Cousin of Cedric Benson Could Join Cedar Hill Pipeline
It started when DT Jarvis Humphrey signed with Texas in 2008. He was quickly followed by a commitment from OT Thomas Ashcraft for 2009 and with several 2010 players from Cedar Hill strongly interested in Texas, a pipeline is forming.
One of those players is LB Aaron Benson, cousin of former Longhorn running back Cedric Benson. Inside Texas traveled to Cedar Hill and sat down with Benson and his head coach, Joey McGuire.
Joey McGuire has not at all suffered from a lack of talent during his tenure as the head football coach at Cedar Hill. Having sent numerous athletes to Division I schools across the country, McGuire has seen some very talented players come through his program, which won a Class 5A, Division II state title in 2006. So when McGuire offers high praise for his latest blue chip recruit, 2010 linebacker Aaron Benson, he truly means what he says. “There are very few people in the nation that once he sees the football can get to the football as fast as he does,” said McGuire. “He reads good and is going to read great as a senior, but the thing he does as good as anyone I’ve ever coached and anyone I’m watching right now is when he sees (the ball) he gets there so fast.” The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Benson, the No. 2 linebacker and No. 11 overall prospect on the Inside Texas 2010 Top 100, is one of the state’s best linebackers in a year in which the talent level at the position is as good as any that the state has seen this decade (also see: 2010 State Rankings: Linebackers). Benson, who says that his personal best time in the 40-yard dash is a 4.5, got further praise from his head coach for his speed when McGuire told a story from this past season that illustrated not only Benson’s wheels, but also his effort and intensity on the field. “We were playing Irving High and a kid broke off a 60-yard run away from him,” said McGuire. “We’ve got two safeties that I think are Division I safeties that were in full stride and Aaron ran by both of them like they were standing still to make the tackle. He was six yards behind and away from the safeties.” Benson enjoyed a terrific junior season for McGuire’s Cedar Hill Longhorns finishing the year with 132 total tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. With a combination of size, speed and range, McGuire said that he and the Cedar Hill coaching staff were able to use Benson to torment opposing offenses. “What we did this year is we put him on the wide side of the field where he could cover the most ground,” said McGuire. “We looked at where people were running the football and tried to put him there. There were a lot of times that people just ran away from him.” Benson has the look, makeup and tools to be able to play inside or outside linebacker in college, but McGuire feels that Benson’s skill set fits the profile of a college outside linebacker. “I like him at outside linebacker,” said McGuire. “He’s so long and he’s fast that I think he helps you in the pass more there.” Benson does not brag or boast about his numbers, or about his status as one of the state’s top prospects, and remains modest about his improvement on the field as a junior. “I finished out better than last year,” said Benson. “I had around 94 tackles (as a sophomore) and this year I had over 100. So I feel like I did better.” With his production and effort Benson was a key cog for the Longhorns, who finished the season with a 12-2 record and an undefeated run through district play. The Longhorns fell just two wins shy of their second state title in three years courtesy of a loss to eventual state finalist Wylie in the quarterfinals, a loss that still bothers Benson. “There’s not too much to say about the Wylie game,” said Benson. “We just didn’t go out there with our minds focused to win the game.” McGuire is expecting his 2009 team to be one of his best that he has ever had at Cedar Hill. Despite the loss of Texas commit Thomas Ashcraft, the Longhorns return a boatload of talent for next season including Benson, senior running back Ben Malena, senior offensive lineman Adam Shead and junior quarterback Driphus Jackson. McGuire is expecting a lot from Benson, who will be the captain of the defense next season. McGuire says that despite being a normal teenager that enjoys hanging out with friends in his spare time, Benson’s serious nature makes him a player that the Cedar Hill coaches can lean on for leadership. “He doesn’t play around a lot,” said McGuire. “In the weight room he’s pretty serious and he’s pretty serious on the football field. He not one of those kids that’s goofy or anything, he’s a pretty serious kid.” There is a closeness between Benson and McGuire, a relationship formed between player and coach when Benson was in grade school. “He’s like my son, I’d characterize it like that, or maybe my little brother,” said McGuire. “We’ve known each other since he was in the fourth grade so we’ve got a great relationship.” Whoever lands Benson is going to get a player that could be a team leader in every sense of the word by the time his career is over. “Whenever he gets to the next level it’s going to be interesting because he’s always been the leader,” said McGuire. “There are two or three guys in this class that have a strong personality and are good leaders. It’s hard sometimes for a freshman to come in and kind of find their way on the team where they are going to fit. But he’ll do a good job.” Inside Texas subscribers: Go further into the recruitment of Aaron Benson. Will Benson be at Texas' upcoming Junior Day? Does he have any other visits scheduled? What are his thoughts on the Horns? Members Only: Will Aaron Benson Continue the Pipeline? Plus, Aaron Benson is a great football player, but more goes into getting a Texas offer than just performance on the field? Are there any major hurdles he needs to cross? Members Only: Anything In Between Benson and an Offer From Texas? Subscribe to Inside Texas Cedar Hill LB Aaron Benson
