A former Wisconsin Badger was one of PFF’s highest-graded rookies from NFL Week 1

A high grade for a former Wisconsin DT:

There were very few bright spots during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 30-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

As it happens to be, most of the bright spots were former Wisconsin Badgers.

The first was perennial All-Pro T.J. Watt, who recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles.

Related: How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 1

The second was rookie Keeanu Benton, who ProFootballFocus graded as one of its top rookies of Week 1. The former Badger only recorded three total tackles, but PFF ranked his performance an 86.1 thanks to some excellence defending the run:

The Wisconsin product showed his run-stuffing ability in Week 1 against the Niners, earning a positive grade on over 11.8% of his run-defense snaps. And perhaps more impressively for a rookie, he earned no negative grades on those snaps.

The service also noted Benton was the second-highest graded Pittsburgh Steeler overall, behind another former Badger in T.J. Watt.

Benton, Watt and the rest of the Steelers’ cast of Wisconsin products are back in action Monday night as they host the Cleveland Browns.