said that he watched the draft with his parents before making the short drive down to the Steelers’ training facility where he held his press conference. And so, we feel really, really comfortable in terms of that.”Īfter he wasn’t picked in the first round like many had anticipated, Porter Jr. And that’s part of the process, seeing how the guys handle things…There wasn’t a bad word to be said about the young man. “I think he understood that right from the beginning and he handled it like a true professional, like what you want to see these guys do when they go through this process. “People were coming in to see him because he was a good player, not because of who his dad was,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said, according to the Steelers’ website. has displayed his own abilities this season, not allowing a single touchdown and conceding just one plus-15 yards play, according to Pro Football Focus.ĭuring his four seasons at Penn State, meanwhile, he has generated 114 tackles, defended 21 passes and won an interception in 35 games. Lowrance/Getty Images North America/Getty ImagesĪnd Porter Jr. He has the talent to play all over the defensive line as a pro.Joey Porter with his sons Joey Jr. Benton needs to play with consistent leverage and become a more consistent finisher for the NFL game, but his stout power base and above-average athleticism at his size are outstanding foundation traits. “His mediocre college production is a product of his role for the Badgers and his pass-rush potential boosts his draft grade (flashed promising rush potential during Senior Bowl practices). “With his push-the-pocket power, Benton consistently resets the line of scrimmage when his pad level is right and plays with the movement skills to get up and down the line of scrimmage,” Brugler wrote. While Heyward and Ogunjobi will continue to be the mainstays, there should be a greater opportunity to rotate players to keep them fresh. The Steelers have now significantly fortified their defensive front. Benton figures to be a rotational player early in his career and, possibly, the long-term replacement for Heyward down the line. The Steelers already have a number of established defensive linemen, most notably Cameron Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi, and they also have 2022 third-round pick DeMarvin Leal. He also lined up over the B-gap, which gives the Steelers some options in the short term and long term if they want to move Benton around and give him some snaps as three-technique or 4i. He played primarily as a nose in Wisconsin’s base 3-4 defense. If your front guys get hurt, you have to have someone ready to step up.”įrom a schematic standpoint, the transition to the NFL should be relatively seamless for Benton. “The games are won up front,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. There has been a concerted effort to bolster the trenches with quality depth. Pittsburgh also re-signed Larry Ogunjobi to a three-year deal. How he fitsīenton becomes the third new defensive lineman the Steelers have added since the end of the season, joining free-agent additions Breiden Fehoko and Armon Watts. Now, after upgrading the personnel, they should have an opportunity to perform even better in this area in a division in which stopping the run is paramount. Brugler wrote that he has “outstanding big-man balance and transitions well off blocks with powerful hands to mash centers into the backfield.” After finishing last against the run in 2021, the Steelers took strides in that area last season. IntroductionĪ four-year starter at Wisconsin, the 6-3, 309-pound Benton accumulated 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks in his career. Brugler’s fifth defensive tackle, Florida’s Gervon Dexter, went four picks after Benton. It’s worth noting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leapfrogged the Steelers to select offensive lineman Cody Mauch, so perhaps the Steelers were thinking about adding on the trenches - but on the opposite side - before the trade. The Athletic’s draft analyst, Dane Brugler, ranked Benton as the sixth-best defensive tackle in this year’s class and the 56th player. Steelers tracker: Follow every pick Big board ranking The Steelers’ offseason efforts to fortify the trenches continued on Friday, as they drafted Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton with the 49th pick.ĭraft grades: Scott Dochterman on Round 1 | Rounds 2-3īig board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300? Charles Henry Noll (Janu June 13, 2014) was an American professional football player, assistant coach and head coach. NFL Draft 2023 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
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