If you’re a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 draft class — the first one under GM Omar Khan — you’ve likely signed a contract extension this offseason with the Black and Gold.

Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, a second-round pick in 2023, became the latest Steeler to sign an extension last week, agreeing to a four-year, $72 million deal, keeping him in Pittsburgh through at least 2030.

For Benton, who appeared on the “Not Just Football” podcast with Cameron Heyward and new teammate Sebastian Joseph-Day, which published on YouTube Friday morning, the extension is still something he’s trying to wrap his mind around.

“I think it’s amazing. I never thought I’d be in this position, looking back at it when I got drafted here,” Benton said, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “But I’m just enjoying the whole process. I feel like you [Heyward] made it easier. Mike T[omlin] made it easier, my linebackers, Nick [Herbig] being here as well made it a lot easier just falling in love with the tradition of being a Steeler and just continuing to go with it.”

Drafted at No. 49 overall in 2023, Benton was viewed as a bit of a ‘tweener early on in his career. The Wisconsin product seemingly played out of position with the Steelers, landing at nose tackle as a rookie and sticking there. He had his ups and downs, flashing a lot of promise as a rookie, struggling in Year 2, and then getting off to a bad start in Year 3 before turning things around.

He put up a career-best 5.5 sacks last season and really started to establish himself as a key building block moving forward. Entering the offseason, the belief was Benton could get an extension, but then it largely seemed unlikely after Pittsburgh brought in a new coaching staff, and his role up front was in question with Yahya Black moving to nose tackle, bumping Benton out of the starting role in base defense.

After seeing best friend and outside linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington land extensions, and with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. still waiting for his deal, it seemed unlikely Benton would get a new contract.

Until he did.

“My offseason was crazy, I ain’t gonna lie to you. But it was a good building block for me to become the man I’m gonna become,” Benton said. “I got a son, so I’ve been spending a lot of time with him. Yeah. That’s been awesome. I’ve been chilling with my family, and then ultimately locking in. Nick got his deal, and like I said, the competition aspect, he got his deal done, and I’m waiting on my turn, so I just wanted to make sure I put it all out there and I wasn’t coming into this season saying that I missed anything or I coulda did anything more.

“So I feel like this offseason was ultimately about me locking in.”

He was locked in right from the jump in training camp, putting together a strong summer in Latrobe. In the process, the deal slowly came together behind the scenes, culminating in the extension news on Aug. 14.

Now, he’s locked in long term with the Steelers and gets to play in an enticing defense under first-year coordinator Patrick Graham. Benton has a history with Graham, as the latter was Benton’s head coach at the Senior Bowl ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

He’ll get to play all over the defensive line and should be able to tap into his talents a bit more on a defense that guys have described as freer this summer. He’ll get to show more growth there.

Heyward, the elder statesman of the defensive line room who took Benton under his wing as a rookie, is proud of the young player’s development culminating in a life-changing extension.

“What an awesome moment. I’m proud of you, of where you’ve been, but I’m even more excited where you’re going because I know you got a lot more football in front of you and we believe in you in the d-line room,” Heyward said. “So I’m just very thankful to be able to experience my guys getting paid because I’m proud of them.”

Benton now has to prove the extension was worth it with his play in 2026. There’s a lot of excitement around him. Now it’s time to show what he can do in this next chapter of his career.