1-on-1: Keeanu Benton - August 23, 2024

Missi Matthews sits down with Keeanu Benton to discuss his rookie draft class from last year, his expectations for year two and more

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
I just gotta seven first down to twenty seven han sec.
That's Ben the Frokeana Wisconsin, the Steelers second round.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Take me through what you want to accomplish in this
final preseason game personally.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Personally, I just kind of wanna get ready for seasons,
you know, just getting to learn offenses. This is our
first like mock week where we get to uh kind
of strategize against a different offense. So just getting the
offensive side of the ball mentally and then just going
out there and showing my pass rush.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
You slim down this offseason, Uh, how has your weight?
Has it stayed the same or fluctuated, and how has
it helped you?

Speaker 1 (00:47):
It helped me big time in camp. You know, we
out there long days, just a lot more running and
just standing more conditions. I feel like just shedding those
couple pounds or whatever really helped me to go out
there and play more snaps and I feel the difference
this preseason for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
How did you go about deciding to do that?

Speaker 1 (01:08):
It was just a personal decision. I was a little
lighter for combine and then kind of put the weight
back on last season thinking I needed to be bigger
to be stronger. But realized that's not how my body works.
And even with the weight loss, I was still strong
and I was a lot faster.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
When a hot lotrope day kind of gets to you, right, Yeah,
for sure. The sack that you combined with Nick herbeg,
what did that mean to you guys? I know it's
just the preseason, but you guys go so far back.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, you know, that's that's my brother from another mother.
I wouldn't trade that for anything else, and I'm glad
that I was able to share with him. And it
just kind of we had another cool picture and it
kind of reminded us of like the pictures we used
to get at Wisconsin and just collabing those and just
thinking of how far we came. It's awesome.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
What would you describe your rookie class as you guys
have so many people who did step up last year
and are expected to step up again this year.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Uh. I would say our rookie class is full of competitors,
and we go out there and compete, uh and a
lot of learners. I feel like everybody has their own flaws,
but I think a lot of guys in our class
are able to learn from each other and just asks
questions for the older people and stuff like that. So
I feel like that's gonna take us a long way.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Who's the most vocal among your class?

Speaker 1 (02:28):
It would probably be me and Nick for sure, not Joey.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Not Joey.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
He he he can be, but he he don't really
talk that much. He just go out there and work.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Okay. Uh. Speaking of a rookie from this year's class,
Zach Frazer, what have you seen from him in practice?

Speaker 1 (02:43):
You know, he's a You could tell he got wrestling
in his background. He got good feet, uh, good leverage,
good hands. I think it's a great guy. He's he's
learning his role for sure, and just getting more comfortable
with the league.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Arthur Smith said that he came ready and he's proved
that he's ready and mature and has all that experience.
How have you seen him grow though?

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Just just his comfort, like getting more comfortable with the
game and not not making the game a more complicated
than what it actually is. I feel like as a rookie,
you can come in and your head can just be
spending by learning all the new techniques or new plays,
whatever the case may be. But I feel like he
towards the middle of camp. He got a grasp on
that and he was able to communicate. He was more confident.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
You can just tell you told me in the off
season during OTAs that you would beat any of the
wrestlers if you guys want. Do you still agree with that? Yes,
even after what you said about Frasier. Yes, okay.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
Just like he can get his hands on somebody, I
can get my hands on somebody.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Alright. Thanks for your time. We appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
Thank you.