After about a month of speculation from Michigan fans wondering if senior defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny would be returning to school or entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Benny officially put an end to all discussion on Friday afternoon.
"One more year. Let's run it," Benny's announcement graphic read. The senior defensive tackle will return for his fifth season in the Maize and Blue.
Benny, a four-star recruit from Oak Park, Michigan, was originally committed to in-state rival Michigan State before flipping his pledge to the Wolverines. He was the 98th-ranked player in the 2021 recruiting class and the ninth-ranked defensive tackle in the nation.
As a freshman in 2021, Benny redshirted, playing in games against Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Iowa.
In 2022, Benny played in 13 of the team's 14 games as a rotation piece on the interior defensive line. He made 13 tackles in his redshirt freshman season.
Benny had a bit of a breakout year in 2023, playing in 14 of Michigan's 15 games en route to the national championship. He made 27 tackles — 5.5 of which were for a loss — recorded one sack, two pass breakups and forced a fumble.
Against Penn State in Happy Valley in 2023, Benny forced Nittany Lions' quarterback Drew Allar to fumble, and Makari Paige scooped up the critical turnover.
This past season, still playing behind Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, Benny registered 29 tackles, two passes defended, and 1.5 sacks.
Heading into 2025, Benny will likely see an uptick in playing time with Graham and Grant in the NFL. Incoming transfers Tre Williams and Damon Payne will combine with Benny to make one of the more vaunted interior defensive lines in the Big Ten in 2025.
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @Jerry_Diorio
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and BlueSky
