When the Pittsburgh Steelers chosen DL Keeanu Benton within the second spherical of the 2023 NFL draft, they have been trying so as to add an influence participant for the long run. Clearly, the Steelers had (and nonetheless have) Cam Heyward to steer the defensive position. However sadly, he received’t play endlessly. So that they knew they wanted to begin constructing for the long run.
They did their homework on Benton. Steelers scout (and former CB) Ike Taylor noticed him in particular person on the Senior Bowl and was impressed with how an enormous man just like the 6-4, 309-pound Benton may transfer. That helped make the choice to draft him within the second spherical, and early returns have been fairly good.
“Man, he’s an up-and-coming expertise,” veteran LB Elandon Roberts stated Thursday on the Christian Kuntz Podcast. “This man’s going to be vicious.. He’s a freak athlete, man. This man’s going to be good.”
The Steelers need Benton to be a disruptor in the midst of the defensive position for years to come back. That may be laborious towards a quarterback just like the New York Jets’ Aaron Rodgers. Benton solely acquired credited with one stress all night time final Sunday. However he disrupted issues otherwise.
Benton used all of his 6-4 body to knock down two passes towards the Jets. Professional Soccer Focus had him as its highest-graded Steelers participant within the recreation, thanks partially to these knockdowns, which might be much more disruptive than simply pressuring the quarterback.
However Benton is just a second-year participant, which is why Roberts used phrases like “going to be” when describing him. Benton has loads of potential however must unlock it.
Enter Cam Heyward.
“Keeanu can’t study from a greater particular person,” Roberts stated. “It’s no higher vet in a room from a d-line standpoint that I really feel like, as a result of I’ve been round loads of nice d-linemen, that Keeanu can study from higher than Cam Heyward.”
Heyward will go down as a Steelers legend when his profession is over. He’s performed in 201 regular-season video games for the Steelers on the time of writing. He has the second-most sacks by a Steelers defender (83.5), solely behind present teammate T.J. Watt.
So it’s straightforward to know why Roberts thinks there’s no higher participant for Keeanu Benton to study from than Cam Heyward. If Benton goes on to have something remotely resembling Heyward’s profession in Pittsburgh, that will probably be a hit.
And Roberts actually thinks Benton has the potential to be good for a very long time for the Steelers.
