Highlands has an impressive duo off the edge on their defensive line with Griffin being joined his twin brother, Cooper Benke Cooper Benke 6'5" | 245 lbs | EDGE/TE Highlands | 2027 State KY . Cooper has proven to be very reliable against the run as he does a great job of reading the play then using his strength to shed blocks quickly once he sees where the ball is going. Once he gets rid of the block, he has shown the speed to run down the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle in the open field. Cooper finished his junior year with 50 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in 11 games. He has also shown some promise as a pass rusher, recording five sacks last season. Cooper is committed to Ball State where I can see him eventually becoming a key contributor for their defense.

Cooper Benke Cooper Benke 6'5" | 245 lbs | EDGE/TE Highlands | 2027 State KY is another edge defender who stood out as a junior. He causes a ton of disruption against the run, showing the ability to diagnose the play quickly then use his strength to shed blocks with ease. Once he sheds the block, he has shown the ability to use his speed to get to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency to make the tackle. He finished this past season with 50 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in 11 games. Benke also recorded five sacks as a junior. Cooper currently holds multiple Division I offers and I expect that list to continued to grow heading into his senior year.

Cooper Benke Cooper Benke 6'5" | 245 lbs | EDGE/TE Highlands | 2027 State KY saw his role in the Highlands defense grow tremendously this season and he took advantage of the opportunity. Benke was very impressive against the run, showing the ability to use his strength to drive straight through defenders on his way to the ball carrier. Once he got to the ball carrier, he proved to be a very reliable tackler, finishing the year with 50 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in 11 games. He was also effective off the edge as a pass rusher, finishing the season with five sacks. Cooper currently holds offers from Middle Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect him to be a player college coaches have on their radar this offseason.

Cooper Benke Cooper Benke 6'5" | 245 lbs | EDGE/TE Highlands | 2027 State KY is one of the young rising stars in the state of Kentucky. He lines up at defensive end where he is very impressive off the edge as a pass rusher. Benke uses a combination of explosive speed and pass rush moves to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease on his way to the quarterback. He has also proven to be reliable against the run, showing the ability to read the play quickly then use his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle in the open field. Benke currently holds offers from Middle Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect more to come his way as he continues to develop

Cooper Benke Cooper Benke 6'5" | 245 lbs | EDGE/TE Highlands | 2027 State KY has been on our radar since his freshman year and continued to impress last season. Benke is very reliable against the run, showing the ability to read the play then use his speed to get to the ball carrier with a sense of urgency. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he is a very reliable tackler in the open field. Cooper has also proven to be an effective pass rusher off the edge, using impressive pass rush moves to defeat blocks on his way to the quarterback. Benke currently holds offers from Middle Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky, and I expect more to come his way as his role continues to grow.