Arkansas defensive lineman Dan Hampton fourth overall in 1979. Three of the club's last four No. 4 picks are in the Hall of Fame: Hampton and running backs Walter Payton (1975) and Gale Sayers (1965).
With Auburn running backs Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams also selected in the first five picks, Benson is part of a trio that marked the first time in NFL history three running backs were selected in the the Top Five.
