Keeanu Benton has been one of the most impressive rookies this year, regardless of position, despite only playing 159 snaps so far. He's top-10 in PFF pass rush and PFF defensive grade, while measuring in the top third in other categories like run defense and pressure rate. Benton is quick and powerful, and as a nose tackle, his go to moves fit well with what his assignments are in the middle of the Pittsburgh defense. 

Pittsburgh Steelers DT Keeanu Benton Film Breakdown

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Disclaimer: The following is a transcript of a YouTube video titled “Steelers Rookie Keeanu Benton looks like a Future STAR D-Linemen: Film Breakdown” The content is for informational purposes only and was originally presented in video format.

Keanu Benton made my Mid Season All Rookie team, obviously as the second defensive tackle to Jalen Carter. And like with pretty much every Steelers rookie, he's playing great, but on a limited sample size. He's played 159 snaps so far this year, and he ranks in the top third in most defensive tackle stats. He's creating a lot of pressure as a pass rusher, doing a great job anchoring and run defense. 

And I do think with more snaps that efficiency in production is going to continue. His go to move is the club swim, where he strikes the outside shoulder, and then swims over the top. He's so quick and powerful with that initial club, he's able to create knockback and open up space through the A gap, and then he's explosive enough to get upfield quickly and create immediate pressure. On this play against the Las Vegas Raiders, you see that hand pop to move the center aside, and then there's no stall as he's accelerating. 

He's able to get to the quarterback before the blocker can recover. And when I was watching him at Wisconsin, they were playing him a lot at Nose Tackle, but based on his size and build, he's really more of a prototypical 3 technique. I got a few games into his college tape, and watching him anchor against double teams, he wasn't that consistent. So I pretty quickly started evaluating him as a three technique, and those reps where he was getting moved back a little bit by double teams. I didn't really weight as heavily, but in the NFL, he's still playing about 33 percent of his snaps at nose tackle, and I think that gives him an advantage based on the moves that he likes to use.

Lining him up at a zero technique, head up over the center gives him such an advantage because the center has to snap the ball and then get into his block. So that club swim is even more effective because the blocker's late shooting his hands. Here's one from Week 7 where he is lined up at 3 technique. He starts his rush upfield through the B gap. Kevin Dotson overextends, leans outside into his punch. And Benton's so quick to react and transition to this club swim through the A gap.

So like I said, this is by far his most common move, dating back to his Wisconsin tape. And it's great because you can get these quick wins, but if the blocker's ready for it and they're able to shut it down, it's hard to transition into a second move. The Cleveland Browns game especially, you could tell their interior O line was ready for the club swim. And when they were able to make a miss with the club and trap that arm inside, It pretty much took them out of the play. So it is kind of an all or nothing pass rushing move, and he needs to continue to develop different ways of winning. But, there have been flashes of some different power rushes Right here, he's going to longarm with the right hand, and then use the forklift technique with the left hand. 

So the right hand he's got on the shoulder pad to generate power, push him back into the pocket. And the guard's able to get his hands inside, but Benton uses the forklift technique with the other hand where he grabs at the wrist, pushes it up in the air… That basically takes away the Blocker's ability to anchor and leverage against the Pass Rush. And he's able to push him back into the pocket, doesn't get the sack, but he probably would've if Markus Golden didn't win.

So, as a pass rusher, he's shown dominant flashes, still needs to develop that moveset and come up with some different ways of winning. The club swim is something that blockers can shut down if they're prepared for it. And he also only ever uses it to the right side, so if he can at least start going left with the club swim, I think that would really help. But honestly I expected him to be a good pass rusher out the gate. What surprised me the most is how good he's been in run defense. like I said, he's playing a lot of nose tackle. And in college, he was a good run defender, unless he was anchoring against a double team. But in the NFL, he's improved in that area a lot. 

He does a great job using his length to separate himself from blocks and his footwork keeps him upright and in the play. Right here he gets both hands inside on the center, locks his elbows, and then he transitions into a long arm where he's fully extending with one arm to give him a further reach. He shades over into this front side A Gap and then plants with his right foot to keep himself upright and then once Dameon Pierce cuts back, he crosses over, disengages and makes the tackle. And you see this all over his tape. 

He has that ability to separate himself from blocks with one arm, plant on the back foot to stay off the ground, and then just wait for the running back to make a choice. On this play against the Baltimore Ravens, they're running mid zone. He shades over into the B gap. That gives Gus Edwards the reed to cut it back inside And he's able to two gap, cross over, make the stop. And you also see the club swim show up as a run defender, right here the San Francisco 49ers are running counter.

He's got Aaron Banks trying to wash him out on a down block, but the Steelers are slanting their defensive line towards the play side. So he takes his initial step in the opposite direction of the guard and then sends him flying downfield with a club move. So I hate to be repetitive, but it really is the same story with every Steelers rookie this year. 

Joey Porter Jr. as I've covered has been one of the best rookie corners. Keanu Benton looks like a future star defensive lineman. Broderick Jones has barely played but he looks like an upgrade to Dan Moore when he's on the field. I thought Darnell Washington had his best game as a blocker in week 7 and Nick Herbig got his first career sack. So Pittsburgh remains committed to slowly working these guys into the lineup, but I think they need to speed it up a little bit more.

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