At the beginning of the year, it may have been frustrating to see the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookies spend more time on the bench than they did on the field. They were playing but snaps were hard to come by. CB Joey Porter Jr. only worked in dime packages. And NT Keeanu Benton was a rotational player logging about 20 snaps per game.
Fast forward to midseason and that’s all changed. Porter is a starter. First-round OT Broderick Jones isn’t giving up his right tackle spot. And Benton has played more snaps the last two weeks than he has in any game all season, a role that’s unlikely to be rolled back the rest of the season.
For DC Teryl Austin, slow-playing those snaps helped Benton learn what he needed to learn. Now, he’s showing why the Steelers took him in the top 50 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“He’s really sharp for a young guy,” Austin said in audio provided by the team. “He’s really strong, he’s really flexible in the hips. You watch him explode on people and get rid of blocks, hands. He’s got all the tools you need to be a really dominant defensive lineman. And that’s what impresses me.
“You tack on the fact that he’s sharp and he understands things. It helps his growth. And I think that’s part of the reason probably why he’s growing and and accelerating in his development.
Some of that playing time increase has been out of necessity. Benton was still working as a backup until Week Nine when starting nose tackle Montravius Adams went down with an ankle injury, leaving after the second snap of the game. Benton finished things out and played well, making a bigger impact than the two tackles on the box score would indicate. He had two pressures, including one up the interior that led to EDGE rusher Alex Highsmith sacking Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis.
Over his last two games, Benton has eight tackles and four pressures. Based on our charting, he leads all Steelers defensive linemen with 12 pressures. And his 12.5 snaps per pressure is also best among the defensive line, showing he’s efficient at getting after the quarterback. It doesn’t always translate to sacks — Benton has just one on the season — but it’s collapsing the pocket and pushing quarterbacks into T.J. Watt and Highsmith’s arms.
“He has a better understanding of what we’re trying to do,” Austin said of Benton. “Techniques that are involved. He’s just continued to grow as a football player. It’s good to see. It’s nice to see.”
Though Adams figures to return at some point, potentially this week, Benton should keep his starting job. Adams has had a nice season but Benton is the future. He’s strong, athletic, fluid, plays with a hot motor, and his game is improving, especially against the run. If he adds a bull rush to his game to complement his club/swim, he’ll become the next great Steelers’ defensive lineman. And Pittsburgh might end up having a special rookie class.
