Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season is getting underway after the team finished above .500 but failing to make the postseason last year, we turn our attention to the next chapter of Steelers football and everything that entails. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on more specific contexts as we get into the season, reflecting more immediate plusses and minus rather than trends over long periods. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: DL Keeanu Benton
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The rookie defensive lineman is coming off of a strong preseason debut. Though he left the game with a minor ankle injury, he returned to full padded practice yesterday after missing a limited amount of time and seems set to play Saturday.
Although I successfully predicted four players the Steelers would ultimately go on to draft this year, 49th-overall selection Keeanu Benton is the only one I got in the exact right spot (which tends to happen when teams make trades).
So far, the rookie defensive lineman out of Wisconsin is looking like he will live up to his draft status. He has been impressing ever since the Steelers donned the pads in training camp especially, and he continued that in the preseason opener.
Josh Carney reviewed his play and came away impressed, calling it a “sparkling performance” while working with the second-team defense against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—who admittedly started out with their B team.
One thing that was particularly impressive was his quick work at the snap, both in his get-off and in his skilled hand usage to rid himself of a blocker. He displayed effectiveness not just against the run but as a pass rusher as well. He also showcased the capability of playing either as a two-gapper or a penetrator, with the skill to do either depending on what the situation calls for.
It is still early, but it feels increasingly likely that Benton is going to play early and play substantially. He may well win the starting nose tackle job, as Javon Hargrave did as a third-round rookie back in 2016. That is even more likely if Breiden Fehoko and Armon Watts can help push Montravius Adams, the incumbent starter, off the roster.
As mentioned above, Benton did have to leave the game with an ankle injury, but he did not miss much practice time. He was already back out on the field yesterday in full pads and seemingly well on his way to participating in Saturday’s important second preseason game.
