Charles Bennett attended Camden High School in Camden, South Carolina where he started on the defensive line. As a senior he totaled 89 tackles and 14 sacks despite missing two games with an ankle injury. He was considered to be one of the top 25 defensive line prospects in the nation and was selected to play in the North-South all-star game. He was recruited by Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, but opted to attend Clemson where he sat out the 2001 season as a redshirt. He spent the following season as a reserve defensive end and special teams player, totaling 4 tackles on the year. He saw action in nine games as a sophomore, finishing with 19 tackles and 2 sacks. Charles earned a starting job as a junior, leading all Clemson defensive linemen in tackles with 48 stops on the year. He also had career highs in sacks (5) and forced fumbles (3). Bennett had another solid season as a senior, posting a career high 53 tackles to go along with 3 ½ sacks and his first career interception.

Charles Bennett has been stating at defensive end for the Clemson Tigers for the past two seasons. He has a quick first step which allows him to beat most offensive tackles off the snap of the ball. He is a very good pass rusher with good closing speed getting to the quarterback. His athleticism allows him to make plays all over the field as well as drop back into coverage when needed. He has long arms which allow him to knock down passes at the line and force fumbles. Bennett lacks ideal size for a defensive end. He isn’t very strong at the point of attack. He has a difficult time shedding blocks of larger offensive linemen. He could benefit from bulking up and increasing his strength and he does have the frame in which to do so. If he doesn’t bulk up he could be a candidate to move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive scheme. He has a chance to be selected late in the 2006 NFL draft.