Brooklyn Center is loaded with talent on the offense, and one figure that will be returning in 2026 to bolster a defense that was inconsistent at times last season is Anthony Benson Anthony Benson 6'0" | 285 lbs | DL Brooklyn Center | 2027 State MN . Benson recorded 40 tackles, 20 TFLs, 7 sacks, and a forced fumble last season. A stout Defensive Tackle who plays with a consistently explosive motor, Benson does an excellent job creating leverage in the interior, penetrating the line consistently and winning with strength, staying low on his stance and showing good handwork at the point of contact. Benson is a clear physical mismatch in the 3A conference, and his presence will be critical for the Centaurs as they look to take the next step into becoming contenders with all that talent to behold.

There’s a lot to like about Brooklyn Center’s roster going into the 2026 season. With star power at their skill positions, the Centaurs success is really rooted in their stingy, tough-as-nails, never-take-a-play-off, two-way linemen. One of their most key structural components is 2027 Anthony Benson Anthony Benson 6'0" | 285 lbs | DL Brooklyn Center | 2027 State MN , a multi-time PRZMN Showcase standout who is one of the more productive defensive linemen in the state, clocking 20 TFLs and 7 sacks in 2025 as a junior. He’s also a heckuva wrestler and is currently tearing up the Class 285AA ranks, coming in at 4th in the state in the latest The Guillotine update, and he is already a state qualifier from his sophomore campaign on the wrestling, bringing some much-needed experience to the X if he can come out of Section 5 unscathed.

Flexible and bendy, Benson has an excellent base and some incredibly heavy hands that helps him toss aside opposing OL when he’s shocking & shedding with scary ease. He explodes out of his stance, consistently wins the leverage battle, and owns a great get-off that can easily split doubles as well as work and tackle through contact. He also shows some twitch for a DT, smooth and fluid mover and operator who is comfortable and effective in 1v1 settings and at shedding and beating blocks in a variety of different ways. Plus, Benson absolutely flattened some rushers in pass pro as an OL, showing two-way physicality amongst a boatload of other positives. I’ll be very eagerly watching this 285AA crop of standouts come sections and state looming in the horizon.

Very few defensive linemen were as productive as Benson was last season, and the 2027 prospect is now listed at 6′ 285 lbs. In 2025, he tallied 40 total tackles, 20 TFLs, a jaw-dropping 7 sacks, and a fumble recovery in just 8 games. The state-entrant wrestler also put up some fantastic tape. This kid is a defensive mauler on film. He bulldozes through offensive linemen like a hot knife through butter and finds his way to the backfield more often than not. He can beat offensive linemen with both speed and strength. Benson is quicker to the gap than most linemen he’s matched up against, but can also bull-rush one right into the ball carrier or QB. Benson also has some solid tape as an interior OL. If you want to talk about some of the most underrated trench prospects in the state, look no further than Benson.