Kelvin Benjamin Still Looks Boom or Bust

The Carolina Panthers drafted Kelvin Benjamin hoping he would take over from Steve Smith as the team’s feature receiver. So far this season, he’s had over eight targets in each of his five games and leads the team in receiving yards. But could he still end up being a bust in the NFL?

According to The Charlotte Observer, the NFL announced that Kelvin Benjamin was the league’s offensive rookie of the month for September.

But does his early success mean Benjamin was a steal when he was selected 28th overall in the 2014 NFL draft?

From film studies, its clear Benjamin is capable of some impressive plays, but when you put his entire body of work together, several limitations are also presented. In all, I’d say the 6’5”, 235-pound rookie wideout is a one-dimensional weapon who landed in the right place to maximize his early production.

Don’t get me wrong, Benjamin is certainly valuable and has done a nice job in his first five games as a pro. But his skillset as a wide receiver is still limited.

What He Does and Doesn’t Do Well

Kelvin Benjamin does a nice job using his big body to box out defenders from the ball just like a power forward getting a rebound. The Panthers understand this and maximize this ability nicely.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

When you watch the tape, you can see the rookie lacks the ability to run by NFL corners with blazing speed. He also struggles to create separation with quickness or savvy route running. This means he needs to be good at shielding his opponent from the ball—something he consistently does.

This is one of the primary ways that veteran 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin wins. However, Boldin is significantly more advanced as a route-runner and has much better hand-eye coordination and body control. Boldin also shows impressive special awareness that allows him to make those beautiful sideline catches.

With Benjamin, you just get the big body and a lot of raw, unrefined habits that may never change.

He frequently uses his body to catch balls and still seems uncomfortable catching with his hands. When forced to do so, there’s an equal chance it could result in a highlight grab or another drop. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has Benjamin tied for fourth worst in the league with his four drops.

From watching film, I counted him dropping five passes in the first four games, although a few of those were highly contested by the defender.  

These were all known issues when Benjamin was coming out of Florida State, fresh off of a National Championship.  

Rob Carr/Getty Images

I’m sure many of you have already seen some of Benjamin’s impressive highlight catches by now. Those are plays that should not be taken for granted or go unnoticed; they are the plays that demonstrate Benjamin is a confident athlete who doesn’t shrink on the big stage.

Many rookies never pass this phase when making the transition to the NFL. Once you start playing football as a profession, it’s hard not to be humbled by the competition and gravity of the opportunity before you.

Most rookies need a year or two to build their confidence—many never end up finding it. With Benjamin, that part of his game is already there.

Another aspect to Benjamin’s game that you shouldn’t expect to see any time soon is him doing much with the ball in his hands.

This is not the player who can catch a quick slant route and make a bunch of guys miss. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), 71 players have more yards after than catch than the rookie, and nobody has more catches than Benjamin with fewer yards after the catch than his 43 on the season.

His 1.8 yards after the catch average is ranked 100th out of 106 possible receivers. It’s safe to say this Kelvin Benjamin can be considered a possession receiver.  

So maybe he can’t break tackles, but a guy that big should at least be a great asset as a blocker, right?

Though he is decent as a blocker so far, I’d say his blocking ability is disappointing for a guy with the body of a tight end trying to block tiny cornerbacks. He never takes advantage of his size beyond briefly walling off defenders.  

Benjamin acknowledges he has a lot to work on. After posting his worst game of the year against the Bears, during which he made three catches on 11 targets for 38 yards and a costly fumble, he had this to say, via the Panthers’ official website:

“I have to work on my game, I feel like, I have to get better. The biggest thing right now is moving on from this game and going to the next one.”

This particular game against the Bears was highly anticipated, considering it featured two of the best rookies in the game going head-to-head. The Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller is a guy, like Benjamin, who is making some impressive plays early on.

Since stepping into the starting role for Charles Tillman, Fuller has been one of the most impressive cornerbacks in the NFL. On Sunday, Fuller had the edge over his rookie counterpart.

Player	Catches	Yds	Avg	TDs
Kelvin Benjamin	24	367	15.3	3
Sammy Watkins	24	284	11.8	2
Allen Hurns	16	280	17.5	3
Brandin Cooks	32	255	8.0	1
Allen Robinson	22	243	11.0	0

By the Numbers

Benjamin has 24 receptions for 367 yards, 15.3 yards per catch and three TDs through his first five games. Only 12 receivers in the league have more receiving yards than he does and none of them are rookies. He is also tied with Jacksonville’s Allen Hurns and Arizona’s John Brown with the most TD receptions for a rookie.

He is the only player in the NFL to boast three touchdowns for 25 yards or more. But drops continue to plague him, just as they did in college.

However, that should not overshadow the success this kid has had so far this season.

For context, I’d say nearly one third of Benjamin’s stats this season came during garbage time in losses to the Steelers and the Ravens. Grading every play of every player in every game, Pro Football Focus ranked the rookie 96th out of 106 possible receivers.

What to Make of It All

Aside from his exceptional size that allows for mismatches, Benjamin possesses marginal skills all around at the receiver position—factors that had many analysts concerned before the draft.

Benjamin is currently thriving on an offense equipped with capable quarterback play and an overt lack of reliable weapons. This helps Benjamin maximize his production and overshadow his flaws and inconsistent play; no matter how many times he fumbles or drops the football, the Panthers have no choice but to keep feeding him the ball at a high rate.

Though he likely won’t turn out to be a bust, the weaknesses in his game are sure to show up over time and become a larger part of his overall perception.

Benjamin still has value as a quality weapon in this league and should be able to improve some things about his game. But for those of you expecting him to be the next Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant or Julio Jones, think again.   

Ryan Riddle is a former NFL player and currently writes for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter