It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Pittsburgh Steelers were interested in Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. Benton has the ideal size and length Pittsburgh looks for at the position and played in a college system like theirs in the NFL. Combine that with his athleticism and pass-rush ability at his size, it wasn’t a shock to see Benton go to the Steelers 49th overall in the second round.
Benton was Pittsburgh’s third selection in the draft, having Georgia OT Broderick Jones and Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. go before him while Georgia TE Darnell Washington went behind him in the third round. The additions of Jones, Porter, and Washington are notable as they all should contribute this season, but Benton is in position to be the most productive of the rookies in Pittsburgh’s draft class.
It was mentioned in a press conference by DC Teryl Austin that Benton will start his career at nose tackle while seeing what he can do as a 3 technique/4i in more of a rotational role in sub packages. This will allow Benton to see the field right away as his competition for snaps at NT currently are Breiden Fehoko and Montravius Adams, two journeymen who lack the explosiveness and pass rush upside Benton brings to the table.
The other rookies may have a tougher time seeing the field immediately or in large dosages. Jones is in a competition for the LT spot with Dan Moore Jr. with Moore having two years of starting experience on Jones as well as Pittsburgh facing a gauntlet of pass rushers in the first few weeks of the season. Porter is in a logjam at CB with Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace also vying for roles on the outside, meaning that Porter may be just a sub-package player to start as a rookie.
Washington is clearly this team’s TE2 behind Pat Freiermuth, and while he may contribute a lot as a run blocker in heavy packages, his snaps and opportunities in the passing game will be limited due to the number of weapons Pittsburgh has in its receiving corps.
Benton may not set the world on fire when it comes to sacks or tackles for loss, but he has a clear path to a starting job and can contribute outside of Pittsburgh’s base defense as a sub-package interior defender, similar to what Javon Hargrave did during his time with the Steelers.
The Steelers have done a better job getting their rookies onto the field than they have in the past. They need to continue that trend with Benton, who is ready to contribute right away. He should be able to push for 2-3 sacks as a rookie, which would be a feat for a Steelers rookie DL, although they will use him his rookie season unlike the way they did with former Steelers DL Stephon Tuitt. Given his position, role, skill set, and reasonable expectations, I would believe that it’s fair to project Keeanu Benton to be Pittsburgh’s most productive rookie this season.
