"Relentless Pursuit and a Fierce Finish"

Ryan Bennett

@RyanBennettDE29

6ft. 210lbs, Class of 2029

Richmond HS, MI

Ryan Bennett plays defense with a fierce motor and a simple promise: he will chase the football until the whistle blows. The Richmond sophomore brings a physical edge at EDGE and linebacker, but his game is built on more than the first hit. If a play moves away from him or a blocker wins the first step, Ryan keeps fighting to get back into it. That pursuit has made him someone his teammates and coaches can trust on every snap.

Through five games of his first full varsity season, Ryan has 41 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. Those numbers show how often he gets involved, whether he's meeting a runner or closing in on the quarterback. He sees it as a strong start, but he's hungry for more. Each week, he wants to get stronger, faster, and sharper, with plans to work with trainers and defensive line coaches after the season to improve his technique.

Ryan says his biggest improvement since last season has been his understanding of the game. He's added size and strength, yet paying attention to the details before and after the snap has made the greatest difference in how he plays. He studies formations, the tackle’s stance, the space between linemen, and the personnel on the field for clues about what is coming. The quarterback’s alignment and depth can tell him more, helping him react quickly when the ball moves.

That attention to detail grew out of an early challenge. Ryan has played football for about three years, and he knew he had less experience than athletes who had been in the sport much longer. He responded by spending more time with film, studying how offensive linemen use their hands and set up in run and pass protection. He also watches quarterback tendencies, looking for anything that can help him recognize a play sooner. The more he studies, the more comfortable he feels when the game speeds up.

His offseason work had a clear purpose: adding size without losing the speed that helps him make plays. Ryan put on about 20 pounds while training for explosiveness and conditioning. He spent plenty of time in the gym with a friend who graduated last year and earned the title of the strongest kid in Michigan. Training beside someone who pushes him has raised what Ryan expects from himself, and that work continues after practice ends.

Ryan is proud of his progress, though he believes his biggest football moment is still ahead. He's set goals of reaching double-digit sacks, more than 20 tackles for loss and 60 tackles, along with earning All-State recognition and working toward a four-star national recruiting ranking. He also believes Richmond can turn its season around, win its remaining games, and give its seniors a finish they can be proud of. Watching the younger guys grow matters to him, too, because he wants the whole team to finish stronger.

Competition fuels Ryan, especially when he feels overlooked because of his height. He believes he belongs among the best defensive ends in Michigan in his class and wants his play to make that case. He leads by putting in the work when nobody is watching, then brings that same commitment onto the field. Ryan wants opponents to remember what happened when they lined up against No. 40.

I assess that Ryan’s greatest strength is his ability to stay involved after a play changes direction. That makes him difficult to take out of an assignment with one block and gives his team another chance to stop a gain before it grows. His physical style and quick reaction work well together, giving him several ways to affect a possession.

Ryan already has the production and presence to make a major impact for Richmond. His knack for breaking into the backfield gives him a foundation to build on, and each new way he learns to beat a blocker makes that strength even tougher to handle. He's shown what he can do at the varsity level, with plenty of football still ahead of him. Stay tuned.