He was a "weight man" and football player at Chicago's prestigious Morgan Park Academy before enrolling at Michigan.

He helped lead the team to a 6-1 record, including wins over Ohio State (33-6), Syracuse (43-0), Penn (12-6), and Minnesota (15-6).

At the end of the 1909 season, Benbrook was selected by Walter Camp as a first-team guard on the 1909 College Football All-America Team.

"[11] According to accounts of the game, Benbrook and Stanfield Wells were "at their very peak that day," as Michigan won, 6-0.

[12] At the end of the 1910, Benbrook was selected by Walter Camp for the second consecutive year as a first-team player on his 1910 College Football All-America Team.

"[13] When Outlook magazine selected its "honor list" for 1910, Benbrook was the only player unanimously chosen for a position.

[16] And in 1951, legendary Illinois coach Robert Zuppke chose Benbrook as a guard for his first-team All-Time All-American team.

[17] Another writer concluded: "There have been many great linesmen, but his record and the verdict of many experts seems to put Benbrook in advance of them all.

[12] In 2005, he was selected as one of the 100 greatest Michigan football players of all time by the "Motown Sports Revival," ranking 22nd on the all-time team.

In November 1917, eight All-American football players, including Benbrook and Michigan's James B. Craig and Ernest Allmendinger, were made officers in a ceremony in Chicago.

[20] In March 1918, Benbrook's photograph was published in newspapers around the country with the following caption: "Al Benbrook, the old Michigan football star and regarded by many as the greatest guard ever developed in America is soon to buck the Hun's line in the greatest game of all.

"[21][22] An article published the following month featured the same theme: "The foremost football guard ever developed is soon to go over to buck the Hun line in the greatest game of all".