After Illinois: Picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft (39th overall).
2009: Named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten ... Ranks fifth in the Big Ten in kickoff return average with 26.5 yards per return ... Led team with two receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown in the season finale vs. Fresno State ... Had three catches for 59 yards at No. 5 Cincinnati ... Led team with four receptions for 31 yards against Northwestern ... Had three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown in win over Minnesota ... Had one catch for 11 yards before leaving the game with an ankle injury ...Totaled three catches for 16 yards at Purdue ... Had season-best day with nine catches for 95 yards against Indiana ... Caught three passes for 38 yards vs. Michigan State ... Posted a season-best five catches for 96 yards, including a long of 49 yards against Penn State ... Hauled in four receptions for 33 yards against Ohio State ... Missed most of the season opener with an ankle injury. Played in the first series only.
2008: Named fourth-team All-America by Phil Steele Magazine ... Earned first-team All-
Big Ten honors by the media and second-team honors by the coaches ... Started and played
in all 12 games at receiver ... Posted 1,668 all-purpose yards, which is the third best
single-season performance in school history ... Had 67 receptions, fifth-best season in the
Illinois record book ... Had five 100-yard receiving games, which is fifth in an Illinois single
season ... Ranked 16th in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game
(87.9) ... Also ranked third in the Big Ten in receptions per game (5.58) ... Ranked fifth
in the Big Ten and 33rd in the nation with 139.0 all-purpose yards per contest ... Reached
1,000 yards for the first time in his career and the first for an Illini since 2002 ... One of
only four Illini receivers to ever reach 1,000 yards receiving in a season ... Ranked seventh
in the Big Ten in punt return average with 7.6 yards per return ... Tallied over 100 receiving
yards in four consecutive games for the first time in school history (vs. Ind, Minn., Mich.,
PSU) ... Caught three passes for 65 yards against Ohio State to total 1,012 yards on the
season ... Had 227 all-purpose yards against Western Michigan, with seven catches for
111 yards, two rushes for 10 yards, three kick returns for 75 yards and a punt return for 31
yards ... Had seven catches for 96 yards against Iowa, also rushing twice for 15 yards and
returning two punts ... Had two catches for 47 yards and a 63-yard kickoff return at
Wisconsin ... Caught seven passes for 130 yards against Indiana, including a 37-yard TD
reception ... Had a career receiving game against Minnesota, catching 12 passes for 181
yards, both career bests ... His 12 catches ranked as the third-best in school history in a
single game and his 181 yards are fifth-best ... Caught six passes for 122 yards to lead
the Illini at Michigan and also rushed for 20 yards ... Had four receptions for 110 yards and
two touchdowns at Penn State ... Had 14 touches against Eastern Illinois for 124 allpurpose
yards (seven receptions, five rushes and two returns) ... Scored the first two
rushing touchdowns of his career against the Panthers, running for a career-high 48 yards
... Caught seven passes for 92 yards against Missouri ... Also returned four kickoffs for
67 yards with a long of 28 against Missouri.
