Rayshaun Benny Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Jenna Hickey/Michigan Daily)

School: Michigan

Class: Redshirt Senior

Position: DT

HT: 6’4

WT: 296 lbs

Background: Rayshaun Benny was a 4-star defensive lineman out of Detroit, Michigan. Benny was a top 200 player in the 2021 class and a top 10 player in the state. Benny played his ball for Oak Hill High School and was an all-area team twice. He played both offensive and defensive line in high school, making 11 TFLs and 5.5 sacks in 5 games as a senior. Benny chose to stay home and play for Michigan over Oregon, Penn State, Notre Dame, and others.

College: Benny utilized a redshirt in 2021 as a true freshman and became a backup in the rotation in 2022. He became a main fixture in the rotation in 2023, making 27 tackles and 5.5 TFLs. 2024 saw him make 29 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks on a stacked defensive front. Rayshaun was an All-Big 10 Third Team selection in 2025 after posting 31 tackles and 3 TFLs for the Wolverines.

Strengths: Rayshaun Benny works well as a patrol officer on the interior. He uses his length and lateral agility to contain gaps at the line of scrimmage but is able to simultaneously where the ball carrier is going as the play progresses. Benny is a plus athlete for the position and can get on his horse to pursue the football once he commits to a run fit. In open space, he takes good angles to cut off the ball carrier before a splash play is made. Benny offers plenty of movement across the face as he has incredibly active hands to mover from blocker to blocker throughout a rep. As a pass rusher, Benny does well to get low with solid ankle flexion and bend to get around the outside shoulder.

Weaknesses: His hands as a run defender prove to be much more effective managing blocks than they do as a pass rusher when he is trying to fully deconstruct blocks. He can be seen getting swallowed up after failing to shed at the line of scrimmage. He is a raw pass rusher and does not win or get to the quarterback with any level of consistency. His overall production and volume statistics are not where they should be as a result.

Conclusion: Rayshaun Benny is a fun defensive tackle who can develop into a more productive player if he uses his traits in a more functional way. None of his weaknesses are out of Benny’s control and are all manageable. Aside from medical concerns in the lower body, Benny has the chance to change the narrative on most of his weaknesses.

Best Team Fits: NYJ, CIN, HOU

Player Comparison: Tyler Davis

Player Grade: Round 5 (55.3)