Rayshaun Benny DL Michigan | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Rayshaun Benny DL Michigan
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/21/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.1 DOB: 05/08/2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | |
| Last Updated: 05/21/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | |
| Age: 23.1 DOB: 05/08/2002 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 85.6 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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81% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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89% |
| Pass Rush: |
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73% |
| Run Defense: |
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89% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#66
Position rank:
#16
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| College Games: 40 College Snaps: 747 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
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247 RATING: 91/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kris Jenkins - Michigan |
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87% |
| Byron Young - Alabama |
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77% |
| Matthew Butler - Tennessee |
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76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Born and raised in Michigan, Rayshaun Benny arrived at the University of Michigan as a coveted four-star recruit out of Oak Park High School, where he dominated on both sides of the trenches. The in-state product showed remarkable resilience early in his career, bouncing back from knee surgery that sidelined him for five games as a high school senior to help Oak Park win four playoff games. His tenacity translated to the collegiate level, where he gradually worked his way up Michigan's loaded defensive tackle rotation behind future first-rounders Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant while contributing to two national championship teams.Benny's patience was tested throughout his college career as he consistently displayed flashes of brilliance in limited snaps. After spending three seasons primarily as a rotational piece, the Michigan native suffered a broken fibula in the 2024 Rose Bowl victory over Alabama, which hampered his development during the following season. Though he appeared in 11 games with just two starts in 2024, Benny's impact was felt particularly in the trenches against Fresno State (eight tackles, two TFLs, one sack) and in crucial Big Ten matchups. His gradual recovery saw him regain form mid-season, setting the stage for his fifth-year breakout.
The veteran defensive tackle enters the 2025 campaign as Michigan's most experienced interior defender with 42 career games under his belt. Showing steady progression, Benny has accumulated 72 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks over four seasons while developing into a stout run defender. With Graham and Grant now in the NFL as first-round selections, Benny finally has the opportunity to showcase his complete skill set as the unquestioned anchor of Michigan's defensive line, positioning himself to be the program's next defensive tackle drafted in the early rounds.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional anchor against double teams with powerful lower body strength and natural leverage that allows him to reset the line of scrimmage even when facing two blockers.
- Maintains gap integrity with disciplined hand placement and understanding of blocking schemes, rarely getting washed out of his assigned responsibility even on zone runs.
- Displays impressive lateral agility for his size, showing the ability to mirror ball carriers and consistently make tackles when running plays bounce to the perimeter.
- Devastating stack-and-shed technique where he controls offensive linemen before violently discarding them to make plays – showed this repeatedly against Washington and Ohio State.
- Consistently collapses the pocket with bull rush power, generating push that forces quarterbacks to abandon their platform and scramble into the waiting arms of edge defenders.
- Possesses violent hands that shock offensive linemen back on initial contact, creating immediate separation that allows him to dictate engagement terms rather than reacting.
- Shows relentless motor and pursuit attitude, chasing plays downfield with surprising speed for a 296-pounder – runs angry when the ball is within striking distance.
- Shows football I.Q. high with the way he recognizes screen plays and draws, rarely taking the bait and instead maintaining his responsibilities within the scheme.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited as a pass rusher beyond his bull rush, lacking the counters and hand-fighting finesse to consistently win when initial power move is stalled out at the line.
- Pad level rises on extended drives, causing him to lose leverage battles he should win and limiting his effectiveness when fatigue sets in during long possessions.
- Medical concerns linger after 2024 fibula break, with visible impact on his explosiveness off the snap through parts of the following season – must prove durability at next level.
- Occasionally over-commits to run fits, creating cutback lanes when he aggressively shoots gaps instead of maintaining position against misdirection plays and zone schemes.
- First-step quickness is merely adequate rather than exceptional, limiting his ability to consistently penetrate the backfield against NFL-caliber interior linemen.
Scouting Report: Summary
The tape shows a defensive tackle whose game is built on power and leverage rather than flash and finesse. Benny dominates as a run defender, displaying consistent ability to maintain gap discipline and anchor against double teams – skills that translate immediately to Sundays. However, his one-dimensional pass rush approach will limit his ceiling unless he develops secondary moves beyond the bull rush during his fifth year at Michigan.Benny's instincts when diagnosing plays make him valuable in the modern NFL where offenses constantly employ misdirection, but his average first-step quickness will prevent him from being a consistent backfield disruptor against elite interior offensive linemen. The medical evaluation of his previously broken fibula remains a significant consideration, though his return to form late last season suggests resilience. Teams will need to determine if his limited statistical production was more a product of Michigan's deep rotation or a reflection of his ultimate ceiling.
What makes Benny intriguing is the untapped potential still lurking beneath the surface. Five years in a championship-caliber program has refined his technique without maxing out his development curve. His blend of power, technical savvy, and experience positions him as a potential day-one contributor with room to grow into something more if he can translate his run-stuffing prowess into more consistent pocket collapse.
How other scouting services rate Rayshaun Benny (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
105.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
22.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.