MADISON, Wis. — Keeanu Benton acknowledged he possessed self-doubt about how his training would translate to the field when he arrived in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl in late January. He wondered whether he’d be able to showcase his athleticism and pass-rushing ability rather than being known simply as a big, space-eating defensive tackle.
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It didn’t take long for Benton and everyone else to see why his skill set is so intriguing to NFL teams.
Benton, a four-year starting nose guard at Wisconsin, dominated during the first day of practices, as video of his one-on-one pass-rushing reps began to circulate on social media. On his first attempt, he blew past Troy center Jake Andrews with a swim move to his left. Next, he befuddled North Carolina’s Asim Richards with a quick move to his right. He then pushed past Michigan’s Olu Oluwatimi — the Rimington Award winner for nation’s top center — and gained leverage on him in the pocket.
Here is every one-on-one pass rush snap for #Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton at the Senior Bowl: pic.twitter.com/dA9SRJeUj9
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 2, 2023
By the time it was over, Benton had cemented himself as one of the top defensive tackles available in the NFL Draft. Asked Thursday during Wisconsin’s pro day whether he believed that performance opened some people’s eyes, Benton provided a succinct and confident response.
“Oh, hell yeah,” Benton said.
Georgia’s Jalen Carter is expected to be the first defensive tackle selected. Clemson’s Bryan Bresee is another defensive tackle expected to go in the first round. Both of them were former five-star high school prospects. But Benton has elevated himself into the conversation among the next tier with players such as Michigan’s Mazi Smith and Pitt’s Calijah Kancey.
“Keeanu’s amazing with his hands,” said former Wisconsin offensive lineman Tyler Beach, who also participated in pro day. “When it comes to hand work, I think the best D-lineman I’ve faced is Keeanu. He can shed off blocks really well. I saw in the Senior Bowl stuff I was having problems with in practice against him, I saw every dude was having problems with. So obviously that’s a testament to him and how good he is”
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The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler published his latest top 100 in February, after the Senior Bowl, and ranked Benton No. 53 overall, with Kancey at No. 35 and Smith at No. 38. Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Joe Tippmann was No. 43 and former Badgers outside linebacker Nick Herbig was No. 75. Tippmann was not at pro day Thursday, and Herbig didn’t speak to reporters after being called away to talk to NFL personnel evaluators.
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Benton continued to impress at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he was listed at 6 feet 4 and 309 pounds. His three-cone drill time of 7.34 seconds ranked second among 11 defensive tackles who participated in the event. His 25 bench-press reps at 225 pounds ranked fifth out of 12 at his position. Benton’s vertical jump (29 1/2 inches), broad jump (9 feet, 3 inches) and 20-yard shuttle time (4.65 seconds) all ranked in the top five among defensive tackles. With those numbers established, Benton’s pro day inside the McClain Center consisted of on-field work in front of NFL scouts.
Keeanu Benton has turned heads with his pre-draft workout performances. (Kirby Lee / USA Today)Benton arrived at Wisconsin as a three-star prospect in 2019 from Janesville (Wis.) Craig High School and was actually the second-lowest-rated scholarship signee in a 19-person recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Yet he joined inside linebacker Leo Chenal — a third-round draft choice last year of eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City — as the two freshmen who did not redshirt. He played in 13 games with six starts and established himself as a difference-maker up front. Benton said that season first put the idea in his mind that he could pursue a pro career.
“That first week was hectic, getting knocked on my ass all the time,” Benton said. “Then adjusting to that in college and then becoming a starter my freshman year kind of made me realize that this is something that I can do and take to the next level and play as long as my body allows.”
Benton appeared in 45 games with 36 starts. He amassed 81 tackles with 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks. Benton’s best season came as a senior co-captain, when he tallied 36 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks before announcing in December that he would not play in Wisconsin’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl game against Oklahoma State and instead begin training for the NFL Draft. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches.
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“He’s just a beast,” former Wisconsin safety John Torchio said. “He kind of went not unnoticed, but he kind of got snubbed on the All-Big Ten and you kind of take him for granted in the middle. He might not have the best stats, but if you really watch the film, he just dominates and plugs up the middle so well. I’ve known that he’s a beast. I’m super glad that he’s blowing up and everyone else is starting to realize that.”
Benton indicated his versatility has been a consistent topic of discussion with NFL teams. He has heard that he could play anywhere from the zero technique, which lines up directly over the center, to the 4i, which lines up on the center side of an offensive tackle. Benton said his wrestling background has intrigued teams as well, noting “eyes get big” when they can discuss how the two sports correlate to each other. He finished his high school career with a 127-8 record over his final three varsity seasons, losing the Division 1 state championship match in the 285-pound heavyweight division as both a junior and a senior.
All the chips seem to be lining up for Benton to become the highest Wisconsin defensive lineman taken in the draft since J.J. Watt went No. 11 in the first round to the Houston Texans in 2011. Three other former Badgers D-linemen have been selected since then — Beau Allen, Isaiahh Loudermilk and Matt Henningsen — but none of them went higher than the fifth round.
Benton said he and Herbig trained in Morristown, N.J., with Gabe Rangel, a Marine Corps combat veteran who has worked with many members of the Philadelphia Eagles (Herbig’s older brother, Nate, was an offensive lineman for the Eagles from 2019-21). Benton’s plan is to remain in Madison for a bit before returning to New Jersey to train before the draft. Five weeks from now, his next chapter in the pros will begin, and his stock is as high ever.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Benton said. “Just kind of getting through this whole process, taking it day by day, event by event. So it was the Senior Bowl, combine, now this. Not really zooming straight to the draft yet. But making sure I’m doing great in my interviews, talking to people, getting to know people, weighing out my options and then when the draft comes, God takes over at that point.”
(Top photo: John Fisher/Getty Images)
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