Better Know A Badger: Keeanu Benton

Wisconsin's 2019 signing class will be moving up to Madison in June, so BadgerBlitz.com reached out to the newest members of the UW roster to get their thoughts as they prepare to start their college careers.

Keeanu Benton, a three-star defensive tackle from Janesville, Wis., spoke with BadgerBlitz.com about what drives him to get up and improve as a football player every day.

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RB Julius Davis | CB James Williams | TE Hayden Rucci | CB Dean Engram | OL Joe Tippmann | DE Gio Paez |

Ok, I know it's been a long wait for you to get on campus with the Badgers after you signed your letter of intent. Are you starting to get a little more excited that you're about to start your college career?

Keeanu Benton: Yes I am very excited. Not getting cold feet - everybody asks me if I’m getting cold feet, but not at all. I’m just ready to be done with high school and start my new journey.

As someone coming from inside the state, was Wisconsin's offer a game-changer in your recruitment? Did you have your eye on them, or were you trying to keep all of your options open in your recruitment?

Keeanu Benton: That was definitely a game-changer. I had other schools looking at me at the time, and I wanted Wisconsin (to offer) but once I got the offer I realized it was about more than just sports. They offered the degree I wanted and my mom was the big school lady, my dad was the sports guy. It took us quite a while - we made a pros and cons list for each school. We came out with Wisconsin on top. Overall they just said ‘It’s your choice but we also want Wisconsin,’ and that’s what I wanted too. It was a family discussion basically.

Did you grow up rooting for the Badgers? Was it a dream of yours to be one of those guys who comes from the state to play for UW?

Keeanu Benton: When I was in Chicago … I lived in Chicago through sixth grade. My family that lived here were Badger fans - I really wasn’t a fan of anybody up till then. Then I moved up here and everybody was a die hard Badger fan and I started watching the games. So I can’t say I’ve been a Badger fan my whole life, but since sixth grade I have been. When I got the offer it was like, "Wow." Some people told me it can be good and bad to be the in-state kid. Some kids need to go out-state, some kids need to stay home. And I think I was one who needed to stay home, to stay close.

So once you started watching the Badgers, did you ever have an idea that you'd get to play for them in Camp Randall one day?

Keeanu Benton: No way. I thought it would be out of my reach. But once I started to have the right people around me and working hard and seeing what I was capable of, I just kept improving. Different offers started coming in and I was like, "Oh, I hope the Badgers can see this." That’s when it became a goal for me to become a Badger.

Do you remember when you realized that playing Division 1 football was going to be an option for you in college?

Keeanu Benton: It was a game when I was going against Division 1 school - I got a chance to show my skills and I did really well against them and had one of the best games of my junior year. That’s when I realized basically that I can do this.

Did you enjoy the whole recruiting process? Or was it kind of a lot to handle while juggling playing football and doing your school work?

Keeanu Benton: It wasn’t that long - I didn’t have a really long recruiting process. The other school I visited was Iowa, and then Wisconsin was my second one. But I had visited Minnesota just for for school and academics. But then seeing those two schools and comparing them to Wisconsin, not only Camp Randall and everything, the environment … it just made me want Wisconsin even more.

Did the Badgers give you anything in particular they wanted you to work on before you got on campus with them in a few weeks?

Keeanu Benton: They just told me I need to get my running in. But other than that I’ve just been weightlifting every day. I’ve been focusing on my conditioning but now I need to make sure I’m up to speed on my conditioning for the summer (workouts).

So now that move-in is just a few weeks away, is it starting to feel a little more real?

Keeanu Benton: It feels real now because … it took me a while to realize that I was actually going to do it. Everybody around me has been congratulating me and everything - I don’t really like the attention, but once I get there I can get to work and do my thing in silence.

Who do you like watching in the NFL right now? Any guys in particular stand out to you who you think you can learn something from?

Keeanu Benton: I watch Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt. That’s about it right now. Not only on the field but off the field they are good people. And I’ve got a friend who used to work out with J.J. Watt before. It just sticks out to me. They’re good team leaders and powerful on the field.

What gets you up in the morning to grind away at getting better at football?

Keeanu Benton: Really my motivation is … I love the sport. But my main motivation is to help get my mom out of poverty and everything. I want to help her get her own house instead of just renting. I want to make it to the NFL and make it as best as I can to make money for my parents and to have a fun life.

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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.