2007: Named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the coaches and media ... Also earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors from The Sporting News ... Garnered second-team Freshman All-America honors by The Sporting News, Scout.com and Rivals.com ... Earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from Rivals.com ... Broke the Illini record for receiving yards by a freshman against Ball State (formerly Brandon Lloyd, 511, 1999) ... Broke the UI freshman receptions record (Ty Douthard, 43, 1993) with four catches at Minnesota ... Tied for 15th in receptions per game and 16th in receiving yards per game in the Big Ten ... Ranked 15th in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards ... Had a career-high five catches for 80 yards in the Rose Bowl vs. USC ... Also tied his season-long catch with a 56-yard touchdown from Eddie McGee vs. USC ... Caught two passes for 16 yards and rushed three times for 23 yards against Northwestern ... Caught one pass for seven yards and returned one kickoff for 25 yards at No. 1 Ohio State ... Caught four passes for 17 yards, ran four times for 13 yards and had one kickoff return for 26 yards at Minnesota ... Caught four passes for a career-high 97 yards, rushed twice for 13 yards and had three kickoff returns for 51 yards against Ball State ... Had five catches for 35 yards against No. 25 Michigan ... Grabbed four passes for a career-high 87 yards and rushed twice for 13 yards at Iowa ... Caught five passes for 51 yards, rushed twice for five yards and had two kickoff returns for 43 yards against No. 5 Wisconsin ... Named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week with his breakout game against No. 21 Penn State, taking his first career kickoff return for a 90-yard touchdown, catching a career-best six passes for 84 yards and his first career receiving TD, and rushing twice for five yards ... Earned a "Helmet Sticker" award from the ESPN College GameDay crew for his performance against Penn State and was one of four nominees for the AT&T All-America National Player of the Week Award ... Tied a career high with five catches for 50 yards and rushed four times for 22 yards at Indiana ... Caught four passes for 26 yards and ran four times for 28 yards at Syracuse ... Caught four passes for 52 yards and had three rushes for 38 yards against Western Illinois ... Started his first game as an Illini against Missouri, catching five passes for 74 yards.
High School: 2006 USA Today first-team All-American ... Parade All-American ... 2006 DC Gatorade Player of the Year ... Named the Walter Payton Award winner by EA Sports for most-dedicated high school athlete ... 2006 East U.S. Army All-American ... SuperPrep All-American ... Earned first-team All-Met honors by The Washington Post in both 2005 and 2006 ... Named the SuperPrep MidAtlantic Offensive Player of the Year ... Rated the 17th-best player in the country by Rivals.com ... Also ranked No. 17 by ESPN.com ... Five-star player by Rivals.com ... Ranked as the No. 2 receiver in the country and second-best DC-area player by Rivals.com ... A five-star recruit, ranking as No. 2 wide receiver nationally by Scout.com ... Ranked 19th on PrepStar's 100 Team ... SuperPrep Elite 50 ... Caught 56 passes for 1,039 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior ... Also averaged nine yards a carry, rushing for three touchdowns ... Led team to four straight Turkey Bowls ... Was the first player in Dunbar High School history to crack 1,000 yards receiving ... As a junior, caught 50 passes for 1,147 yards and 17 touchdowns ... Averaged 23.1 yards per catch in 2005.
Personal: Born Sept. 8, 1988 ... Son of Denise Benn... Full given name is Arrelious Markus Benn ... Enrolled in general studies ... Chose Illinois over Florida State, Notre Dame and Maryland.
Career Highs: Receptions: 12 vs. Minnesota, 10/11/08 Receiving Yards: 181 vs. Minnesota, 10/11/08 Long Reception: 58 vs. Fresno State, 12/5/09 Rushes: 5, twice (last time vs. Eastern Illinois, 9/6/08) Rushing Yards: 48 vs. Eastern Illinois, 9/6/08 Long Rush: 23 at Syracuse, 9/15/07 KO Returns: 4 vs. Missouri, 8/30/08 and at Ohio State, 9/26/09 KO Return Yards: 90, twice (last time at Wisconsin, 10/25/08) Long KO Return: 90 vs. Penn State, 9/29/07
Benn's Statistics:
Season Totals
Rushing
Receiving
Passing
Kick Ret
Punt Ret
all
Year
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
c-a-i
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
purp
2007
32
158
0
23
54
676
2
56
0-0-0
0
0
0
10
280
1
90
0
0
0
0
1,114
2008
23
101
2
17
67
1,055
3
54
0-0-0
0
0
0
20
398
0
63
15
114
0
31
1,668
2009
7
23
1
8
38
490
2
58
0-0-0
0
0
0
12
318
0
40
0
0
0
0
831
TOTALS
62
282
3
23
159
2,221
7
58
0-0-0
0
0
0
42
996
1
90
15
114
0
31
3,613
Season Totals
Tackles
Sacks
Fumble
Int
pass
blkd
PAT
PAT
Year
solo
ast
total
tfl
yds
no.
