Ben Keays (born 23 February 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). His great-grandfather Fred Keays represented both Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Born in Melbourne, Keays participated in the Auskick program at Hampton, Victoria.^[1] Keays moved to Brisbane at five years of age^[2] and continued playing Auskick at the Morningside Australian Football Club.^[1] He attended St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace throughout his schooling years.^[3] His great grandfather, Fred, played football for Fitzroy and Collingwood between 1919 and 1922 and served in both World War I and II.^[4] His great uncle, Desmond, also played football for Fitzroy^[5] while his uncle, Terry, played for Collingwood and Richmond. Ben began playing junior football for the Morningside Panthers^[6] and was placed in the Brisbane Lions Academy at the age of 14.^[7] He was selected to represent Queensland in the 2014 and 2015 AFL Under 18 Championships,^[8][9][10] and was selected in the 2014 and 2015 All-Australian teams.^[11][12] He also captained Queensland to their first division 2 title in nine years at the 2015 AFL Under 18 Championships^[13] and won the 2015 Hunter Harrison Medal for his performances across the three games.^[14][15][16]

Keays was recruited by the Brisbane Lions with their third selection and 24th overall in the 2015 national draft.^[17] He was the second academy selection for Brisbane after they matched a bid by the Western Bulldogs.^[18]

Keays made his AFL debut for Brisbane in Round 6, 2016, against the Sydney Swans.^[19] He won the Andrew Ireland Medal as best afield in the 2017 NEAFL Grand final, amassing 30 disposals, 9 tackles and 2 goals.^[20] He was delisted at the conclusion of the 2019 AFL season. Keays was later picked up by the Adelaide Crows at Pick 7 in the 2019 AFL Rookie Draft.^[21]

Keays enjoyed a breakout 2020 AFL season, playing 16 games for the Crows. He finished 5th in the Malcolm Blight Medal and won the Players Trademark award.

He received competition-wide recognition with an impressive 2021 AFL season which was rewarded with a 2nd-place finish in the Malcolm Blight Medal.^[22] Keays shocked the AFL with an elite disposal average of 28.1 throughout the home-and-away season as well as polling 11 votes in the 2021 Brownlow Medal.^[23] In October 2021, he signed a contract which would keep him at the Crows until the end of 2024.^[24]

In an August 2023 match against the Sydney Swans, Keays had a shot for goal late in the game that was controversially adjudged to hit the post, but video evidence deemed this incorrect. On top of this, a video review wasn't called for.^{[clarification needed]} The goal would have given the Crows the lead with just a minute left, but the Swans were able to run down the clock and win by a point. This result eliminated Adelaide from finals calculations with one round of the regular season remaining.^[25]