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Wisconsin Football NFL Draft Profile: Keeanu Benton

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1 year ago

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Wisconsin football alumnus Keeanu Benton at the NFL Combine

Wisconsin Football Alum Keeanu Benton’s NFL Draft Profile

Former Wisconsin football nose tackle Keeanu Benton has entered the combine with some hype after the senior bowl.

Initially projected to be a fourth-round pick, there have been projections as high as the end of the first round.

The former three-star recruit from Janesville, Wisconsin, had a good year on the defensive line for the Badgers.

Keeanu Benton was a bright spot for Wisconsin football this year. The former Badger has an impressive profile that should interest GMs around the league.

Measurements

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 309 lbs
Arm Length: 33 7/8″
Hand Size: 9 3/4″

Combine Testing

40-yard Dash: 5.08 seconds
Vertical Jump: 29.5″
Broad Jump: 9’3″
Short-Shuttle: 4.65 seconds
Three-Cone: 7.34 seconds
Bench Reps: 25 Reps

Strengths

  • Uses his hands well and is very violent with a strong punch.
  • Benton does an excellent job using leverage.
  • Plays with good power and does a good job keeping his eyes in the backfield.
  • Former Wrestler

Weaknesses

  • Lacks a suddenness or quickness with his first steps.
  • Doesn’t have a consistent, effective pass rush move.
  • Needs to get better at collapsing the pocket on passes.

Scouting Report

Keeanu Benton had a solid year anchoring the Wisconsin football defensive line at nose tackle. He was outstanding against the run and made an impact on the defense. One of the many attributes he has is his long arms. His long arms and quick and violent hands make him a tough guy to block. In addition, his ability to shed blocks and disrupt run plays in the backfield is impressive.

Keeanu Benton had 4.5 sacks his senior for the Badgers. Most would say that Keeanu’s weakness is his pass rush. When you watch the film, it is evident that he doesn’t have a move he can fall back on to get to the quarterback. At the Senior Bowl, he showed that he had been working on pass moves and was impressive.

Keeanu is an intelligent player with an excellent interior defensive lineman frame. His ability to keep his eyes in the backfield in recognizing plays is hard to teach. He can be drafted and be an impact player as he improves his ability to rush the passer. I believe Benton will be drawn in the second round of the NFL Draft.

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