yds
ff
fr
yds
no.
yds
qbh
brup
kick
kicks
rush
rcv
saf
pts
2007
4
0
4
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
18
2008
3
0
3
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
30
2009
1
0
1
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
18
TOTALS
8
0
8
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
66
2009
Rushing
Receiving
Passing
Kick Ret
Punt Ret
all
Date
Opponent
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
c-a-i
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
purp
Sept. 5, 2009
vs. Missouri
0
0
0
0
1
9
0
9
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
23
0
23
0
0
0
0
32
Sept. 12, 2009
ILLINOIS STATE
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Sept. 26, 2009
at Ohio State
1
8
0
8
4
33
0
16
0-0-0
0
0
0
4
89
0
25
0
0
0
0
130
Oct. 3, 2009
PENN STATE
1
2
0
2
5
96
0
49
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
33
0
33
0
0
0
0
131
Oct. 10, 2009
MICHIGAN STATE
0
0
0
0
3
38
0
20
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
27
0
27
0
0
0
0
65
Oct. 17, 2009
at Indiana
0
0
0
0
9
95
0
31
0-0-0
0
0
0
2
45
0
26
0
0
0
0
140
Oct. 24, 2009
at Purdue
1
3
0
3
3
16
0
6
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
37
0
37
0
0
0
0
56
Oct. 31, 2009
MICHIGAN
1
3
1
3
1
11
0
11
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
14
Nov. 7, 2009
at Minnesota
1
0
0
0
3
41
1
31
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
41
Nov. 14, 2009
NORTHWESTERN
0
0
0
0
4
31
0
17
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
40
0
40
0
0
0
0
71
Nov. 27, 2009
at Cincinnati
1
5
0
5
3
59
0
43
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
64
Dec. 5, 2009
FRESNO STATE
1
2
0
2
2
61
1
58
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
24
0
24
0
0
0
0
87
Games played: 12
Avg. per rush: 3.3
Avg. per catch: 12.9
Kick ret avg: 26.5
All purpose avg/game: 69.2
Total offense avg./gm.: 1.9
2009
Tackles
Sacks
Fumble
Int
pass
blkd
PAT
PAT
Date
Opponent
solo
ast
total
tfl
yds
no.
yds
ff
fr
yds
no.
yds
qbh
brup
kick
kicks
rush
rcv
saf
pts
Sept. 5, 2009
vs. Missouri
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Sept. 12, 2009
ILLINOIS STATE
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Sept. 26, 2009
at Ohio State
1
0
1
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct. 3, 2009
PENN STATE
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct. 10, 2009
MICHIGAN STATE
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct. 17, 2009
at Indiana
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct. 24, 2009
at Purdue
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct. 31, 2009
MICHIGAN
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
6
Nov. 7, 2009
at Minnesota
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
6
Nov. 14, 2009
NORTHWESTERN
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Nov. 27, 2009
at Cincinnati
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Dec. 5, 2009
FRESNO STATE
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
6
2008
Rushing
Receiving
Passing
Kick Ret
Punt Ret
all
Date
Opponent
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
c-a-i
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
purp
Aug 30, 2008
vs. Missouri
1
-5
0
-5
7
92
0
30
0-0-0
0
0
0
4
67
0
28
0
0
0
0
154
Sep 06, 2008
EASTERN ILLINOIS
5
48
2
17
7
36
0
18
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
18
0
18
1
22
0
22
124
Sep 13, 2008
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
3
10
0
11
1
22
0
22
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
6
0
6
1
5
0
5
43
Sep 27, 2008
at Penn State
2
0
0
1
4
110
2
54
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
24
0
24
0
0
0
0
134
Oct 4, 2008
at Michigan
3
20
0
13
6
122
0
46
0-0-0
