Player draft positions are often scrutinized long after they are initially picked. Many often look back and see players selected later that end up outperforming their slot, and look at where they should have been drafted based on their NFL success. The latest re-draft has an underrated Pittsburgh Steelers player jumping up into the first round.
These exercises are fun to do and show time and time again that the NFL draft can be much like bobbing for apples. Sometimes you come up with the best apple in the barrel, and sometimes, you come up empty.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their fair share of draft mishaps recently, like selecting Kenny Pickett in the first round or trading all the way up to get Devin Bush. These players did not work out long term, and it's easy to look back and say they should not have been taken after we see what they do in the league.
On the flip side, the Steelers have gotten some good later-round values in recent drafts, like Zach Frazier and Joey Porter Jr. in the second or Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig in the third and fourth rounds.
With any draft blunder, hindsight is always 20/20. If teams could see into the future, the draft would be much more successful.
Bleacher Report used that hindsight to re-draft a current Steelers player to the Dallas Cowboys. It was a defensive line swap for the Cowboys.
Pittsburgh Steelers DT Keeanu Benton selected to the Dallas Cowboys in Bleacher Report re-draft
The premise of the article was to re-draft each team's worst pick in the last five years. Bleacher Report chose to have Dallas take Benton over their original selection of Mazi Smith in the 2023 draft.
Benton was selected 23 picks after Smith in the draft. He has outperformed Smith on the field, especially as a pass rusher.
It is easy to see why Benton was chosen to take the place of Smith in the redraft. Benton has become an integral part of the Steelers' defensive line, while Smith may struggle to keep his starting position in Dallas.
Benton is in a position to have a big third season for the Steelers with opposing offensive lines having to contend with Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith, T.J. Watt, and new rookie Derrick Harmon, among others, on the defensive front in addition to himself.
It is safe to say the Steelers are happy with their decision to draft Keeanu Benton in the second round of the 2023 draft, and he's already looking like a potential steal.