| NFL Teams: | Cleveland Rams (1938-40, 42, 44-45), Chicago Bears (1943), LA Rams (1946-47) |
| Important Notes: | Drafted in the first round by Cleveland in 1938...the Rams were a weak expansion team in only their second NFL season when Benton joined them, but he nevertheless led the league in average yards gained per reception as a rookie and in touchdown receptions as a sophomore...was All-NFL in 1945 & 1946...won NFL championships with Chicago (1943) and Cleveland (1945)...when he retired after the 1947 season, his 288 career catches were the second highest total ever achieved in the NFL up to that point...in 1953, Benton coached Arkansas A & M (now Ark.-Monticello) to the AIC championship...was a member of the NFL All-decade team for the 1940's...passed away on March 28, 2001 of cancer. |
| Important Stats: | Had 303 receiving yards in one game against Detroit on November 22, 1945 when he was with Cleveland. That still ranks among the top five single game totals in NFL history. It also was the first time anyone had broken the 300 yard mark in NFL history...in 1945 he had 45 receptions for a league leading 1,067 yards...in 1946, when the team moved to Los Angeles, he led the league in both receptions (63) and yardage (981)...had 4,801 yards and 45 touchdowns in his nine year career. |
| Arkansas Notes: | At the University of Arkansas (1935-37), he caught 83 passes for 1,303 yards, leading the nation in 1937 with 47 receptions...3 year letterman (35, 36, 37)...earned All-America selection as a senior in 1937...played in the East-West Shrine Game in 1938...elected to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1960...elected to the U of A Letterman's Association Hall of Honor in 1989... listed as the 39th best athlete from Arkansas on SI's Top 50 Arkansans list in 1999...on the Arkansas All-Decade Team on the 30's. |
| Links: | Razorback Football History. |
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