Though he was injured early in the 2023 season and missed six games, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward got the chance to sit back and watch some new faces step up defensively for the Black and Gold.
Now, ahead of his 14th season in the NFL, Heyward is excited to see a couple of young players take that next step and help the Steelers’ defense reach a new level.
During an appearance on the “Green Light Pod” with former NFL defensive end Chris Long, Heyward spotlighted defensive lineman Keeanu Benton and outside linebacker Nick Herbig as two young Steelers he’s most excited to watch in 2024.
“You look at Keeanu Benton and you look at Nick Herbig, my Wisconsin brothers. We got a lot of those dudes these days. To be a rookie and play d-line, I think Benton’s got a high ceiling,” Heyward said, according to video via the podcast’s YouTube page. “He uses his hands well. He’s able to move well. There are still things he’s getting used to but yeah, he’s ahead of the game. And then Herbig, he provides splash.
“It didn’t feel like there wasn’t a time he was in there, he wasn’t making a big play. Him learning from T.J. [Watt] is always gonna be big. You got T.J. and Alex [Highsmith]. So, to have a three-headed monster like that at the outside linebacker position is crazy in our league.”
High praise from Heyward, and rightfully so.
The two rookies out of Wisconsin burst onto the scene for the Steelers in 2023, providing them with more than serviceable snaps defensively, creating rather bright futures for themselves in the Steel City.
Benton, ironically, started to get consistent playing time due to Heyward’s groin injury that required surgery. Though he had some growing pains early on in his NFL career, Benton showed just how bright his future is throughout his rookie season. He played a total of 483 snaps defensively and finished with a 74.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which was just outside of the 15 highest-graded NFL rookies.
Benton also generated 22 pressures on the year and consistently flashed his impressive club/swim move that allowed him to win time and time again on the interior, stunning opposing offensive linemen with its speed and power. He also had an impressive bull rush, displaying the eye-opening power that was his calling card at Wisconsin.
Head coach Mike Tomlin stated that Benton can be a dominant force sooner rather than later, which is quite accurate. Heyward sees it, too. Benton is on the right track.
So is Herbig.
He came on strong in the preseason, looking like one of the better pass rushers in the NFL with great bend and burst and a real nose for the football. While there were some concerns about his size coming out of Wisconsin, concerns which I myself had and wondered if he should move to inside linebacker, Herbig showed that his size is not a deterrent and that his athleticism and flexibility are major traits to build off of as a true 3-4 outside linebacker.
Herbig saw just 191 snaps defensively for the Steelers, but he made the most of them. He recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles, including a key one on the road in Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks. He helped the Steelers extend their lead in that must-win game with a strip-sack of Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. All three sacks came on the road, too, and one of his forced fumbles occurred at home in the Week 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars when he stripped rookie running back Tank Bigsby. Herbig also played a vital role on special teams, playing 352 snaps under Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith.
Herbig has the makings of a very good No. 3 OLB behind Watt and Highsmith, creating that true three-headed monster that the Steelers can rotate and rely on moving forward.
Heyward, who turns 35 in May, is excited to see what the young players can do in 2024. So are the Steelers. The league should be rather worried about that.
