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Chicago Bears select Cedric Benson at #4 in 2005 NFL Draft
By Christopher Lyke
Texas HS Football Chief Editor
NEW YORK - The Chicago Bears have selected former Midland Lee running back Cedric Benson as the fourth pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Benson now joins an elite list of players who haveen selected as the fourth overall pick by the Bears, three of which are now the NFL Hall of Fame. Gale Sayers, Dan Hampton and Walter Payton.
The 2004 Doak Walker award winner will be playing under the shadow of Thomas Jones until his experience can take hold. He also joins Muhsin Muhammad in an offense that is gelling to be a potentially dangerous asset for Bears opponents.
Benson scored a touchdown in an NCAA-record 37 career games and the Longhorns were 25-0 when he rushed for at least 100 yards. He's a workhorse back who wears down defenses, but some NFL scouts are concerned with the pounding Benson took at Texas, where he had 1,112 carries in four seasons including a career-high 326 in 2004.
Benson has been compared to Ricky Williams primarily because he followed the former Longhorns star to Texas and even wore dreadlocks like the free-spirited running back.
But Benson recently cut off his dreadlocks in an attempt to seemingly
distance himself from Williams, who stunned the Miami Dolphins last
year by retiring before the start of training camp.
Benson was a 12th round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001 and contnued playing summer ball until 2004 when he quit the team.
For more information on Cedric Benson, check out his profile page in our special NFL Draft section or click here.
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