Unpacking Future Packers: No. 56, Michigan DT Rayshaun Benny

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers need to get more impact from the interior of their defensive line. Devonte Wyatt, who only played in 10 games this season, led the defensive tackle group with four sacks and tied for the clubhouse lead with six tackles for loss. 

The rest of the defensive tackles combined for one sack and seven tackles for loss. Karl Brooks led the position group with 25 pressures. Wyatt recorded 22 pressures before suffering a season-ending injury. The rest of the group combined for just 30 pressures.

A potential target in the 2026 NFL Draft is Rayshaun Benny. The Michigan defensive tackle checks in at No. 56 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A four-star recruit and Michigan native, Benny enjoyed a breakout season of sorts during his junior season in 2023, recording 5.5 tackles for loss and one sack. The following season Benny recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. This past season, Benny recorded three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Rayshaun Benny with another sack for @UMichFootball 😤 pic.twitter.com/yrc22Yxvpb

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 20, 2025

"Coming into the year, Benny was viewed as one of the more important players on Michigan’s defensive front," Nick Durand, a contributor for Maize-N-Brew, said. "He was one of the few guys coming back that previously had experience in the defensive system and because of that, he ended up finishing with the most snaps on the team and turning in his most productive season."

Benny has good initial quickness off the snap and explodes upfield quickly to disrupt the action in the backfield. He's got the short-area twitch to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage. The 6-3, 298 pound defensive tackle plays with good leverage and has excellent balance through contact to shoot gaps. He's slippery and does a good job of getting off blocks. He has active hands that help him stay clean. Over the past three seasons, he recorded 50 run stops. He has the length and strong hands to finish as a tackler. During his final seasons at Michigan, he was tagged with just four missed tackles.

"The run game is definitely his strength," Durand said. "He’s a defender that’s able to get off the ball quickly and does a good job of moving laterally to meet running backs in the hole. Furthermore, his play strength and good technique keep him from getting put on skates by interior offensive linemen, allowing him to always stay in the play. To top it off, he’s a great tackler as well and won’t let ballcarriers get by him if he gets his hands on them."

As a pass rusher, Benny wins with his off-the-snap quickness and bull rush. He has the power and pad level to drive offensive linemen backward. Over the past seasons, Benny recorded 38 pressures to go along with his three sacks.

"He showed some progress in that area this season with 1.5 sacks," Durand said. "His biggest strength is that he never gives up on the play and is always searching for a route to the quarterback. He doesn’t necessarily have the deepest bag of moves, but he can bull rush, which he occasionally uses well."

Fit with the Packers

A priority for the Packers this offseason is to bolster the interior of the defensive line. They strictly need to get more impact from that position group.

Against the run, he offers immediate value as part of the defensive tackle rotation. His first-step quickness, leverage and balance allow him to control gaps and finish plays.

As a pass rusher, Benny may not project as a double-digit sack producer, but that’s not necessarily what the Packers need. They need interior disruption and someone who can collapse the pocket. That's what Benny offers.

“I’d draft Benny because he’s got plenty of experience in the NFL-style defense that Michigan has employed over the last five seasons. He’s got a relentless motor and great technique (like most Michigan defensive linemen usually do), and while he might not have the ceiling that other defensive tackles in the draft have, he’s a guy that plays his position well and is always going to try and find a way to make a play.”

Benny could be a target for the Packers in the third or fourth round. For a team looking to get sturdier up front, the Michigan defensive tackle checks the boxes.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 56, Michigan DT Rayshaun Benny