The Lions' Pride

Frank Bodani: PSU seeks under-the-radar New Jersey linebacker
By FRANK BODANI
Daily Record/Sunday News

He's the type of under-the-radar kid you want to sign up as soon as possible.
At least before the Ohio States and Alabamas figure out exactly who he is.

And who he can become.

Al-Rasheed Benton is an elite athlete at a forgotten high school in a not-so-nice part of Newark, N.J.

He changed football schools because his parents moved. And he doesn't attend many of the publicity-driven college combines and camps.

So most of his scholarship offers still are of the Temple and Toledo variety.

But Penn State knows about him. And wants him at linebacker.

One recruiting expert says Benton resembles former Penn State star NaVorro Bowman.

Another expert: "He's a big kid who really is explosive and just needs to slow himself down a little. When he arrives at the football, he really hits people. He's a head hunter," Rivals.com's Mike Farrell said to compliment, not criticize.

Benton's New Jersey trainer says he will immediately enter college the physical equal of most at his position, even at a place like Penn State.

His high school coach has known him since he was old enough to walk.

"From 5 years old playing around he's always been hitting guys in the mouth," said Shabazz High's Darnell Grant. "It's in his DNA.

"When he gets to you he always has bad intentions."

That means Benton is a wonderfully unique combination: He's the nastiest, hardest-hitting and yet most respectful, caring and well-spoken kid Penn State will recruit this year.

Consider that just getting to his vocational school takes him two bus rides, a train transfer and nearly 90 minutes each way.

He wants to be an electrical engineer.

"I always wanted to be hands-on," he said. "With electrical, even if I don't get into it as a career, it's something you can always use. Like when you're buying a house, you don't want to get cheated. If I have a background in electrical I know how long it takes someone to do the work and what it takes to do the work."

He also has his younger siblings to look after. He has twin 14-year-old sisters and brothers who are 7 and 5.

He watches over them. He lectures them and instructs them in staying away from everything wrong with his neighborhood.

"I actually do not like living here and yet I'm glad I do. I'm glad I live in a place like this because it opens your eyes to so much stuff. Living here I see stuff that makes you grow up faster.

"Too much violence, ignorance, negligence."

That is why he's thrown himself into working out under Jim Waldron at the Powerhouse Gym in South Hackensack, N.J.

Waldron trains a variety of college and NFL players.

"Training for me is my safe haven," Benton said. "Training is my way to block out the rest of the world and just focus on me. And the fact that I love training.

"We do exotic training. Some MMA, a lot of cardio. We do things regular people wouldn't be able to do. We have a room in the back where nobody can see us because people would try this stuff and hurt themselves."

They do exercises with ropes, sledgehammers, sleds and boxes.

Benton says he is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds and "nothing shakes on him. He's all muscle," Coach Grant said. "He's 230, but you would never guess."

Again, all of that is only part of the package, though.

Benton wants to attend one of Penn State's summer camps but is unsure because he helps care for his mother, who just had knee replacement surgery.

He also has those little brothers.

"I'm their biggest role model. I don't want them to hide from stuff around here, but I want to put them in the opportunity where they don't have to look over their shoulder after school."

Soon, he will be a high school senior with his college chosen. Always, he will be the kind of player expected to use football to accomplish so much more.

Someone a lot of coaches just don't know about yet.

"He's a steal for any school that gets him," Waldron said. "If this kid goes to Penn State everybody will be asking about where they found him."