When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the hope was that he could contribute right away in Pittsburgh’s base defense as a nose tackle and eventually work himself into more sub packages, getting an opportunity to expand his skills as a pass rusher.
That’s the blueprint that DC Teryl Austin laid out for Benton in the post-pick press conference, stating that Pittsburgh was counting on him to come in and be a run stuffer to start and develop into a quality pass rusher. Well, Benton has done just that through training camp and three preseason games, grading out as the top rookie defensive lineman against the run in preseason play according to Pro Football Focus.