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 Steelers officially acknowledged the rookie second-round pick’s ascent recently when they moved him up to the group of starters on the depth chart. The young defensive lineman has been a positive contributor from the start of the season and shows signs of being a potential difference-maker in the future.
We might as well acknowledge it at some point. After taking on a larger role during DL Montravius Adams’ absence due to injury, the Steelers updated their official depth chart to reflect the fact that rookie Keeanu Benton is now a starter.
It had been some time coming, and he now makes three rookie starters, with first-round pick Broderick Jones at right tackle and second-rounder Joey Porter Jr. starting at cornerback. TE Darnell Washington has also played a big role, while OLB Nick Herbig is effective in his contributions when he gets the opportunity.
Benton, however, has probably been the most consistent rookie the Steelers have had this year, and perhaps for some time. It’s not often that a rookie just comes in and maintains a consistent level of performance throughout his entire rookie season. Jones and Porter have certainly had their ups and downs.
With 385 snaps played on the year, or 43 percent, Benton is up to 31 tackles on the season. While he is still stuck on just the one sack he has had since the game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he has been a force off the line of scrimmage. Just ask the interior offensive linemen he has gone against.
He also has two forced fumbles and two batted passes, which show that he knows how to play beyond the trenches. He has the awareness to get his hands up when his rush is not going to get home, and he is willing to chase down plays when all else fails, and that is required of him.
Benton was one of the most “Steelers” draft picks in a while, and he is one of the players I successfully mocked to them this year—the only one I got in exactly the right spot, as well. It’s refreshing to see through a scouting process from start to finish and to get such immediate positive tangible results.
