The Pittsburgh Steelers have only used two top three-round picks on the defensive line since drafting Javon Hargrave in 2016. And one of them was third-round pick DeMarvin Leal, who is a tweener player. Outside of Keeanu Benton, this is not an area in which the team has properly invested recently.
Listening to Steelers president Art Rooney II this week, it sounds as though they recognize that. In discussing the drop-off on defense late in the season, Rooney all but said that it’s time for change. Speaking with Bob Pompeani on KDKA, he sounded like someone ready to see something different.
“On the defensive line we probably need to get a little younger there”, Rooney said. He complimented Cameron Heyward, who returned from injury to have an All-Pro season, but recognized it as their outlier. “We’re fortunate to have him. But we may need to look to have some young blood on that defensive line this coming year”.
For a while, the Steelers had the best defensive line in the NFL with Heyward, Hargrave, and Stephon Tuitt. Each were top three-round home-grown draft picks between 2011 and 2016. But with that security, they didn’t keep the investment coming. Eventually, they allowed Hargrave to walk in free agency and never adequately replaced him.
The Steelers have hopes that Keeanu Benton can be their next Javon Hargrave, and he has the talent. Through his first two seasons, though, he hasn’t produced at that level. He shows great flashes of potential, but he is also inconsistent and can still get blown off the ball. Many have speculated that he would fit better as a defensive end, though with the amount of snaps the Steelers play in a 3-4 front, the point is largely moot.
Since they exited the playoffs early, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin is already on the scouting trail. According to our own reporting, he has paid special attention to the defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl. Given how the defensive front played down the stretch, that can hardly be a surprise.
While the Steelers hope to have Heyward and Benton for at least the next couple years, the rest of the room is a question mark. That goes particularly for Larry Ogunjobi, who is on the books for $7 million in 2025. He simply hasn’t played up to that level, so he could be a cap casualty in the coming months.
Behind Heyward and Benton, the Steelers have DeMarvin Leal, Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Dean Lowry, and Logan Lee. Lee was a sixth-round pick in a 2024 who missed his rookie season.
But what the Steelers need is a future stud who can contribute now. Heyward may have played at an All-Pro level in 2024, but it can’t last much longer. He is under contract for the next two seasons, and that might even be pushing it. They drafted Heyward while they still had Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel. It’s time to find the next Heyward.
