MSU in contention for four-star DT Rayshaun Benny

Michigan+State+defensive+line+coach+Ron+Burton%2F+Photo+Credit%3A+MSU+Athletic+Communications

Michigan State defensive line coach Ron Burton/ Photo Credit: MSU Athletic Communications

Nathan Stearns, Football Beat Reporter

EAST LANSING- Could Michigan State land their second 4-star of the 2021 class sometime soon? As of Saturday afternoon, they have a 25% chance of adding Rayshaun Benny, a highly-touted recruit from Oak Park, Michigan. Earlier today, Benny announced that in addition to Michigan State, he was considering choosing Michigan, Kentucky and Penn State as his future collegiate home. 

Benny—who plays defensive tackle for Oak Park High School—has a composite rating of 0.9217 by 247Sports. This rating means that Benny is a mid-four-star prospect who is likely to make a significant impact on the field at the collegiate level.  According to 247Sports, Benny is the sixth-best prospect in the state of Michigan and the 188th-best overall prospect in the country. 

Allen Trieu—one of 247Sports’ leading recruiting analysts—categorizes Benny as a player who “runs his feet on contact and plays with good balance.” In addition, Benny, who is 6-foot-5 and 275-pounds, has “natural athleticism and intangibles that are that of a multi-year Power 5 starter, “ according to Trieu.  

Both Michigan and Penn State have poached recruits that MSU recruited heavily (Andrel Anthony and Jamari Buddin), so Benny would be a superb addition to a Michigan State recruiting class that only has one four-star commitment right now (Geno VanDeMark).  He would join a class that already includes lanky defensive end Tyson Watson (Warren, Michigan) and run-stuffing nose guard Derrick Harmon (Detroit, Michigan). 

In addition to Michigan State, Benny was initially offered by powerhouses such as Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, Iowa and Auburn. As of right now, 247Sports has Benny choosing Michigan; however, Andrel Anthony was originally projected to choose MSU by the site before he decided to go to Michigan, so anything is possible.