Keeanu Benton
Second-round pick, No. 49 overall
Defensive tackle, Wisconsin
6-foot-4, 309 pounds
I can’t say enough good things about Keeanu Benton. So much twitch in his 310+ pound frame. pic.twitter.com/Mv7GDHhpz9
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) April 20, 2023
Numbers: Had 35 tackles (20 solo, 10 for loss), with 4 ½ sacks and two pass breakups in 12 starts this past season. Over his four-year college career, Benton had 80 tackles (43 solo, 19 for loss), nine sacks and four passes defensed.
Hometown: Janesville, Wis.
Tidbits: The highest-selected defensive lineman by the Steelers since Stephon Tuitt (No. 46 overall) in 2014. … Was selected third-team all-Big Ten as a senior last season by conference coaches. Coaches voted him second team all-conference in 2021, and in 2020 Benton was all-academic Big Ten. … Benton’s time of 7.34 seconds in the three-cone drill at the NFL Combine was the second-fastest among 11 defensive linemen who took part in the drill. … According to Pro Football Focus’ subjective grades, Benton rated as the 10th-best pass rusher among more than 200 qualifying interior defensive linemen in college football last season. … Joins Isaiahh Loudermilk (fifth round, 2021) as Wisconsin defensive linemen drafted by the Steelers over the past three years. … Grew up 45 minutes from the Wisconsin campus. … Becomes the fourth Wisconsin player on the Steelers’ roster, matching Penn State and Texas A&M for the most of any college represented.
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