Keeanu Benton

Evaluation

Ryland B.: Keeanu Benton is one of my favorite defensive linemen in this class. He’s a big-bodied run-stuffer with elite size and strength, but he has surprising juice as a pass-rusher. His hands are active and violent, and he has tremendous power when collapsing the pocket. Benton does occasionally play a bit too high, which can negate the size/strength advantage he has over most offensive linemen. He also can lean a bit too far forwards when pass-rushing, which can cause him to lose his balance and any lateral agility. Benton can lose some steam as the game goes on, but this should easily be solved at the next level with some NFL conditioning as well as a defensive line rotation. Benton is a great fit for the Steelers’ late second round pick or third round pick to solidify the team’s starting defensive line.