Michigan's Rayshaun Benny, overlooked DT, ready to dominate 2025 defense
Many have perhaps underestimated the impending 2025 Michigan football defense due to having lost players such as defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, as well as edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, and cornerback Will Johnson to the NFL. But there's another potential star on defense that isn't getting talked about -- at least not by most.
Yet, there are high expectations for fifth-year defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny entering the 2025 season.
Benny is expected to lead the seemingly deep group, but he isn't getting the national attention that his predecessors had. Yet, he's considered to be the best returning Big Ten defensive tackle, according to PFF.
ESPN put together its list of the best college players at their positions in order to preview the 2026 NFL draft, and the only Wolverine who made the list was Rod Moore. Yet, the worldwide leader even acknowledged it didn't really know what to do with Benny.
Player outside of the top five to watch: Rayshaun Benny, Michigan. Another year, another Wolverines defensive lineman to watch. The 6-4, 296-pound Benny will be tasked with replacing first-rounder Mason Graham. The fifth-year senior had only 1.5 sacks last season as a rotational player but has breakout potential. He ended the season playing his best ball, sharing Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after helping Michigan upset Ohio State.
Benny was a standout reserve in 2023, the national championship season, before he broke his leg in the Rose Bowl against Alabama. The other players on ESPN's list include a player from Clemson, three from the SEC (Alabama, Georgia, and Florida), and one from Penn State.
Of course, time will tell whether or not Benny proves the pundits wrong, but at least ESPN is questioning whether or not it made a mistake not putting him on the list.
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