Up next in Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
Green Bay’s run defense yielded 2,372 yards on the ground, which ranked 26th overall. They gave up five yards per carry, which was tied for 29th in the league.
The Packers need to improve against the run next season and if past history is any indicator, Brian Gutekunst will pour resources into fixing the leaky run defense.
Last season the Packers needed to vastly improve on special teams. Gutekunst attacked the issue with great vigor. The Packers went out and hired one of the best special teams coordinators in the league. They signed players like Keisean Nixon and Dallin Leavitt. They drafted players with plenty of special teams experience like Tariq Carpenter.
It’s reasonable to expect that Gutekunst will add a player or two up front to help shore up the run defense.
A player that Gutekunst could target in the 2023 NFL Draft is Keeanu Benton. The Wisconsin defensive tackle checks in at No. 95 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
A three-star recruit, Benton finished his first season at Wisconsin with four tackles for loss and two sacks. During the 2020 season, Benton started five games and forced two fumbles. The following season the Badger nose tackle recorded five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. This past season, Benton recorded 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Benton’s calling card is his ability to two-gap. He’s a stout run defender that can clog up running lanes. He’s got a powerful frame with long arms to stack blocks. His motor is always running and gives great effort with the lateral quickness to chase down ball carriers.
The Badger defensive tackle is not just a roadblock, he’s a disruptive force that blows plays up behind the line of scrimmage. That was on full display over the final month of the season, when he recorded seven tackles for loss over the final four games.
“Against the run, Benton is one of the better players in the draft,” Rohan Chakravarthi, the site manager for Bucky’s 5th Quarter said. “His power makes him a regular disruptor in the backfield. Benton regularly required double teams, creating opportunities for his teammates in both facets of the game, which may even be his best strength. Benton’s length does him well in the run game against opposing offensive linemen as well.”
Part of what makes Benton such a force against the run is his raw power. He’s got powerful arms to rag-doll offensive linemen. When he plays with proper pad leverage he can be an unstoppable force in the interior.
“Benton’s greatest strength is his power,” Chakravarthi said. “With solid athleticism for his size, Benton’s power as a 6’4-315 defensive tackle operates as a big-time disrupter in the run game, while also showing the ability to rush the passer as well. When playing with good balance, Benton has the power to overwhelm opposing linemen, and sheds blocks fairly well.”
Benton’s power translates as a pass rusher. Once he gets under the pads of the offensive lineman he can walk them back into the quarterback’s lap with his bull rush. He has good initial quickness off the snap and has great closing burst to the quarterback. He finished this past season with 4.5 sacks and according to Pro Football Focus finished second on the team with 25 pressures.
“Benton is relatively raw as a pass-rusher as he exhibits the traits, but not the pass-rushing moves as much,” Chakravarthi said. “However, the potential is certainly there for him to be a three-down player. If Benton remains consistent with his pad level, his power will aid him as a pass-rusher as he develops more moves. Benton’s strength is definitely as a run-defender, but there is upside as a pass-rusher as well.”
Fit with the Packers
With Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and TJ Slaton, the Packers have a solid foundation in place up front. Now, Gutekunst needs to add pieces around that trio.
Benton could step in from day one and help shore up Green Bay’s run defense that yielded five yards per carry. He’d eat up double teams and help free up the linebackers to make plays. With his athleticism, he has the pass-rush potential to develop into a three-down lineman down the line.
“While the value for purely run-stuffing nose tackles has diminished, Benton provides value in that role on a two-down basis at the moment with the upside to become a three-down player,” Chakravarthi said. “His size, power, and length combine to form a solid day two player, and his ability to eat double teams adds a bonus for gap-filling linebackers. While he isn’t the most athletic or explosive interior defensive lineman, his power provides significant value for defenses looking to get better against the ground.”
Gutekunst has to be tired of watching his team get gashed on the ground. Adding Benton on day two would help Green Bay to start winning some of the battles in the trenches. Green Bay’s general manager addressed the special teams issues last offseason. Expect him to add players to help Green Bay improve against the run this off-season.
