Imposing University of Illinois wide receiver Arrelious Benn ran even faster than the 4.48 he clocked at the NFL scouting combine.

Benn ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 and 4.39 seconds today during his Pro Day workout on the Illinois campus.

"I was definitely pleased with what I did," Benn told National Football Post in a telephone interview. "I got a lot of positive feedback from the teams. I'm happy about it."

The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder said his pass patterns were much more fluid than his work at the combine where he slipped on some patterns during drills and had some dropped passes.

"I slipped on a speed out route at the combine," Benn said. "Where I'm from, it's a step route and it's hard to run around a cone. Today, I did what I normally do. Everything was more crisp, not that the combine was bad. 

"At the combine, I was dealing with a lot of things and I kind of get sidetracked the last day. You've got to press through it. I'm always going to represent well."

Benn bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times at the combine, the best at his position, and posted a 37-inch vertical leap. He stood on those numbers Wednesday.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis, the Illinois football alum who attended the same Washington, D.C, high school as Benn, attended the workout.

Davis and his brother, San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, provide motivation to Benn.

"Those guys do help me a lot because we all compete agaisnt each other," Benn said. "In the offseason, we're always trying to do something better than the next guy."

Benn has been scheduled for visits with the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, among other trips.

Benn said he's keeping the draft process in perspective and isn't focusing on speculation about where he'll be picked. He has been projected as a first-round draft pick by several analysts.

"I try not to get too happy or sad about anything," Benn said. "I just relax and do what I do. The mock drafts are for entertainment.

Benn said he's about 20 units shy of graduating from Illinois and intends to finish his bachelor's degree requirements as soon as possible.

"I'm definitely going back later," he said. "That's very important to me. I promised my mother that I would finish school."

Benn has been training with New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie out in California.

"That helps me a lot," Benn said. "I try to soak up whatever I can learn and be a sponge."

Because of his superior size, Benn hopes to bully smaller defensive backs.

"With my size, I always feel like I have the advantage," he said.

Benn caught 159 career passes for 2,221 yards and seven touchdowns at Illinois, but his production dipped to 38 receptions for 490 yards last season mostly because of shaky quarterback play and a high-ankle sprain.

As a sophomore, he caught 67 passes for 1,059 yards and was named first-team All-Big Ten Conference.

Benn said he patterns his game after several NFL star wide receivers, including Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Hines Ward and Anquan Boldin.

"You want to always have that physicality," Benn said. "You want that defensive mentality on offense. Those guys are for real. You can take something away from watching them."

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