Cam Heyward still one of the NFL’s top defensive linemen according to PFF
As the 2025 NFL offseason progresses into the summer months, there will constantly be a barrage of lists and rankings from various outlets. While some fans will have preferred places where they look for particular rankings, others will just avoid the information altogether.
Over the next two weeks, I will be reporting on the members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who landed in the top 32 players at various positions according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). I know there are many who like to criticize PFF rankings, with me being one of them, it doesn’t mean that their information is always incorrect. While they used rankings for some of their reasoning in placing the players on these list, it was not their ultimate deciding factor and instead was the opinion of the various authors depending on which position group was being covered.
Whenever I cover various things from PFF, I often give the disclaimer reminding people that their grades are merely an opinion. One thing PFF should be commended on is that they collect an immense amount of data, particularly looking at each player on every snap, in order to form their opinion. But more data doesn’t automatically deliver a correct opinion. Regardless, it is still a great point of discussion to see where the Pittsburgh Steelers rank and the various positional groups.
Next up, let’s look at PFF’s rankings at the interior defensive line position where the Steelers only have two players in the top 32.
3. CAM HEYWARD, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Even at 35 years old, Heyward was stellar in 2024. His 90.1 single-season PFF overall grade ranked second only to Chris Jones. His 85.9 PFF pass-rush grade was the best mark of his career, too.
Many Steelers fans are willing to admit when they get things wrong, especially when it means the team is better for it. A large number of fans who opposed giving a contract extension to Cam Heyward during the 2024 offseason have expressed how happy they are that they were incorrect. Showing that he was not anywhere close to healthy in 2023, Heyward added another extremely strong season in 2024. According to PFF, they expect Heyward to keep it up this coming season.
Coming in third on the list, Heyward was only behind Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs and Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants. Heyward actually graded slightly higher than Lawrence last offseason, but comes in behind him on the list mainly because Lawrence missed the time last year and is eight years younger.
But Howard was not the only member of the Steelers to make the top 32 interior defensive linemen…
31. KEEANU BENTON, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Benton’s 69.5 PFF overall grade in 2024 placed 36th among interior defenders. He put together three games with 85.0-plus PFF overall grades. While his 76.8 PFF pass-rush grade was slightly lower than that of his rookie season, he recorded nearly the same number of pressures (23 compared to 24).
Despite having very similar statistics to his rookie season, Keeanu Benton lands on the list as many realize that he stepped up his game in 2024 in taking on a role that doesn’t always produce statistics. It’s also quite interesting to see the Steelers put two players on this list when there was only one other player from the AFC North. Nnamdi Madubuike of the Baltimore Ravens landed 12th on the list while neither the Cincinnati Bengals or Cleveland Browns had anyone crack the top 32.
With both Heyward and Benton set for a quality year in 2025, plus the addition of first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon getting into the mix, the Steelers defensive line is looking to be a big strength this season.
Other position groups covered:
