Mike Tomlin isn’t exactly known as the type of coach who freely dispenses praise for young players. So when in answering the 58th question asked of him during his season-ending news conference last week, Tomlin didn’t restrain in extolling rookie Keeanu Benton, it opened eyes.
“I think he’s capable of being dominant,” Tomlin said, “sooner rather than later.”
But what might come as even more encouraging to Pittsburgh Steelers fans – to say nothing of Tomlin – in regards to Benton blossoming into a star is what Benton himself said about a rookie season of his that left so many so excited about his potential.
“My biggest takeaway,” Benton said of his first NFL season, “is there’s a lot of work to be done.”
If Tomlin wasn’t already thrilled at the future prospects for Benton – and he was – then how delighted must he be to hear that his prodigious young defensive tackle is humble and hungry headed into Year 2.
“I know I need to be better with my football IQ in general,” Benton said two days after the Steelers’ season ended with a playoff loss at Buffalo. “It’d gotten better as the season went on, but that’s probably still the biggest place I can grow. Not saying it’s the first time I have realized it, but I’m still getting to kind of know that football IQ stuff.
“This league, you have to keep learning. You can’t come into the NFL and think you know it all. It’s about taking every moment in and don’t take (anything) for granted, because in an instant it can be over.”
Not bad perspective from a player whom Pro Football Focus graded as the NFL’s third-best rookie defensive tackle, trailing only heavy defensive rookie of the year frontrunner Jalen Carter and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Kobie Turner.
Benton was graded second to only Carter in pass-rushing skills by a rookie defensive tackle, and he graded out better overall than any Steelers interior defensive lineman who made any starts in 2023.
Benton, for his part, made 10 starts (including the postseason), wresting the No. 1 spot on the nose tackle depth chart away from Montravius Adams late in the season after he had started in his place when Adams was out for three games because of injury.
“I’m really excited about the prospects of his future,” Tomlin said. “He’s really talented.”
Tomlin said he’d had a season exit interview with Benton on Thursday just before saying how dominant he believes Benton can be.
“And so, the question is how quickly can we make that happen and what are our roles in doing so,” Tomlin said.
The second of the Steelers’ two second-round picks last year at No. 49 overall, Benton finished the regular season with 36 tackles (16 solo, one for loss), one sack, two batted-down passes and two forced fumbles. He added five more tackles in the playoff loss at the Bills.
Per PFF, Benton also led Steelers defensive tackles in QB hits and was tied for third among rookie DTs with seven.
Benton said he never experienced the so-called “rookie wall.”
“People say it was gonna be the longest year of your life,” Benton said, “but I was having fun, so it went fast.”
The Steelers began 2023 with a defensive line anchored by three veterans in Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi and Adams. Adams is a free agent, and Heyward will be 35 in May. As such, the Steelers sure could use the “sooner rather than later” aspect of Tomlin’s “dominant” projection for the play of the 6-foot-4, 309-pound Benton as early as 2024.
Benton believes an offseason spent figuratively in the film room and immersed in the playbook gathering more knowledge is what he needs to take that next step.
“It’s not so much of a physical thing,” Benton said. “Physically, I feel like I am there. I have thrown guys around. Guys have thrown me around, too. It’s gonna be a battle, no matter how long you’re in the league. So it’s more the mental thing, just knowing what plays I can be hit with and not over-complicating or over-analyzing things in my mind. I know I can get better.”
