Michael A. Bennett (born August 13, 1978 in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an
American football running back for the
Oakland Raiders of the
National Football League. He was drafted by the
Minnesota Vikings 27th overall in the
2001 NFL Draft. He played
college football at
Wisconsin.
A
Pro Bowl selection with the Vikings in
2002, Bennett has also been a member of the
New Orleans Saints,
Kansas City Chiefs,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the
San Diego Chargers. He was one of the fastest sprinters in college history clocking in a record 4.13 in the 40-yard dash, the fastest in
NFL history.
Early years
Bennett attended
Milwaukee Bradley Tech High School. As a senior, he was ranked the top
football player in the state, and was an All-State selection. As a junior at the 1997 state
track meet, he set records in the
100 meter and
200 meter dashes, then broke both records as a senior in 1998. His nationally ranked records of 10.33 in the 100 and 20.68 in the 200 still stand to this day.
College career
Bennett attended the
University of Wisconsin–Madison and was a standout in
football and in track as a
sprinter. He spent two years as a backup to
Ron Dayne, but, as a junior, he rushed for 1,592 yards and scored ten touchdowns, despite missing two games due to injury. In track, he posted personal best times of 10.18 in the 100-meter dash (plus 10.00 wind-aided), and 20.66 seconds in the 200-meter dash.
Professional career
Pre-draft
Bennett, at , ran a 4.28 in the 40...
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