Heath Benedict, an offensive lineman from Newberry College in South Carolina that was expected to go in the first few rounds of the upcoming draft, was found dead in his apartment on Wednesday night, according to The Sporting News.
Benedict, a native of the Netherlands, transferred to Newberry, an NCAA Division II school, for the 2004 season after redshirting at Tennessee as a freshman in 2002.
I'll admit that I didn't know very much about Benedict, but I had seen his name connected with the Vikings in a few mock drafts. He was the only Division II player that got an invite to this year's Senior Bowl, which gives you an indicator of how highly he was thought of.
Our best wishes go out to the family of Heath Benedict. This is another reminder that, while we love football and love to follow it, particularly at this time of year, it's still only a game when it boils right down to it.