Scouting Tech's Latest Commitment

Georgia Tech picked up a commitment today from mobile offensive tackle Ray Beno. Here is a look at Beno in action in this presentation by ScoutTV.

Raymond Beno, right tackle for the Newnan Cougars, committed to Georgia Tech today. There hasn't been a lot of recruiting buzz (no pun intended) around Beno through the summer, so what kind of player are the Jackets getting?

Beno lines up at right tackle for his Newnan team. Typically the best lineman on a high school team is the left tackle; he protects the blind side of the quarterback and leads most running plays. After just a few plays of focusing on Beno, it was obvious that he had the mobility to protect the blind side, and I said to myself "Their quarterback must be left handed." He was. Beno is manning the spot typically reserved for a team's best linemen. It was just the opposite side with the wrong handed quarterback (I can say that, I'm a lefty).

Which side of the line Beno lines up in high school may be largely irrelevant for the Yellow Jackets, because he's destined for the interior line of scrimmage at guard, or quite possibly center.

Beno is undersized if he were lining up in the ACC today, but he has a lot of time to add weight. What doesn't come so easy to linemen that Beno is blessed with is good feet and athleticism. Beno is not an overpowering blocker, but he gets good push, because he moves so quickly. He attacks the second level (linebackers) like a fullback might, and he has little trouble changing direction to get a helmet on someone. He's quick enough that he catches several players off guard, because they're not used to being hit that soon after the snap by a lineman.

He leads several long runs in Newnan's game against Coffee County as he is able to reach the linebacker and seal off a running lane. Beno would struggle with a 260+ pound interior lineman right now, but his projection is for three, four, and five years down the road.

Picturing Beno at 285 pounds in three years and coming around the corner on a pull block is something that Georgia Tech envisioned when they offered him a scholarship.

Take a look at him in action. It's easy to see his quick feet and tenacity.

#64 RT Ray Beno - playoffs vs Coffee County*
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