Since his youth football days, Luke Doyle has always been fast.

The Benet senior, who has a verified 4.34 40-yard dash time and a top in-game speed of 20.8 MPH, has made speed a key facet of his game since starting his varsity career as a sophomore. A two-time CCL/ESCC All-Conference honoree, Doyle will bring his speed to the Division I FCS level after committing to Lafayette College Jan. 4.

“I’m usually one of the fastest guys on the field,” said Doyle, who has played wide receiver and safety for Benet. “That’s something I’ll definitely bring. I’m hard-nosed and tough on the football field and I make smart plays. There are a ton of areas I can get better, like breaking down routes, my agility and knowledge of the game.”

Doyle, a two-sport athlete and La Grange Park native whose family has a rich lineage at Benet, earned his first varsity experience as a sophomore. He made significant leaps as a junior, when he starred at wide receiver and guided the Redwings to a 7-4 record and their first playoff appearance since 2019. Doyle posted 65 catches for 1,131 yards and 11 scores for Benet, which won the CCL/ESCC Purple.

“I got bigger, faster and stronger in the weight room,” Doyle said. “I did extra training and throwing drills with our quarterbacks. We really focused on our offense that offseason and we had a ton of weapons out there. It was a ton of fun playing deeper into the year because it was something a lot of people didn’t think we could do. That team had a lot of chemistry and it was fun playing with them.”

A dynamic special teamer for the Redwings, Doyle scored on a 66-yard punt return and added a 43-yard return later in the game to give Benet a much-needed spark during its 21-13 victory against St. Viator during the 2025 season.

While Benet finished 3-6 and fell short of the playoffs, Doyle received All-CCL/ESCC honors and was tabbed as the CCL/ESCC Purple’s Offensive Player of the Year.

“Luke’s leadership skills really stood out to me,” said former Benet coach Pat New. “He attracts respect from his teammates naturally as they look up to him as a great player and leader. He was a huge part of our playoff run in 2024. His big-play skills were something you can’t coach. He was a major reason for our success that year.”

“He’ll be the type of guy who can spark an offense. It’s a lot easier when you have guys like Luke, because he can go 80 yards in one play and we can avoid having to call 10 or 12 plays to cover the same amount of field. He’ll also be a great teammate.”

Doyle’s connection with Lafayette College, where Providence senior offensive lineman Bryce Tencza has also committed, formed during the summer, when he met with coaches during a camp at Miami of Ohio. A four-year football and baseball player at Benet, Doyle plans to study economics and was enticed by the college’s facilities and academic opportunities. He accepted his offer almost immediately.

“The coaches are a big part of it,” said Doyle, whose visits included Valparaiso and Butler. “I went out there for a game and they were really welcoming. They showed me around and I loved the school and the facilities. Academics are a very big part and something that’s important to me... They followed me throughout my season and kept in touch with me. When they offered me, I took it.”

Doyle, whose favorite players include Philadelphia Eagles running back and former Penn State star Saquon Barkley, intends to play wide receiver at the collegiate level. He initially wasn’t sure which path he would take, as he’s played baseball longer than he’s played football. Doyle, who also did basketball his freshman year, said his sophomore year was when he realized he had a future in football.

“I thought I was going to play more baseball,” Doyle said. “Football came on my sophomore year. I played on varsity and that became my goal after that. I’m looking forward to competing and showing what I can do. I want to develop and get better everyday. The wide receivers coach talks to me a lot and I like him a lot too. It’s tough to play as a freshman, so I’m just trying to get better.”

Doyle’s football journey began at St. Francis Xavier in fifth grade. Doyle, whose mother, father and older brother Kevin all attended Benet in addition to several relatives, became a wide receiver during his freshman year of high school. An outfielder for the Benet baseball team, Doyle, a baseball player since he was 4, is gearing up for his final year of baseball before starting college.

“I’ll miss it, but I’m ready to start college football,” Doyle said.