Michigan’s defensive line is going through a transitionary period after losing Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, but hype is building for Rayshaun Benny. The Wolverines are banking on him taking a huge step forward in 2025, and he’s more than capable of doing that:
A lot has changed for the Michigan Wolverines on the defensive side of the ball the last two years. Almost all the pieces from the 2023 national championship team are now gone, with two of this offseason’s biggest departures coming from defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant.
But one constant up front remains — fifth-year senior Rayshaun Benny. Now it’s his turn to shine and be the leader of what should be an extremely deep interior defensive line.
The story so far
Benny is a homegrown Michigan talent, attending Oak Park High School and coming to Ann Arbor as a four-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class. The Wolverines flipped his commitment from Michigan State and beat out top programs like Georgia, Florida State, Auburn, Ohio State, LSU and more for his services.
After a redshirt year, Benny became a rotational piece on the defensive line in 2022 by appearing in all 13 games. Not only did he see some snaps up front, but he also played special teams en route to the Wolverines winning a second straight Big Ten title.
But things really started to take off for Benny a year later on the national championship team. Once again, he appeared in every regular season game and racked up 27 tackles, including 5.5 for loss, one sack, and this forced fumble against Penn State.
Makari Paige : 6 tackles & a fumble recovery
Rayshaun Benny : 3 tackles, 1 for loss & a forced fumble pic.twitter.com/GKAoysaQvM— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) November 11, 2023
In the Rose Bowl win over Alabama, Benny broke his fibula in the first quarter and would miss the remainder of the game and the National Championship Game.
Luckily, he was ready to go for the 2024 season, but he was still in a rotational role. Despite sitting behind two Top-15 picks in the NFL Draft, Benny still had 29 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 11 games.
Outlook for 2025
Pro Football Focus has named Benny a Top-10 returning talent in the country on the defensive line for the 2025 season. After years of playing a backup role, he his now the face of the defensive line, and arguably the entire defense. Many suspect he could be a Day 2 pick at a minimum if he performs as expected this season.
Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale called Benny “disruptive” this spring, and Sherrone Moore has mentioned that Benny has had an outstanding offseason. As the goal to reach the College Football Playoff is revamped for 2025 and beyond, Benny will play a huge role in not only prepping the team for this year, but also setting the championship standard for the guys who may shape the room for years to come.