0
0
0
2
40
0
21
1
6
0
6
188
Oct 11, 2008
MINNESOTA
0
0
0
0
12
181
0
31
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
2
0
2
2
16
0
9
199
Oct. 18, 2008
INDIANA
2
-6
0
-6
7
130
1
37
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
23
0
23
0
0
0
0
147
Oct 25, 2008
at Wisconsin
1
1
0
1
2
47
0
37
0-0-0
0
0
0
2
90
0
63
3
16
0
12
154
Nov 1, 2008
IOWA
2
15
0
9
7
96
0
24
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
15
0
13
126
Nov 8, 2008
vs. Western Michigan
2
10
0
7
7
111
0
37
0-0-0
0
0
0
3
75
0
27
1
31
0
31
227
Nov 15, 2008
OHIO STATE
0
0
0
0
3
65
0
30
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
17
0
017
1
0
0
2
82
Nov 22, 2008
at Northwestern
2
8
0
7
4
43
0
16
0-0-0
0
0
0
3
36
0
16
2
3
0
6
90
Games played: 12
Avg. per rush: 4.4
Avg per catch: 15.7
Kick ret avg: 19.9
Punt ret avg: 7.6
All purpose avg/game: 139.0
Total offense avg/gm: 8.4
2008
Tackles
Sacks
Fumble
Int
pass
blkd
PAT
PAT
Date
Opponent
solo
ast
total
tfl
yds
no.
yds
ff
fr
yds
no.
yds
qbh
brup
kick
kicks
rush
rcv
saf
pts
Aug 30, 2008
vs. Missouri
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Sep 06, 2008
EASTERN ILLINOIS
2
0
2
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
12
Sep 13, 2008
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
1
0
1
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Sep 27, 2008
at Penn State
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
12
Oct 4, 2008
at Michigan
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct 11, 2008
MINNESOTA
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Oct 18, 2008
INDIANA
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
6
Oct 25, 2008
at Wisconsin
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Nov 1, 2008
IOWA
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Nov 08, 2008
vs. Western Michigan
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Nov 15, 2008
OHIO STATE
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
Nov 22, 2008
at Northwestern
0
0
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0-0
0
0
0
0
2007
Rushing
Receiving
Passing
Kick Ret
Punt Ret
all
Date
Opponent
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
c-a-i
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
no.
yds
td
lg
purp
Sep 01, 2007
vs Missouri
3
-6
0
13
5
74
0
25
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
68
Sep 08, 2007
WESTERN ILLINOIS
3
38
0
18
4
52
0
28
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
90
Sep 15, 2007
at Syracuse
4
28
0
23
4
26
0
18
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
54
Sep 22, 2007
at Indiana
4
22
0
15
5
50
0
18
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
72
Sep 29, 2007
PENN STATE
5
9
0
5
6
84
1
29
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
90
1
90
0
0
0
0
183
Oct 06, 2007
WISCONSIN
2
5
0
7
5
51
0
26
0-0-0
0
0
0
2
43
0
24
0
0
0
0
99
Oct. 13, 2007
at Iowa
2
13
0
11
4
87
0
33
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
Oct 20, 2007
MICHIGAN
0
0
0
0
5
35
0
20
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
35
Oct 27, 2007
BALL STATE
2
13
0
11
4
97
0
56
0-0-0
0
0
0
3
51
0
23
0
0
0
0
161
Nov 03, 2007
at Minnesota
4
13
0
7
4
17
0
11
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
26
0
26
0
0
0
0
56
Nov 10, 2007
at Ohio State
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
7
0-0-0
0
0
0
1
25
0
25
0
0
0
0
32
Nov 17, 2007
NORTHWESTERN
3
23
0
13
2
16
0
11
0-0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
39
Jan 1, 2008
vs. USC
0
0
0
0
5
80
1
56
0-0-0
0
0
0
2
45
0
23
0
0
0
0
125
Totals
32
158
0
23
54
676
2
56
0-0-0
0
0
0
10
280
1
90
0
0
0
0
1114
Games played: 12
Avg per rush: 4.9
Avg per catch: 12.2
Kick ret avg: 29.4
All purpose avg/game: 82.4
Total offense avg/gm: 13.2
