3 picks Steelers got right and 2 they will regret

The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the more eventful drafts in recent memory, and because of that, there aren’t a lot of things I can critique on this group. I usually like to post my initial redo and see how I would have done things had I been in charge, but the first two rounds were nearly perfect and the rest of the class wasn’t bad either.

I do want to take some time to highlight three players the Steelers got right in the draft as well as two picks they are going to regret. To be clear, saying they got a pick right means, to me, that the player is going to be impactful right away, fits what this team wants to focus on, or addressed an obvious need (or some combination of the three). Picks that they regret don’t necessarily mean bust, but the process and potential fit are suspect at best.

With that, all said, here are three picks the Steelers got right and two that they are going to regret.

Steelers got the Keeanu Benton pick right

I have said it before, but there is no player from the 2023 Steelers draft class in a better position to succeed right away than Keeanu Benton. The former Badger has an instant role on defense as a nose tackle and has the size and potential to eventually move elsewhere along the line. He plays with a lot of power and has some developmental upside as a pass rusher.

Usually, I would be against using a first or second-round pick on a pure nose tackle, as that type of player will only play “two downs” and will only be effective on 30 percent of the defensive snaps. Benton is no average nose tackle though, as he can penetrate quickly and put pressure on quarterbacks in the passing game.

Benton will more than likely be that two-down player right away, and as he progresses as a professional, he can earn more snaps. Long-term, he could very well end up as either of the starting defensive ends for this team. He may never be a stat monster, but he will be a steady contributor that can play both the run and pass. The Steelers got a great fit for this defense in the second round.