The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532537
2025 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ 40 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MARCH 2025 BY ETHAN MCDOWELL Benny Patterson's re- cruitment blew up this fall and, after the for- mer Cincinnati commit sifted through a late surge of Power Four offers, he ended up picking Michi- gan. His recruitment actu- ally started with an early pledge to Northern Illi- nois before he flipped to the Bearcats last April. The defensive lineman's recruitment completely changed in the fall follow- ing On3's ratings upgrade that put him in the On300 for the first time. Patterson was a four- star prospect at that point and quickly picked up the offers to re- flect that. The relentless, high-motor lineman added scholarships from Penn State, USC, Florida State and LSU. Michigan offered Oct. 14. He could see the good news coming once he got on the phone with the Wolverine staff. His impressive senior year tape led to increased attention from U-M and many others. "I kind of flew under the radar and didn't really get the attention of the bigger-name schools, which I always felt like I had the capability to play at," Patterson said. "When the big-name schools started to reach out, it was a good feeling." He locked in on finding the right fit for his future, and less than a month after picking up the offer, the Newburgh (Ind.) Castle High prospect joined the Wolver- ines' class following an official visit. "I'm excited," Patterson said. "It's a tradition-rich program, and I'm thank- ful to be a part of it." The Wolverines began prioritizing him while he continued to climb up the rankings, solidifying himself as the No. 97 recruit in the country and the No. 12 edge rusher nationally at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. Defensive line coach Lou Esposito was his primary recruiter, and the lineman's quickly growing relationship with the staff helped the Wolverines secure his commitment. "He's a genuine guy," Patterson said. "He's not going to try and sell you a dream. He's going to give it to you straight, and I definitely was a fan of that." Michigan finished the 2024 season 8-5 but played well down the stretch with wins over Ohio State and Alabama. The opportunity to play in The Game against the Buckeyes was part of the reason the Wolverines were such an at- tractive destination for the defensive lineman. He enjoyed his official visit and, after returning home and talking his situa- tion over with his family, he picked the Wolverines from his growing offer list. "I went up there, saw everything for myself, fell in love with the place, the tradition, and the culture. The pedigree of putting defensive linemen in the NFL at Michigan is second to none," Patter- son said. "I think that's D-line University. Having the opportunity to play on the brightest stage in big games and the big- gest rivalry in sports, what else would you want?" ❑ Late Flip Brings Benny Patterson III's Top-100 Talent To Ann Arbor Patterson was a late bloomer whose rankings and recruitment popped as his senior season at Newburgh (Ind.) Castle High progressed. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS 2025 Projection Pa erson is a high-motor defensive line- man with a high ceiling. He will likely redshirt the 2025 season. STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL Sacks FF 2024 70 14 7 2 2023 70 13 4 2 2022 41 2 2 — HONORS • Indiana Football Coaches Associa on 5A Top 50 All-State as a senior. • Indiana Football Coaches Associa on 5A Junior All-State (2023). • Two- me SIAC All-Conference (2023, 2024). RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan Nov. 1, 2024, a er receiving an offer in October 2024. • Picked U-M over notable offers from USC, LSU and Penn State. • Recruited by U-M defensive line coach Lou Esposito. DID YOU KNOW? • Son of Benny Pa erson Jr. • Born May 24, 2007. THEY SAID IT On3 director of scou ng and rankings Charles Power: "He's a versa le defender along the front who plays with a crazed effort level while showing elite run and chase abil- ity. Checks in at an unverified, 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. O en played on the interior of his high school team's defensive front but could project on the edge at the next level. Plays with legi mate hair-on-fire effort. Has a real top gear that pops off the film, showing sideline- to-sideline range. Disrup ve and violent at the point of a ack." Castle High head coach Doug Hurt: "He's a game-wrecker. The dude is the ul mate team player. An excellent human being and an ex- ample to anyone who thinks they're good. The football standpoint is obvious. The leadership and human standpoint has been a game-chang- er for us in the program." BENNY PATTERSON III DEFENSIVE LINE 6-2 • 240 CASTLE HIGH NEWBURGH, IND. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS.* STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 280 31 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 97 12 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 55 11 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 92 22 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 49 — * On3 rated Patterson as an EDGE; others considered him a DL INDUSTRY