Steelers Now
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons believes his former teammate at Harrisburg High School, Donte Kent, will turn heads this season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Parsons and Kent have been working out together this offseason.
“Everyone always knew Lil Kent [Donte Kent],” Parsons told Nick Farabaugh of PennLive at his youth camp at Harrisburg High School on Tuesday. “He was always ferocious, bro… He’s going to be really ready. I am excited to see where he is at and I kind of gave him some tips. Especially as a seventh-rounder. He’s got a lot to prove, but I think his hunger, his drive, is going to show why he’s going to make that roster.”
Parsons thinks Kent is in good hands with Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh. Parsons has been on record that Tomlin is one of his favorite coaches in the NFL.
“Tomlin’s one of my favorite people in the world as a coach, in that coach space. He’s blessed to be with a guy like that. He really loves football,” Parsons said.
On the latest episode of The Standard, Steelers general manager Omar Khan revealed that the team has high expectations for seventh-round cornerback Donte Kent. They expect Kent to make an impact right from the get-go.
“Donte [Kent], we spent a significant amount of time studying his film, looking at his production — not only on the defensive side, but also on special teams,” Khan said. “And the more we watched him, the more excited we got about him. Solid character. Again, another guy who’s got a really good opportunity, and we expect him to contribute sooner rather than later.”
Kent is looking to make his mark with the team. At OTAs, he’s primarily played in the nickel.
“Most of my time is in the nickel right now,” Kent said. “I think I can play inside or outside, but I feel comfortable in (the nickel). We’ll see where it goes.”
The Steelers selected Kent with their second pick in the seventh round, No. 229 overall, in the 2025 NFL Draft. A four-year starter at Central Michigan and three-time All-MAC honoree, Kent brings intrigue as a developmental prospect with notable athletic traits.
“I just have a dawg mentality,” Kent said about his ball-hawk traits. “That ball is my ball. My mindset is I’m going to go make a play on the football every pass thrown my way.”
Kent’s brother, Desmond, played at Robert Morris, while his other brother, Ronald, is in the Canadian Football League on the British Columbia Lions. Kent, who’s the youngest child on his mom’s side, credits his brothers for making him tougher.
“I’m the baby on my mom’s side. I have three older brothers. In my opinion, they all could play professional football. It just ain’t work out that way for everybody. It’s been a competitive household whether we’re playing Madden, playing football out on the street, wrestling in the house. Whatever we’re doing, it’s always been competitive. And me being the baby, they...
