MKRob Sports

Players work out at the Combine hoping to improve their draft statuses. It doesn’t always work that way.

Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn had trouble keeping his feet in drills Sunday and  Benn has to hope now that NFL team reports are a little better than pool reports from designated NFL media members.

Per observer NFLDraftScout.com’s Rob Rang: The highest rated receiver of this bunch is Illinois’ Arrelious Benn, but today was not an impressive one for him. Benn struggled with his footwork today, slipping on multiple occasions on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf.

He also struggled catching the ball, dropping a few passes during the gauntlet drill and while running routes. He looked particularly bad by having a hot, but accurate pass go right through his hands during the gauntlet and subsequently dropping another one by turning his hands the wrong way when attempting to catch a poorly thrown post-corner route. Benn did not look overly explosive, though his strong frame is sure to intrigue scouts.

Rang also was in the contingent observing the session of Notre Dame’s Golden Tate, during which Rang reported Tate “was the early star of the show, turning in a pair of lightning fast times in the 40-yard dash that The NFL Network unofficially listed at 4.36 and 4.37 seconds. He initially struggled in the catching session, dropping his first three passes in the gauntlet drill, but regained his form, snatching almost every catchable pass the rest of the session.”