4 storylines at Steelers training camp, including George Pickens terrorizing rookies
By Hunter Haas
No. 4: Keeanu Benton drawing lofty Pro Bowl comparison at Steelers training camp
Keeanu Benton was a starting nose tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers the past few seasons. He is a bowling ball that wrecks opposing linemen from the interior. Benton utilizes exquisite leverage for a man of his size, consistently being the low man in the pile. This trait should immediately boost the Steelers’ run defense in 2023.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Benton is his untapped potential as a pass rusher. In college, he was primarily asked to eat up double teams and stuff gaps. But in the NFL, surrounded by the likes of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cameron Heyward, the rookie lineman could see more favorable matchups.
So far at training camp, Benton is turning heads. Teammate James Daniels, who has been tasked with blocking the new Steeler in practice, compared the first-year player to Packers’ Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The two possess similar builds, and it is fair to project Benton to match the sack production of Clark.
Will The Steelers Make A Deep Playoff Run In 2023?
It remains to be seen how far the Steelers will go if they qualify for the 2023 NFL playoffs, but they have the kind of roster capable of going on a run. It all boils down to a second-year leap from Kenny Pickett and continued improvement on the offensive line. It is time for Matt Canada to take the training wheels off.