Measuring in at 5’10 170-pounds, Benallo plays wide receiver and safety for Ralston Valley ! He has 61 receptions for 659 yards, and 8 touchdowns, 7 carries for 30 yards and 3 touchdowns, 37 total tackles (18 solo, 19 assisted), 1 TFL, 1 sack, 5 PD, and 1 fumble recovery. He has very good athletic ability due to very good speed, change of direction, jumping, and good acceleration. As a receiver, he uses his good release paired with very good separation quickness to get open. He finds open voids and exploits them for the easy catch. Good ball tracking, very good catching with strong hands. Very good body control and adjustment. Keeps both feet in bounds on sideline catches. After the catch, he uses quick cuts and patience to make defenders miss and gain extra yards. Very good blocker as well to create running lanes. As a deep safety, he has very good zone coverage and closing quickness. He comes down into the box and uses his very good run support and tackling to make the play. Strong hitter that lays the boom. Benallo is poised to make some noise in this year’s playoffs with Ralston Valley.

10 catches 134 yds 3 TDs

With 2 TDs Thursday evening, Nico Benallo Nico Benallo 5'10" | 165 lbs | WR/DB Ralston Valley | 2026 State CO showed how dependable of a slot WR he is for this undefeated Ralston Valley team. Nico does a great job sinking his hips when changing directions and showing tremendous concentration through the catch.  Nico’s patented route is the china/whip route that Cooper Kupp made his money on in the redzone for the Rams in the 2023 and 24 seasons.  This route was on full display Thursday with Gabler hitting him in stride for the team’s 4th TD on 3rd and goal.  Even when most teams know it’s coming, he still does a great job creating separation and knowing where the defensive zones are to get more than just the 1st down.  Through this route and others, Nico is a super reliable and trustworthy target for Zeke Andrews Zeke Andrews 6'6" | 200 lbs | QB/TE Ralston Valley | 2026 State CO and now Gabler on 3rd down and in the redzone.  This route, and his spin move in the open field, require so much body control and coordination with his head spinning around that its so impressive when you see him adjust late to balls not perfectly thrown – for about the 3rd time, impressive coordination.  He’s super quick with his spin move with the ball in his hand, really showing off his footwork and awareness.  Nico also shows tremendous body control near the sideline, first being able to consistently catch and get his feet down on sideline balls at full extension.  He also does a great job sinking his hips and fighting the sideline when passes bring his momentum to the sideline to be able get vertical and get more yards.  Another way Nico is so QB friendly is how he runs his routes against man coverage.  He does a great job running to open grass not getting overly sucked into the defense and finding massive areas for his QB to have a massive window to find him in stride.  Finally, Nico is an extremely effective punt returner spotlighting his elusiveness and IQ consistently making the first guy miss and getting vertical gaining first downs for his team.  With Gabler at the helm, Nico should be getting even more looks as a trusty slot for the young QB and this stout Mustangs team.

Benallo is a receiver that is able to make an impact in various aspects of the game. He can be a gadget player, taking end arounds and being a scoring threat out of the backfield. He is a precise route runner that is able to create separation and shows soft hands being able to haul in tough catches to keep the sticks moving. He is also a returner as well that can flip the field with his speed. He will be a player that will look to turn some heads and top 1,000 yards receiving this upcoming season.

Benallo’s 87 receptions for 819 yards and four touchdowns highlight his reliable hands and ability to find soft spots in coverage. With 14 carries for 44 yards and three additional touchdowns, he proves to be a versatile offensive weapon capable of executing in both the passing and rushing game.

Benallo made his presence felt as a reliable possession receiver for Ralston Valley, hauling in 10 receptions for 70 yards. While he didn’t break any big plays, his ability to consistently catch the ball in traffic and move the chains highlighted his importance to the offense. His ability to control the tempo of the game by making key receptions under pressure is what makes him an invaluable part of the Ralston Valley offense.