The Pittsburgh Steelers had quite the haul coming out of the 2023 NFL Draft, landing multiple top players at their respective positions. OT Broderick Jones figures to be this team’s franchise LT of the future while CB Joey Porter Jr. has the size, length, and pedigree to be Pittsburgh potential CB1 in a couple of years. They also selected TE Darnell Washington who is a unicorn of a player given his size/athleticism combination at the end of the third round as well as LB Nick Herbig and CB Cory Trice Jr. who figure to have a chance to contribute in rotational roles as rookies and see their usage potentially expand down the line.
The Steelers also drafted Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton at 49th overall in the second round, adding him into the mix to possibly start at nose tackle in Year One and see his role increase from there. Benton isn’t often talked about in the same light as Jones, Porter, and Washington, but figures to potentially have the best shot to contribute right away.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report had the same thoughts of Benton when he published a piece highlighting overlooked rookie for the 2023 NFL Draft to watch during training camp. He listed Benton in his list, pointing to the position he plays and the role he can play on defense as a reason fans should be giving him more attention.
“Broderick Jones and Joey Porter Jr. are getting all the attention among the Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft class, but the potential impact of Keeanu Benton shouldn’t be overlooked,” Ballentine said. “Jones was the first-round pick and Porter Jr. is the son of a Steelers legend, but Benton has the potential to make the biggest impact in the first year. Benton has a clear path to becoming a starter. Wisconsin was a base 3-4 team, much like the Steelers, and he split his reps with the Badgers lining up in the A-gap and B-gap, meaning he will be able to play in either even or odd fronts.”
The Steelers are still trying to replenish their DL after losing Stephon Tuitt to retirement and Javon Hargrave to free agency years ago. They signed Larry Ogunjobi to a three-year deal and drafted DeMarvin Leal last year, but they lack that young, talented player that figures to be a long-term starter in the trenches like Tuitt and Hargrave were. Benton may not be the pass rusher those two were at this point, but he has all the tools to develop into a productive pass rusher while being a quality run stopper. Given his athleticism and versatility, Pittsburgh should be excited to see what Benton can and will become.
