ESPN’s Bill Barnwell just dropped his NFL trade value guide, and it’s got some wild numbers, especially with blockbuster trades flying around the league recently. We’ve seen superstars like Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, A.J. Brown, and Dexter Lawrence get shipped off for multiple first-round picks just in the last few months. Unsurprisingly, top-tier quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are sitting at a whopping seven first-round picks in value. But what’s really turning heads are two former Wisconsin Badgers on the Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and edge rusher Nick Herbig, who are both deemed to be worth at least one first-round pick in a trade. Seriously, these guys are showing out.
Keeanu Benton: The Unsung Anchor Worth a Fortune
Let’s talk about Keeanu Benton first. This dude, a second-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, just had the best year of his career in 2025. He racked up 51 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and even forced a fumble. When you dive into the PFF numbers, it gets even crazier: Benton recorded a career-high 33 pressures last season. Plus, his 33 stops were third on the Steelers, right behind Cameron Heyward (43) and Patrick Queen (34). He’s become absolutely essential to that Steelers defense, and the man is durable too, which is huge in the trenches. Playing a premium position like defensive tackle, it makes total sense why he’s considered a first-round pick in trade value. That’s big-time recognition for a guy who just keeps getting better.
Nick Herbig: A $100 Million Man Proving His Worth
Then there’s Nick Herbig, who just cashed in this offseason with a massive four-year, $100 million extension! Talk about a payday! This came right after a monster 2025 campaign where he piled up 30 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Herbig played a career-high 60 percent of the defensive snaps, showing how much the Steelers trust him, and he was absolutely lights out as a pass rusher. PFF credited him with 48 pressures and a team-high 17.1 percent pass-rush win rate, which exploded to 22.4 percent in true passing sets. He was even Pittsburgh’s highest-graded defender by PFF in 2025. You don’t get that kind of contract without earning it, and Herbig definitely did.
Now, even a future Hall of Famer like T.J. Watt got a mention in the “Missing Out” group. Barnwell noted that after a 19-sack season in 2023, Watt only has 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons combined. Plus, he’s expensive and turns 32 in October, making him a piece only a few Super Bowl-contending teams might consider, and at a lower price tag, much like when Von Miller fetched only second- and third-round picks. So, while Watt is a legend, the high value placed on Benton and Herbig just highlights how crucial these younger guys are becoming to the league, and what teams are willing to pay, whether it’s through trades or huge contracts, to get that kind of impact. These two former Badgers are setting the bar high for defensive talent!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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