Steelers reinforce D- line in 2nd round, take Wisconsin's Keeanu Benton

Based on his initial conversation with coach Mike Tomlin, defensive lineman Keeanu Benton plans to bring a hockey mentality to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“The main thing I had taken away from it is he wants goons out there,” Benton said Friday night after being drafted in the second round. “He wants somebody to come out there and not be afraid to get their nose dirty.

“I’m not afraid to be that guy.”

In their quest to find a lineman who plays with a nasty streak, the Steelers found Benton with the No. 49 overall selection, their second pick of the round.

Benton is a 6-foot-4, 309-pound defensive tackle who started 36 games over four years at Wisconsin, the school that produced 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt and backup lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk in recent seasons.

“There are some good football players there,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “When you look at a lot of guys, they kind of fit the Steelers mold. Tough, hard-nosed, blue-collar guys. You know what you’re getting when you get a guy from that school.”

Benton is the highest-drafted defensive lineman by the Steelers since Stephon Tuitt went No. 46 overall in 2014. Along with 2022 third-round pick DeMarvin Leal, Benton is part of a wave of younger players the Steelers have drafted to reinforce and aging defensive line.

Austin said the Steelers initially will use Benton inside on the defensive line, likely at nose tackle — a spot manned by Tyson Alualu and Montravius Adams last year. But Austin also didn’t want to pigeonhole Benton to just one position.

“He’s a big body, but he’s not a two-down guy,” Austin said. “He’ll get a chance to move outside and play on third down.”

Benton was put to the test when he arrived at Wisconsin and started six games at nose tackle as a freshman. After starting five more games in covid-shortened 2020, he logged 13 and 12 starts in his final two seasons in Madison.

He punctuated his college career with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks as a senior.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of strengths,” Benton said. “I think my run game is the thing people mainly see. At Pittsburgh, I can develop into a great pass rusher, take notes from coach (Karl) Dunbar and Cam Heyward.”

Benton took an official top-30 visit with the Steelers on April 3. By then, he already knew he was on the Steelers’ radar.

The Steelers scouted Benton every step of the way in the offseason. Austin said outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin and secondary coach Grady Brown filed favorable reports from the Senior Bowl. Benton said he met with Steelers scouts when he was pondering leaving Wisconsin after his junior year.

“I did have a little bit of an idea,” Benton said when asked whether he thought the Steelers might take him. “I felt like it was a place for me and a place where I could feel comfortable. … I think this is a place where I can develop my game and be ready to take off in the NFL.”