Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh finally opts to attack the trenches

Steelers mock draft round 4: NT Keeanu Benton

Here is the big space eater Steelers nation has been clamoring for. Keeanu Benton is a throwback nose tackle who can take up space and disrupt the run. He isn’t going to consistently generate pressure, but Benton can provide Pittsburgh with that true base nose tackle they have been lacking for the past few seasons.

Benton is a powerful player. While he will need to get some technique to go along with his strength, he can move people on a line with ease. He also has a knack for stopping the run, as he can take up space and punch through gaps to get after the back. Despite his lack of pass-rushing props, Benton actually has really violent hands which makes him hard to combat once the ball is snapped.

To be clear, Benton is a two-down player that offers next to nothing as a pass-rusher. While he may develop there, he will be labeled as a gapping one technique player in this draft. That will likely cause his stock to drop a little bit, but he can be a safe run-stopper for years to come.