As far as NFL debuts in Week One of the preseason goes, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better showing than the one that Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Keeanu Benton put on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Friday night.
Benton, a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, played 28 snaps and was impressive overall. It was just one showing, but there’s a lot to love with what Benton showed, especially against the run. We’ll see if that earns him more opportunities with the first-team defense, but it was quite the debut.
Benton flashed his skills as a run-plugging defensive tackle, showing off great athleticism and explosion on the interior. He even had some pass rush chops that he broke out in the preseason opener, making for a very good night in the Steelers’ 27-17 win.
Pro Football Focus’ JT Bonomo believes that Benton deserves more playing time in the preseason, highlighting him as one of five players coming out of the first week of the preseason that earned more playing time.
“Benton fell to the 49th pick in the 2023 draft, and it’s already hard to see why after his first appearance. The rookie created two pressures on 16 pass-rushing snaps and looked very impressive in the run game,” Bonomo writes. “It wasn’t perfect, and there were a couple of run plays where he was moved off of his spot quite a bit, but the flashes were evident, as he finished with three tackles for loss or no gain. He ended the game with a 74.0 PFF grade and played with a high motor — an excellent way to get Mike Tomlin’s attention. It’s not going to be perfect, but first-year GM Omar Kahn might have found a gem.”
If there’s one thing that we know Benton will provide in Year One, it’s size and the ability to be a presence in the trenches. Even as a rookie, Benton is the heaviest of any Steelers defensive player on the roster. The 6-foot-4, 309-pounder was highly regarded out of college as one of the most powerful and effective run stuffers in the nation, and the Steelers knew what they were getting when they drafted him.
Against Tampa Bay, Benton was a force against the run on the interior. He gave Tampa Bay center Ron Hainsey and guard Cody Mauch a handful throughout the game, making a couple of plays at or behind the line of scrimmage, as Bonomo points out. That included helping blow up a fourth-and-1 run play near midfield in the first half.
Benton’s power was on display throughout the game, and he showed off some impressive short-area burst to win off the ball, creating leverage against the offensive linemen.
It was just one showing, but it was an impressive one for Benton. He drew rave reviews from Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward, and there’s a good chance he’ll get more run against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. He keeps up the strong performances, it’s likely he’ll force his way onto the field quickly in the regular season, too.
