The Pittsburgh Steelers have wrapped up their 2025 NFL Draft with a total of seven selections. Their final selection Donte Kent, a cornerback out of Central Michigan, provides them an experienced option in their secondary with good athleticism and a versatile skill set.
CMU Athletics / Mac Mayhew
Steelers CB Donte Kent during his days with CMU.
Kent is a Pennsylvania native that is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that spent all five college years at Central Michigan. He was a team captain and four-year starter for the Chippewas, providing the team with high quality play on the back end of their defense with his exceptional speed.
Speaking with the local media following the Steelers selecting him at 229th overall, Kent discussed his versatility both on the defensive side of the ball and on special teams. Throughout his career at Kent, he played both on the perimeter and in the slot as a cornerback, but this past season, he spent more time in the slot than on the outside.
Donte Kent said he played a lot of nickel last year and has a lot of versatility. With 4.38 speed, he also has experience as a return man and gunner.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) April 26, 2025
Given Kent's size, 5'10" and weighing 189lbs, that will likely push the Steelers to give him a look in the slot early in his career. Having experience on the outside, there will be options for Kent if he proves his skill set translates better to one or the other.
While he doesn't have ideal size, Kent is a willing tackler in the run game. Being able to play the run as a cornerback is a requirement from the Steelers coaching staff. His speed is also one of his strengths, as he showed the ability to quickly close on wide receivers with the ball in the air. Kent proved the tape matches his athleticism as he ran a 4.38 second 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process.
The versatility Kent shows on defense is obviously a plus, but early in his career, it will be an uphill battle to make the rotation within the Steelers' defense. However, Kent also has experience on special teams and has good versatility there as well.
CMU Athletics / Mac Mayhew
Steelers' Donte Kent.
Kent became the Chippewas' primary punt returner in 2024, and performed well there averaging 13.6 yards per return and had one touchdown in 16 returns. His ability as a returner wasn't the only contribution he made on special teams however, as he also operated as a gunner throughout his college career as well.
Carving out a role on special teams will be the easiest way for Kent to earn himself a roster spot potentially as a rookie, but the Steelers have turned over a new leaf in recent years with more rookies playing on offense or defense than they have historically. Kent's speed and ability to get his hands on the football, having 46 pass deflections while at Central Michigan, will be the traits he will need to lean on to see the field on defense.
Whether Kent ends up making the 53-man roster in the fall or not, it is clear that the Steelers value his versatility on both the defensive side of the ball and special teams. Having a large amount of experience and a team leader should bode well for his chances as well.
Steelers Had Clear Focus On One Conference For Most Of The 2025 NFL Draft
It isn't a secret that the Steelers tend to focus on power conferences for most of their draft selections, especially their early ones. However, for the 2025 NFL Draft, they appear to have a big focus on one conference in particular. Likely just a coincidence, the Steelers' first six selections in this year's draft were all from the Big Ten.
Perry Knotts / Associated Press
The Pittsburgh Steelers select DL Derrick Harmon out of the University of Oregon with the 21st choice in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Targeting the Big Ten makes sense for the Steelers, as the majority of the conference plays a brand of football similar to the way the Steelers try to model themselves as well. Physicality, tough defense, and a strong run game has been what the Steelers usually try to hang their hat on, although that hasn't been particularly successful in recent seasons. The Big Ten largely follows that same gameplan, and the majority of the teams also have to endure similar climate to Pittsburgh as well, so there are a lot of similarities which would explain the Steelers' focus on the Big Ten.
Do you think Kent's versatility improves his chances of making the team? Let us know in the comments below.
#SteelerNation
