The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of leaders on the defensive side of the ball, and none is bigger than defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. But Heyward is 36 years old, and there’s been a question of who along the defensive line can carry that leadership torch after he retires. Rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon may have provided a hint to that question in his media session today, as he singled out third-year defensive lineman Keeanu Benton as a player who’s helped him out as he goes through his NFL journey.
Harmon said the entire defensive line has been a big help as he acclimates to the NFL.
“All the way from Cam, all the way down to [Isaiahh Loudermilk] to [Keeanu Benton], been in the league for three years, just trying to learn from all those guys, ask all the questions I can, ’cause I don’t know what I don’t know,” Harmon said via Steelers Live on Twitter.
He said that players are “very” receptive to his questions and specifically noted that Benton has been a strong leader.
“He was just a rookie, so he know what I’m going through right now, what I’m thinking about, what I’m trying to expect, if I’m overthinking on certain things, little things,” Harmon said. “So he comes to me like ‘Hey little bro, you good? I was just doing what you doing, you good?’ He’s reassuring me and also coaching me up at the same time. So that means a lot to me.”
Benton’s entering his third year after the team took him in the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft, and while the Wisconsin product has experience now, it wasn’t that long ago that he was a rookie. As Harmon said, he understands what he’s going through as he adapts to the NFL during the first week of OTAs, since Benton was doing the same thing just two years ago.
Last season, Benton talked about trying to grow and become more of a leader, and he’s put that work into Harmon during OTAs.
Like Harmon has and will continue to do, Benton learned from a strong leader in Heyward, and he’s clearly taken on some of his leadership traits to help out the younger guys. There are a lot of expectations on Harmon as Pittsburgh’s first-round pick and potential successor to Heyward, and it can be tough dealing with the pressure while also trying to get his feet under him in his first real NFL experience. Benton has helped that process go smoother for Harmon, and it’s a good sign for a defensive line that’s trying to get back to being elite.
It’s also a good sign for the future of Pittsburgh’s defensive line if Keeanu Benton can continue to grow and be someone players look to as a leader.
