The 2023 draft class is the gift that keeps on giving for the Steelers.
Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton is the third player with a new contract in as many months, following the path already walked by outside linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington.
"We kind of made a promise to our class that we're going to stay close and stay at it," Benton said Saturday once the transaction became official. "I feel like we had to hold each other accountable, and it just became contagious."
Benton — now signed through 2030 — represents another significant investment for the Steelers, who have been trying to replenish their defensive line depth for the past five years since the retirement of stalwart starter Stephon Tuitt. Cameron Heyward has been holding down the fort, but new foundational pillars are going up around him.
One of those is Benton, who's coming off a career-best 5.5 sacks, plus one in the postseason, and just turned 25 in July. Benton, a 6-foot-4, 309-pound native of Janesville, Wis., played his college ball at Wisconsin with Herbig and the two are as close as friends can be. Herbig was in the back of the room for Benton's news conference after practice.
"It's a dream come true. This is our seventh or eighth year playing together, consecutively," Benton said. "It means the world."
The Steelers had a relatively clean evaluation of Benton, thanks to the Badgers' defensive structure, and took him with the 49th pick. They already had Joey Porter Jr. in the fold in the second round that year, then grabbed a big body in Benton capable of playing nose tackle or as a sub-package interior rusher.
He's done both so far in Pittsburgh and this deal signals there's more on the horizon. Benton That versatility allows Benton to be an imposing rotational piece alongside Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black and others, whether you want to call him a "starter" or not. The depth chart lists Benton as a second-teamer, but the Steelers know he's a starter-caliber player at this level.
"I feel like I can play all over the D-line," Benton said. "Where I'm going to play, how much I'm going to play in each position is up to my coach. I'm ready for whatever."
Benton found ways to contribute his first two seasons, including six pass deflections and even an interception in 2024 against the Browns, but made major strides as a pass rusher last year. After recording just 1 sack each in his first and second campaign, Benton more than doubled that with his snap count increasing from 43% to 59% to 64% in 2025.
No one wants to put an expiration date on Heyward the way he continues to defy father time, but now there's an obvious teammate to take the torch when that day comes. That's what Steelers football is all about, particularly on the defensive side. It's passing the baton from generation to generation, never losing the qualities ingrained in that lineage.
Benton pursues the ball like Heyward, running and chasing no matter what happens off the snap. His 51 tackles last year were 15 more than both of his first two seasons. Benton also is coming off a career-high 12 quarterback hits, but he gets his hands up in passing lanes when he can't get all the way to the quarterback, another staple of Steelers defensive line play.
"Utilizing me in different places on the D-line, I think that's something I haven't had the opportunity to do as much to this point, but I have a feeling that's what I'm going to be doing this year," Benton said. "Moving around, being that Swiss army knife that can plug in left, right, middle — being in all those positions, and getting after the quarterback, for sure."
Much like nose tackles Javon Hargrave and Tyson Alualu before him, Benton has embraced the unsung nature of that position while doing more when he gets the opportunity. Now the Steelers have rewarded him with that sought-after second contract, and the second act for Benton and Herbig together is set to grow stronger, from Badgers to the Burgh.
Steelers fans will get to see Benton's signature club move for years to come. That's good news for Steeler Nation, but not so much for opposing guards and quarterbacks.
"His smile reflects the energy that he plays with," said head coach Mike McCarthy. "He's a big guy. His twitch, his athletic ability. I think there's definitely more there as far as the ceiling, so that's my personal opinion on him. I think there's a lot of football in front of him, too, so I think that's exciting."
