Coming out of the 2023 playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke glowingly of nose tackle Keeanu Benton, stating after a strong rookie season that he could be a dominant player sooner rather than later for the Black and Gold.
On Wednesday, after the players reported to training camp in Latrobe, Tomlin reiterated his thoughts regarding Benton.
In his media session Wednesday following the conditioning test, Tomlin made it quite clear that he is expecting “big things” from Benton in Year 2.
“Big things. Big things,” Tomlin stated when asked what expectations are for Benton, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “…He can grow in all areas. …He’s a talented young guy with tremendous upside and room for growth in all areas.”
Throughout the offseason, Benton has generated quite a bit of attention ahead of his second season.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah made waves, stating that Benton is a name to remember for the 2024 season because of the great things he showed as a rookie.
Even defensive line coach Karl Dunbar spoke highly of the second-year product, stating that he’s found his professional body ahead of his second season, which is a scary development for opposing offensive linemen.
As a rookie, Benton flashed great power and speed on the inside, showcasing an intriguing pass-rush arsenal that included an impressive club/swim move that allowed him to win time and time again on the interior. He also had an impressive bull rush, displaying the eye-opening power that was his calling card at Wisconsin.
Benton generated 22 pressures on the year for the Steelers in a limited role.
While he struggled as a run defender adjusting to the power on the interior, he was considered a ready-made run defender coming out of college and should be much improved there.
The sky is the limit for Benton, which has many excited about what’s to come in Year Two in the Black and Gold. If he takes the next step in 2024, look out. As the Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski stated last week before training camp, Benton has the ability to be the best player on the Steelers in a few years.
