Growing up in South Florida, Travis Benjamin earned a nickname built through his reputation for speed.

They called him the "Belle Glade Blur."

One of the fastest wide receivers and return specialists in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns free agent has piqued the Texans and several NFL teams' interest because of his combination of speed and explosiveness, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.

Benjamin's blend of playmaking skills and acceleration is precisely what the Texans' offense and special teams have been lacking. Benjamin could provide a deep threat to complement Pro-Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and inject their special teams with the ability to score or create shorter fields through better field position.

Benjamin, 26, lacks ideal size at 5-10, 175 pounds, but is supremely athletic with 4.36 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical leap.

The former Browns fourth-round draft pick from Miami has dealt with injuries in the past, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the 2013 season.

Benjamin has made a full recovery and was extremely productive last season despite a revolving door at quarterback between Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel.

He's coming off an excellent season where he missed no games and caught 68 passes for 966 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 14.2 yards per return.

He ranked third in the NFL with an 11.6 yards per punt return. He returned two punts for touchdowns, including a 78-yard return.

He returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown in 2013. Benjamin returned a punt franchise-record 93 yards for a touchdown as a rookie.

The Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers are other potential fits for Benjamin.

In high school, Benjamin also ran track and ran the 100 meters in 10.72 seconds and the 55 meters in 5.4 seconds.

He was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference sprinter for the Hurricanes with a 10.4 in the 100 meters

For his NFL career, Benjamin has caught 109 career passes for 1,683 yards and 10 touchdowns with 1,274 return yards and three scores.

aaron.wilson@chron.com

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