CAREER
Played in 28 career games with 23 starts at cornerback … In 28-game career, made 93 total tackles (59 solo), intercepted three passes, defended 27 passes, broke up 24 passes and registered 1.0 sack and 2.0 tackle for loss … Set Columbia’s career record for pass breakups with 24, surpassing the previous record of 23 set by Roy Hanks (1994-97) … Tied Columbia’s game pass breakup record with four breakups in two different games … His 27 passes defended rank No. 5 among Columbia career statistical leaders … Has three seasons ranked among the top pass breakup totals and two among passes defended records in school history … Led the Lions in pass breakups in both 2018 and 2019 … Three-year letterman and three-year starter.
2019
Earned Honorable Mention All-Ivy League honors as a senior cornerback … Third Team All-Ivy League selection by Phil Steele Magazine … Named the team’s David W. Smyth Memorial Cup Award winner at team banquet … Played and started in all 10 games at cornerback … Named preseason Third Team All-Ivy League honoree by Phil Steele Magazine … Led the team in pass breakups with eight, finished ranked No. 7 on the squad in tackles with 30 (20 solo), recovered one fumble and totaled 0.5 tackle for loss on year … Made five tackles (three solo) vs. Brown (Nov. 16) … Set career pass breakups record with one breakup and two tackles vs. Harvard (Nov. 9) … Made two tackles at Yale (Nov. 2) … Tied school-record for pass breakups in a game with a career-high four, made three tackles vs. Penn (Oct. 19) … Totaled five tackles (three solo) and broke up two passes vs. Central Connecticut State (Oct. 12) … Made three tackles vs. Georgetown (Sept. 28) … Finished with a career-high seven tackles (four solo), a pass breakup and 0.5 tackle for loss in season opener at Saint Francis, Pa. (Sept. 21).
2018
Saw action in eight games with seven starts as a junior cornerback … Battled injuries all season long and missed the Penn (Oct. 13) and Yale (Oct. 27) games … Led team with nine passes defended, eight pass breakups, registered 26 tackles (18 solo), 1.0 sack and one interception … Ranked No. 3 in the Ivy League in passes defended (1.00 per game) and No. 3 in the Ivy League in pass breakups (7) … Broke up a career-best three passes, made three tackles (three solo) in season finale vs. Cornell (Nov. 17) … Intercepted pass for a six-yard return, made one tackle at Brown (Nov. 10) … Made four tackles (two solo) vs. Dartmouth (Oct. 20) … Made solo tackles vs. Marist (Oct. 6) … Made three solo tackles vs. Princeton (Sept. 28) … Tied a career-high with six tackles (four solo) and tied school record with four pass breakups at Georgetown (Sept. 22) … Made five tackles (two solo) in the season opener at Central Connecticut State (Sept. 15).
2017
Played in all 10 games and started six contests at cornerback … Started the last five consecutive games of the year at cornerback … Ranked No. 5 on the squad in tackles with 37 (21 solo) … Also registered two interceptions, 1.5 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups … Totaled at least one tackle in all 10 games … Made four tackles at Yale (Oct. 28) … Broke up two passes and totaled five tackles (four solo) at Dartmouth (Oct. 21) … Finished with five tackles (two solo) vs. Penn (Oct. 14) … Made first career start, totaled two tackles and a pass breakup at Marist (Oct. 7) … Intercepted a career-best two passes, including the game clincher, made five tackles (three solo) and one TFL at Princeton (Sept. 30) … Made a career-high six tackles (four solo) in season opener vs. Wagner (Sept. 16).
2016
Did not see any action … Contributed at defensive back.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended and played a postgraduate year of football (2015) at Cheshire Academy in Cheshire, Conn., where he competed for head coach Dave Dykeman … A 2015 graduate of Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, where he played four years of varsity football for head coach Jake Barro … Earned All-State honors as a wide receiver in both 2013 and 2014 … All-Section honoree at defensive back in 2013 and 2014 … All-Tribune honoree … Two-time First Team All-State Academic selection … National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete as a senior … Led Cheshire Academy to a 5-3 record in 2015 … Over his four-year career at Scottsdale Prep, caught 156 passes for 2,766 yards and scored 39 total touchdowns and amassed 1,850 all-purpose yards on offense, made 132 total tackles (89 solo), eight interceptions, 20 pass deflections and 3.0 tackles for loss on defense … Caught 80 passes for 1,543 yards and 17 touchdowns and added 50 tackles and four interceptions as a senior … Finished with six 100-yard receiving games and five multi-touchdown games as a senior … Registered career-highs for receptions (15), receiving yards (368) and touchdown receptions (five) and intercepted two passes and made four tackles in win over Paradise Honors … His 368 yards receiving set a state record … Named a Family Insurance All-USA Arizona Performers of the Week after his performance vs. Paradise Honors … Caught 10 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns, including a long of 99-yards vs. Chandler Prep … Caught eight passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns, including an 83-yarder vs. Veritas Prep … Caught nine passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, along with a 74-yarder and made eight tackles and two interceptions vs. Camp Verde … Caught 61 passes for 1,040 yards and 17 touchdowns and 1,224 all-purpose yards on offense and 43 tackles with two interceptions on defense as a junior … Had five 100-yard receiving games and 10 consecutive games with at least one touchdown catch … Caught four touchdown passes for 171 yards with a long play of 71 yards vs. Camp Verde … Caught eight passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns vs. Veritas Prep … Led the Spartans to a 7-4 record and state playoff appearance as a junior … Made 14 receptions for 174 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore … Also competed in track and field … Won a state title in track in 2015 … Competed in the 200-meter dash (23.47) and the spring relays (4x100 and 4x400).
PERSONAL
Born Benjamin James McKeighan on July 14, 1997 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. … Son of Jace and Debra McKeighan … Parents both attended Franklin & Marshall University … Enrolled at Columbia College … Majors in Economics.
