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Benedict, who redshirted at UT in 2002, found dead at home
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Tennessee football player Heath Benedict, a two-time Little All-American offensive lineman from Newberry College in South Carolina, was found dead on a couch in his home.
Jacksonville police said no foul play is suspected in the death of the 24-year-old Benedict, a 6-foot-6, 326-pounder who finished up his senior season in the fall and left school to train for next month’s NFL draft. He was nine hours short of a business degree.
Benedict redshirted his freshman season at Tennessee in 2002 before transferring to Newberry.
“That was really sad to hear,” Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said after Thursday’s practice. “We certainly wish the family all the comfort we can pass along from the Tennessee family.”
Benedict took part in the Senior Bowl in January, the first Division II player to do so since 2004, and was invited to last month’s NFL combine.
“He was a big, tough man, but he had a very gentle heart,” Newberry president Mick Zais said. “He was a teddy bear.”
Benedict was a native of the Netherlands. He played high school football at the Peddie School in Hightstown, N.J.
Jacksonville police spokesman Ken Jefferson said Benedict’s body was taken to the medical examiner’s office to determine the cause of his death. He was found dead Wednesday evening.
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Posted by ctownvol on March 27, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Terrible news. Pray for this young man's family in this hard time.
Posted by DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu on March 27, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lord, help us all. Please comfort his parents and family.
Posted by Tenn_Dawg on March 27, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tragic. It is scary how every year there seems to be more and more of these bizarre sudden deaths in young people. May GOD give his family comfort and grace.
Posted by andy112382 on March 27, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't help but to think when I read stuff like this and the UCF football player that it could be something like bloodclots. I am 25 and had bloodclots show up out of nowhere in my intestines and almost killed me two years ago, spent over 2 weeks in ICU......but a lot of people don't realize more people die from bloodclots than breast cancer and aids combined each year.........if it is the case, we really need to make it as well known as aids and cancer are!
Posted by cgbtn on March 27, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is indeed tragic, and I will pray for the family. However, the human body was never intended to weigh 326 pounds.
Posted by dtaylor0730 on March 28, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tragic. A young man in the prime of life...just goeas to show we are not guaranteed another day on this earth. So, live the day you have, and be sure you are ready when it is tome to depart from this life.
Our prayers are with this family.
Posted by richvol on March 28, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
According to the story he was a kind hearted man who played the game the way it's supposed to be played. God blessed him and will continue to do so. Pray for his family for they will miss him.
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