Rayshaun Benny will be returning to Michigan for the 2025 season, forgoing the NFL Draft. This was first reported by MLive and later confirmed by Benny on social media.
During his time with the Wolverines, Benny has played 39 games, accumulating 71 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections. Though primarily a rotational player, he did start in three games. In 2024, he appeared in 10 games, recording 28 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two pass deflections.
A four-star recruit from Detroit’s Oak Park High School, Benny was ranked as the seventh-best player in Michigan in the 2021 class. His high school coach, Greg Carter, also coached Devin Gardner, who went on to play for Michigan.
Benny’s return is a major boost for Michigan’s defense, especially after the program lost defensive linemen Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Josaiah Stewart to the NFL Draft. The Wolverines’ defensive line will now feature Benny, Derrick Moore, and TJ Guy, with linebacker Jaishawn Barham potentially joining the edge group, and transfers Tre Williams (Clemson) and Damon Payne Jr. (Alabama) bolstering the interior.
Spoke with Michigan DL coach Lou Esposito, who says DT Rayshaun Benny will be back next year. Also loves Jaishawn Barham’s versatility — could play linebacker and edge in 2025.
— Ryan Zuke (@ryanzuke) January 17, 2025
Michigan fans can look forward to Benny’s final season in AnnArbor!
