5 players to watch as Steelers report to training camp
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From the first training-camp practice Thursday, the eyes of Steelers Nation will be fixated on Kenny Pickett. After all, the former Pitt star is taking to the Saint Vincent fields as the Steelers’ starting quarterback for the first time.
High-profile rookies Broderick Jones and Joey Porter Jr. have — and will — get more than their fair share of attention in Unity Township over the coming weeks, too. After all, each was drafted among the first 32 picks, and the latter is the son of a popular former Steelers star.
So for the purposes of listing “players to watch,” let’s eliminate the three most obvious. Even under that criteria, there is no shortage of intriguing rookies or veterans Steelers fans might want to keep their eye on if they visit one of the 16 open practices at Chuck Noll Field. Here are five of the most prominent:
1. Keeanu Benton
Did you know that over the eight drafts leading into this spring, the Steelers had made only seven picks higher than No. 49 overall in any one of them? That’s the slot that Benton, a defensive tackle, was taken. When the Steelers took Chase Claypool with the 49th pick in 2020, he was their big-name rookie garnering attention. This year, Benton has spent his first three months as a Steeler in relative anonymity in large part because he was the third pick the Steelers made.
But Benton potentially can have a similar rookie impact as Claypool, who had 11 touchdowns in 2020. Coach Mike Tomlin repeatedly has remarked how Wisconsin defensive players are most adept at sliding right into the Steelers’ scheme. Benton is getting reps at nose tackle, which means he has the clearest path to being a “starter” on the defensive line.
A four-year college starter on some stout Big Ten defenses, Benton has NFL-caliber size and strength. It’s difficult to evaluate interior linemen during “football in shorts,” but once the pads go on, Benton could begin to make his mark.
If your team needs a nose that can also hit quarterbacks a lot (cough cough Buffalo), may I interest you in one Keeanu Benton? pic.twitter.com/CrCJfXD5HU
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) March 7, 2023
2. Cole Holcomb
A four-year starter for Washington, Holcomb joined fellow veteran Elandon Roberts as the centerpiece of the Steelers’ offseason makeover of their inside linebackers corps.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, Holcomb was not a full participant in organized team activities and minicamp during the period he could begin to assimilate with his new teammates and new scheme. Holcomb had season-ending foot surgery and was taking a slow and cautious approach in his recovery.
Holcomb assured, “Don’t worry. I will be ready. I will be ready for camp.” But seeing him as part of the first-team defense for the first “seven shots” rep to open Thursday’s first camp practice sure would offer a sigh of relief for Steelers fans. And even if Holcomb is healthy, he is certainly a player to note in how he is fitting in at the center of the defense.
3. Nick Herbig
Another Wisconsin defender drafted by the Steelers, Herbig is the latest young addition to the franchise’s glamour position of outside linebacker. A fourth-round pick, Herbig shouldn’t necessarily be depended on to make an immediate impact, and that’s OK, what with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith handling the lion’s share of the work at the position.
Herbig was highly productive in college (20 sacks the past two seasons), and he definitely looks the part in “football in shorts.” But the knocks on Herbig (listed at 6-2, 240) were size/strength concerns. Once the pads come on, it will be interesting to see if his pass-rush moves can work against the bigger and stronger NFL tackles.
4. Patrick Peterson
One of the NFL’s brightest defensive stars over the past decade-plus, Peterson is no longer an All-Pro at age 33, but he still packs the gravitas among his teammates and coaches. At Saint Vincent, fans will get their first in-person opportunity to see the future Hall of Famer ply his trade in a Steelers uniform.
But following Peterson during camp will be about more than sentimentality. It will be instructive to see where he is playing. An outside cornerback by trade, Peterson was taking plenty of reps at nickel/slot during OTAs and minicamp. He has been open about his willingness to play safety as he embarks on his 13th season, too.
#CFB's Top 5 Fastest Ball Carriers from Week 11
3️⃣ SDSU RB Jordan Byrd (@jordanbyrd28) 21.2 mph????@AztecFB | #AztecFootball100 pic.twitter.com/jO7tW5S95j
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) November 16, 2022
5. Jordan Byrd
An undrafted rookie who is one of the smallest players on the roster, Byrd is certainly under the proverbial radar. He also has scant chance at making an impact at his listed primary position (wide receiver).
But Byrd, a former running back at San Diego State, has one particular skillset that could give him a shot to make the team and raise the eyebrows of fans who watch him. Byrd (5-9, 170) was a three-time all-Mountain West Conference honoree as a return man: in 2021 for kickoff and punt return work. He had four special-teams touchdowns off returns over his final three college seasons.
That doesn’t happen by accident. Seeing Byrd’s moves on exciting return-like plays — and if they translate to the NFL — is worth watching.
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