Name: Rayshaun Benny
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 296 lbs.
High school: Oak Park (MI) Oak Park
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Benny #40 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 13 tackles.
TTB Rating: 81
Benny redshirted in 2021, playing in just three games. Last season he became a regular backup on the defensive line, though not heavily used. Mazi Smith, Mason Graham, and Kris Jenkins took up the majority of defensive tackle snaps, and all three shined more than Benny.
But the buzz has been building for Benny, and he seems to have become quicker during his couple years on campus. Despite putting on a few pounds since last year, he looked more athletic in the spring game than he did in his first or second years.
Smith is gone to the NFL, but Graham and Kenneth Grant are likely to take most of the nose tackle snaps. But with Graham likely playing more nose tackle this year, that opens up some more snaps at 3-tech for someone like Benny. He should have a good season, and it will be interesting to watch going into 2024 whether Michigan will aim to start Graham and Grant at the DT and NT positions, respectively, or whether they'll play Benny at 3-tech and use Graham in both places. Those should be three starter-quality players for two spots in 2024.
Prediction: Backup defensive tackle
In my ordering of backups I'd go
ReplyDelete1. D Moore
2. J Stewart
3. K Grant
4. D Edwards
5. R Benny
The reason I put the edges highest is that there is probably the most room for improvement relative to the solid but not elite veteran starters. If the backups pop Michigan really ascends as a team.
Benny is a potential impact guy next year but he's behind Jenkins, a potential all American this one. Ditto for Edwards behind corum. There's only so much room for improvement there. The position is already elite even if Benny and Edwards are stagnant or injured.
I give grant a bump because not only is he a key backup at a high rotation position like the others, but he's got a space eating goal line role locked down. If Edwards was the dedicated short yardage guy he'd bump ahead similarly. Edwards is pretty much just a one for one backup albeit a high end one. Elevate him if he returns kicks or steals third down snaps from corum or something.
The other reason I have edges over dts is the presence of cam goode. Michigan has 5 dts it can probably trust but 4 edges.
Id put McGregor and Harrell relatively low for starters at critical positions (15-20) because of limited ceiling and heavy rotation. Is it weird to put 2 backup edges (10-15) ahead of the starters. Admittedly yes. But again Stewart
and Moore are potential difference makers who can change the narrative at the position. Furthermore, while they are likely backups they are more likely to be in on the critical passing downs that decide the osu game than the run stopping starters.
There's some 2016 potential with the edge backups and the starters are not wormly or charlton.
Really liking our depth at DT ... big relief from some dark times
ReplyDeleteYou might want to elevate Edwards because there is at least talk he can effectively play the slot receiver with Corum in the game. If so, that might put Edwards #1 on your "backup" list.
ReplyDeleteI'll believe it when I see it. 2 RB formations get a lot of talk but rarely get used and aren't especially effective when they are.
DeleteI think Wilson Morris and maybe even oleary are better receivers from the slot. Edwards is spending his practice time focused on RB duties. Being an excellent receiver from RB spot is different than being an excellent receiver from wr spots.
He'll certainly line up at wr here and there but so will other RB including corum