Mazeo Bennett Jr. was born on October 16, 2005, and is a Greenville native who is already making waves at the South Carolina Gamecocks. He arrived there as a four-star recruit and stepped right into the mix as a true freshman in 2024. He played in all 13 games and led the WRs with 30 receptions for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Bennett feels it is now his responsibility to guide South Carolina’s new freshmen class in 2025. “I feel like it’s my job, because I feel like I was just in their shoes last year… Just let them know, like, how the game goes, and how to run this route against this, how to see this coverage when you’re out there running this type of route,” he says.

But his path to South Carolina has not been easy. He was initially committed to Tennessee, but something about it didn’t feel right. He even confessed, “When I made my decision to commit to Tennessee, telling South Carolina that I wasn’t going to come … was probably like the biggest heartbreak ever; to tell Coach Stepp personally that I couldn’t go at that moment was really hard.”

Yet, after speaking to his mom, he knew what he had to do. “I just felt unhappy with that decision. It just wasn’t the place for me anymore. I knew in my gut that South Carolina was home, so I just did what my momma always told me and followed my gut.” Behind that flip, there were two people backing him up all the time, his parents, Mazeo Sr. and Daffany.

Who are Mazeo Bennett Jr.’s parents?

Mazeo Bennett Jr.’s mother, Daffany, and father, Mazeo Sr., have supported him throughout his football journey. His mother, Daffany, has been his biggest supporter through all of the ups and downs. She’s the one who constantly reminds him to keep his head up, have faith, and trust his instincts. Mazeo himself said, “Every time I leave the house, man, my mom always tells me, ‘Son, I love you, be safe and just follow your gut.'”

His father, Mazeo Sr., himself has a football background and provides his son with all the love and support. He played college football at Western Carolina and Catawba, so he literally understands what it takes to be there. He is proud of his son’s work ethic, which he believes is what makes him different from others. “He always wanted to be great,” he said. On social media, you’ll see him posting about his boys, celebrating their wins, and cheering them on

Where did Daffany Bennett and Mazeo Bennett Sr. meet? 

There’s no public information available on where or how Daffany Bennett and Mazeo Bennett Sr. first met.

What is the ethnicity of Mazeo Bennett Jr.’s parents?

There isn’t any public info out there about Mazeo Bennett Jr.’s parents. Neither Daffany nor Mazeo Sr. has spoken about it either.

Inside Mazeo Bennett Jr.’s Relationship with His Parents

If you ask Mazeo Jr. what has kept him going through all of the recruiting process, he will point straight to his mother. “She kept me level-headed when it became stressful. She’s my rock,” he said, and it was clear he meant it. When social media exploded after he flipped to South Carolina, Daffany was the one who reminded him, “Son, put the phone down, put your head down, and go back to work.”

That kind of straight talk has helped him keep up when things got messy on social media. His mother admits the backlash he got online was tough to watch. “I wasn’t prepared for him to go through that. As a parent, you want to try to protect your kids from all the negativity, but with social media that’s so hard to do,” she said.

Then there’s his father, Mazeo Sr., who, himself, played some college football and was probably the first to notice his son’s drive. “His work ethic is unmatched… he loves to work out, he loves the game—so he studies the game,” he said, recalling Mazeo’s early grind that started at the age of 10. He even allowed Mazeo to spend a week with his older brother in Louisville, where he met coaches and players like Lamar Jackson. From that point onward, the kid was hooked. “Dad, I want to make a name for myself,” Mazeo Jr. said.