‘This Dude Is Special:’ Steelers’ Scout Ike Taylor Impressed By Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton At Senior Bowl – Steelers Depot

If there’s one man at this 12 months’s Senior Bowl Pittsburgh Steelers’ followers ought to get accustomed to, it’s Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton. With supreme dimension to play within the Steelers’ system, he had a robust exhibiting in Cellular and seems to be squarely on Pittsburgh’s radar. Although we hardly ever hear a lot from the entrance workplace on particular gamers, Steelers’ scout Ike Taylor gave his ideas on Benton’s play throughout the newest Bleav In Steelers podcast, hosted by Mark Bergin.

“Keeanu, from my perspective, simply dominated,” Taylor stated on the present. “Being constant and dominating. For a man to be that large and that agile was very spectacular. That’s quite a lot of issues you possibly can’t coach. That’s simply God given expertise. Keanu needed to work on that and never be lazy on his means. And for him, there isn’t a restrict, ain’t no ceiling for him. So Keeanu simply dominated.”

Taylor was in attendance for this week’s Senior Bowl, becoming a member of the group as a scout earlier this 12 months. His major focus is on defensive backs but it surely was unattainable to disregard Benton’s play. Exhibiting energy, leverage, and quickness to win 1v1 matchups. Assuming he performs, Benton will look to hold that efficiency over to this afternoon’s sport, although it’s one many of the Steelers’ employees received’t see in-person. A big chunk if not your complete employees has already gone house. Mike Tomlin appeared go away after Wednesday’s observe whereas assistant GM Andy Weidl and at the least a few scouts flew out Friday morning. However they wanted all they wanted to see from a man like Benton, who Taylor praised for being greater than only a robust run plugger.

“The quick quantity of area between the middle and the guards, how a lot they will work with, it’s little to nothing. So for him to have a field stuffed with instruments to have the ability to maneuver. Bull rush, spin, get skinny. What I imply by get skinny is flip aspect and ensure you don’t give the offensive guard or deal with or middle your entire physique was very, very spectacular. A fast first step was very spectacular. So after I noticed that from Keeanu, I used to be like man, this dude is particular. Then you definately simply maintain listening to his identify developing time and again and time and again and over.”

It’s a reputation most likely being stated fairly a bit by the Steelers’ group. Merely discovering the appropriate physique kind for a defensive lineman, particularly a 3-tech/4i (inside shade of the offensive deal with) is tough to do. Most guys are smaller and stubbier. Ideally, a Steelers’ defensive lineman is 6’4-6’5, 300+ kilos, with 33+ inch arms. Benton checks most of these containers. Although he’s a hair underneath 6’4, he’s 312 kilos with almost 34 inch arms.

His tape is spectacular and as Taylor stated, Benton exhibits a fast first step and stunning bend and adaptability for his dimension and place. Throughout one specific 1v1 drill throughout observe this week, he rapidly swam over the middle to instantly win the rep. Benton isn’t an ideal prospect, needing to be extra constant along with his leverage and he’s not going to be a dominant, high-impact cross rusher, however he has greater than sufficient juice to justify utilizing him in sub-packages and on passing downs.

Couple that with the pro-style protection and high quality teaching he obtained at Wisconsin and his psychological toughness, enjoying damage and gutting out video games throughout his Badgers’ profession, he appears to be squarely on the Steelers’ radar. As of now, he’s most definitely a Day Two decide the crew may contemplate at both #32 or #49.

Take a look at our full report on Benton under.