Heath Benedict (June 30, 1983 – March 23, 2008) was a Dutch American football player. An offensive tackle, Benedict was considered to be one of the top offensive linemen prospects for the 2008 NFL Draft. However, he died before the draft took place.

Early life and education

Benedict was born in

Tilburg Tilburg () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern province of North Brabant. With a population of 222,601 (1 July 2021), it is the second-largest city or municipality in North Brabant after Eindhoven and the seventh-larg ...

The Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, to

United States citizen Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...

s: Ed Benedict, a former high school star athlete from

Youngsville, Pennsylvania Youngsville is a borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,729 at the 2010 census. Geography Youngsville is located at (41.853460, -79.318614). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a t ...

, and Holly Devore. After his birth, the family moved to

Greer, South Carolina Greer is a city in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 35,308 as of the 2020 census Greer is part of the Greenville– Anderson– Mauldin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is add ...

, where Benedict grew up playing baseball, basketball, and soccer. Benedict was originally a talented baseball prospect who threw fastballs in the low 90s by the time he reached high school. After his freshman year Benedict had surgery on his pitching elbow to have

bone spurs An exostosis, also known as bone spur, is the formation of new bone on the surface of a bone. Exostoses can cause chronic pain ranging from mild to debilitatingly severe, depending on the shape, size, and location of the lesion. It is most commonl ...

removed. Instead of letting this setback deter him, Benedict began playing football, a sport he found he naturally excelled at. After his sophomore year, Benedict transferred from Riverside High School in Greer to the Peddie School in New Jersey to focus on football. It was there that Benedict mastered his craft. Upon completion of his senior season in 2003, he was considered the top football prospect in the state of New Jersey. Benedict was the Number 7 Parade All-American in that year as well. He had scholarship offers from all major Division 1 programs. Benedict chose to visit Tennessee, South Carolina, Miami, Florida State, and Oklahoma (which was canceled after his decision to attend the University of Tennessee).

College career

He originally signed to play for the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state ...

, but transferred to

Newberry College Newberry College is a private Lutheran college in Newberry, South Carolina. It has 1,250 students. Accreditation Newberry College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award ...

, where he played right tackle. Benedict left school with one semester of classes remaining to pursue an NFL career, and participated in the

Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. Pr ...

(being the only Division II player since 2004 to do so) as well as the

NFL Scouting Combine The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...

Death

Benedict died suddenly at his home in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, on March 23, 2008, due to an enlarged heart.

References

External links

Official player profile2008 NFL Draft Scouting Report"Heath Benedict, an offensive lineman with local ties, found dead in Florida apartment"
''Warren Times Observer''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, Heath 1983 births 2008 deaths American football offensive tackles Dutch players of American football Peddie School alumni Tennessee Volunteers football players Dutch emigrants to the United States Sportspeople from Tilburg People from Warren County, Pennsylvania Newberry Wolves football players Deaths from cardiomyopathy