Joey McGuire has not at all suffered from a lack of talent during his tenure as the head football coach at Cedar Hill. Having sent numerous athletes to Division I schools across the country, McGuire has seen some very talented players come through his program, which won a Class 5A, Division II state title in 2006. So when McGuire offers high praise for his latest blue chip recruit, 2010 linebacker Aaron Benson, he truly means what he says. “There are very few people in the nation that once he sees the football can get to the football as fast as he does,” said McGuire. “He reads good and is going to read great as a senior, but the thing he does as good as anyone I’ve ever coached and anyone I’m watching right now is when he sees (the ball) he gets there so fast.” The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Benson, the No. 2 linebacker and No. 11 overall prospect on the Inside Texas 2010 Top 100, is one of the state’s best linebackers in a year in which the talent level at the position is as good as any that the state has seen this decade (also see: 2010 State Rankings: Linebackers). Benson, who says that his personal best time in the 40-yard dash is a 4.5, got further praise from his head coach for his speed when McGuire told a story from this past season that illustrated not only Benson’s wheels, but also his effort and intensity on the field. “We were playing Irving High and a kid broke off a 60-yard run away from him,” said McGuire. “We’ve got two safeties that I think are Division I safeties that were in full stride and Aaron ran by both of them like they were standing still to make the tackle. He was six yards behind and away from the safeties.” Benson enjoyed a terrific junior season for McGuire’s Cedar Hill Longhorns finishing the year with 132 total tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. With a combination of size, speed and range, McGuire said that he and the Cedar Hill coaching staff were able to use Benson to torment opposing offenses. “What we did this year is we put him on the wide side of the field where he could cover the most ground,” said McGuire. “We looked at where people were running the football and tried to put him there. There were a lot of times that people just ran away from him.” Benson has the look, makeup and tools to be able to play inside or outside linebacker in college, but McGuire feels that Benson’s skill set fits the profile of a college outside linebacker. “I like him at outside linebacker,” said McGuire. “He’s so long and he’s fast that I think he helps you in the pass more there.” Benson does not brag or boast about his numbers, or about his status as one of the state’s top prospects, and remains modest about his improvement on the field as a junior. “I finished out better than last year,” said Benson. “I had around 94 tackles (as a sophomore) and this year I had over 100. So I feel like I did better.” With his production and effort Benson was a key cog for the Longhorns, who finished the season with a 12-2 record and an undefeated run through district play. The Longhorns fell just two wins shy of their second state title in three years courtesy of a loss to eventual state finalist Wylie in the quarterfinals, a loss that still bothers Benson. “There’s not too much to say about the Wylie game,” said Benson. “We just didn’t go out there with our minds focused to win the game.” McGuire is expecting his 2009 team to be one of his best that he has ever had at Cedar Hill. Despite the loss of Texas commit Thomas Ashcraft, the Longhorns return a boatload of talent for next season including Benson, senior running back Ben Malena, senior offensive lineman Adam Shead and junior quarterback Driphus Jackson. McGuire is expecting a lot from Benson, who will be the captain of the defense next season. McGuire says that despite being a normal teenager that enjoys hanging out with friends in his spare time, Benson’s serious nature makes him a player that the Cedar Hill coaches can lean on for leadership. “He doesn’t play around a lot,” said McGuire. “In the weight room he’s pretty serious and he’s pretty serious on the football field. He not one of those kids that’s goofy or anything, he’s a pretty serious kid.” There is a closeness between Benson and McGuire, a relationship formed between player and coach when Benson was in grade school. “He’s like my son, I’d characterize it like that, or maybe my little brother,” said McGuire. “We’ve known each other since he was in the fourth grade so we’ve got a great relationship.” Whoever lands Benson is going to get a player that could be a team leader in every sense of the word by the time his career is over. “Whenever he gets to the next level it’s going to be interesting because he’s always been the leader,” said McGuire. “There are two or three guys in this class that have a strong personality and are good leaders. It’s hard sometimes for a freshman to come in and kind of find their way on the team where they are going to fit. But he’ll do a good job.” Inside Texas subscribers: Go further into the recruitment of Aaron Benson. Will Benson be at Texas' upcoming Junior Day? Does he have any other visits scheduled? What are his thoughts on the Horns? Members Only: Will Aaron Benson Continue the Pipeline? Plus, Aaron Benson is a great football player, but more goes into getting a Texas offer than just performance on the field? Are there any major hurdles he needs to cross? Members Only: Anything In Between Benson and an Offer From Texas? Subscribe to Inside Texas Cedar Hill LB Aaron Benson
