Anthony Bennett (gridiron football)
American gridiron football player (born 1996) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anthony Bennett (born October 4, 1996) is an American professional football defensive lineman who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played NCAA football for the Florida Atlantic Owls and U Sports football for the Regina Rams and was selected in the first round of the 2023 CFL Draft by Winnipeg.
| Born: | October 4, 1996 Weston, Florida, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| Position(s) | Defensive lineman |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| College | Florida Atlantic (2015–2019) Regina (2021–2022) |
| High school | Cypress Bay |
| CFL draft | 2023, Round: 1, Pick: 8 |
| Drafted by | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2023 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Career stats | |
| Total tackles | 11 |
| Sacks | 0 |
| Forced fumbles | 0 |
| Fumble recoveries | 0 |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| |
Bennett was born on October 4, 1996, in Weston, Florida.[1] His father, Charles Bennett, was drafted into the National Football League (NFL) and played three games with the Miami Dolphins in 1987 as a defensive end.[2] His mother, Patricia, who was born and raised in Canada, was a trainer and manager for the Regina Cougars basketball team.[3]
Bennett attended Cypress Bay High School, where he competed in football, shot put, and discus. Bennett entered Florida Atlantic University in 2015 and began playing for their Owls football team.[4] He totaled four tackles and a forced fumble while playing ten games in his time with Florida Atlantic.[5] After the 2019 season, Lane Kiffin left the coaching position and was replaced by Willie Taggart. Willie Taggart disliked the idea of having Bennett on the team as a redshirt senior and said, "I'm gonna recruit some other guys". Bennett left the Florida Atlantic Owls over the COVID-19-affected NCAA season.[4][6]
Bennett moved to Canada and resumed his college career at the University of Regina, where his mother had earned an education degree.[3] With two years of U Sports eligibility remaining,[3] he joined the Regina Rams in 2021, obtaining a starter role and led the team's defensive linemen in tackles with 25.[7] In his final year of eligibility, 2022, he had career highs with 38 tackles, 12.5 TFLs and nine sacks, breaking a record for most sacks in a single season, and tying the school record for most tackles-for-loss in a single season.[8] For his performance in the 2022 season, he was named to the U Sports All-Canadian First Team and as a Canada West All-Star.[9] He finished his U Sports career with 63 total tackles, 11 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception in 14 games.[7]
Ranked as the third-best U Sports prospect for the 2023 CFL Draft and the 16th-best prospect overall, Bennett was chosen eighth overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, an unexpected rise in the draft order.[10][11] He signed with the Blue Bombers three days later.[12] Bennett progressed through training camp in May and made the roster for opening day.[13] He dressed in all 18 regular season games and had eight defensive tackles and three special teams tackles.[14]
At the start of training camp in 2024, Bennett was released by the Blue Bombers on May 12, 2024.[15]
Bennett's uncle, Tony, cousin, Michael, and his older brother, Andrew, have all played football professionally in the NFL and CFL.[16]
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