📄: Seventh Round: Donte Kent | 📸: Kent in pictures | 📺: Pick Announcement | 📃: How Kent fits with the Steelers | 📃: What to like about Kent | 📺: Tomlin calls Kent | 📺: Welcome to Pittsburgh
The Steelers selected Central Michigan cornerback/punt returner Donte Kent in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the 229th overall pick.
"It's hard to explain. I am just happy. I am a Pa. baby, and I feel like Pa. babies stay in Pa.," said Kent, who is from Harrisburg, Pa. "That's an exciting moment for me, to go play for the Steelers.
"But my emotions were through the roof throughout this whole draft. Just keeping God first. Staying positive. It all paid off. And I am so excited."
Kent appeared in 53 games for Central Michigan, starting 48, and finished with 235 career tackles, 171 of them solo stops. He had 47 passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, four and a half tackles for a loss, and one and a half sacks.
Kent said he is comfortable playing in the slot or outside, doing whatever is asked of him.
"I feel like I can do both," said Kent. "I am a versatile player. I can play the nickel position. I can play the cornerback position. I am a football player that can return punts. I can come in and be a core special teams player. You can throw me back deep as a kick returner as well.
"I want to come in and do whatever I can to contribute to the team in a positive way."
He also returned 16 punts for 217 yards, including a long of 68 yards, and one touchdown, all during the 2024 season.
Kent was named All-Mid-American Conference three times, including first team in 2022 and second team in 2023 and 2024.
Kent said he didn't have a lot of contact with the Steelers during the pre-draft process, but did say he believes Coach Mike Tomlin saw him as far back as the Big 33 high school game between stars from Pennsylvania and Maryland.
"I think it was my versatility," said Kent of what he thinks caught the Steelers attention. "Just being able to play different positions at a high level.
"I think that's really what caught their attention."
Full College Bio:
CAREER
Three-time All-Mid-American Conference honoree (First Team in 2022, Second Team in 2023, Second Team in 2024) … four-year starter who started 48 career games at cornerback … concluded his career by starting his last 15 consecutive games … preseason national award nominee (Thorpe Award in 2024 and Nagurski Award in 2023) … named a Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America team honoree in 2021 … in five-year, 53-game career, made 234 tackles (171 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sack, two interceptions, 47 pass breakups, 49 passes defended, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a blocked kick … as a punt returner as a senior, averaged 13.6 yards per punt return (16-217) with a long return and touchdown of 68 yards vs. Central Connecticut State … set the school record for pass breakups with 47, besting the previous record of 46 held by Tedaro France from 1998-2001 … also concluded career ranked No. 2 school history in career pass deflections (49, 47 pass breakups, 2 interceptions) … the record is still 56 held by Tedaro France from 1998-2001.
2024
As a senior defensive back, saw action and started all 12 games … served as team captain for the entire season … Second Team All-MAC honoree as both a defensive back and punt returner … named a First Team All-MAC punt returner and Second Team All-MAC as a cornerback by Phil Steele Magazine … earned College Football Network MAC Punt Returner of the Year and Third Team All-MAC honors as a defensive back … Jim Thorpe Award Watch List nominee … consensus preseason All-MAC selection … named a preseason First Team All-MAC selection by Lindy's Magazine, Athlon Magazine, College Football Network, and College Football News … named a preseason Second Team All-MAC pick by Phil Steele Magazine … named the MAC's top cover corner in preseason by Lindy's Magazine … named to the East-West Shrine Bowl Top-1000 Watch List … ranked No. 7 on the squad in tackles with 53 (33 solo), ranked No. 2 on the team in pass breakups with nine, finished with 0.5 tackles for loss for two yards … registered at least one pass breakup in seven games … ranked No. 15 in the MAC in passes defended (0.67) … ranked No. 2 in the nation in punt return touchdowns (1) and No. 5 nationally in punt return average (13.6) … ranked No. 3 in the MAC in punt return average (13.6) … led Central Michigan with 217 punt return yards on 16 returns (13.6 average per return) and a 68-yard touchdown … made six tackles with a pass breakup in season finale at Northern Illinois (11/30) … totaled three tackles and returned a punt 29 yards vs. Western Michigan (11/19) … made three tackles with a pass breakup at Toledo (11/12) … finished with six tackles (two solo) vs. Bowling Green (11/5) … made three tackles with a pass breakup at Miami (Ohio) (10/126) … registered a pass breakup with five tackles at Eastern Michigan (10/19) … totaled a season-high eight tackles (six solo) with two pass breakups vs. Ohio (10/12) … made five tackles vs. Ball State (9/21) … totaled seven tackles (six solo), two pass breakups at Illinois (9/14) … made five tackles in season opener, scored on a 68-yard punt return touchdown and totaled four punt returns for 132 yards vs. Central Connecticut State (8/29).
2023
As a junior defensive back, saw action in 11 of 12 games with 11 starts … played both safety and cornerback … Second Team All-MAC honoree … named to the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List … Fourth Team All-MAC honoree by Phil Steele Magazine … consensus preseason All-MAC honoree … preseason First Team All-MAC pick by College Football Network, Athlon Magazine, and Phil Steele Magazine … preseason Second Team All-MAC by Lindy's Magazine … finished the year ranked No. 3 on the squad and No. 29 in the MAC in tackles with 58 (39 solo), led the Chippewas in pass breakups with seven, and registered 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sack, and a quarterback hurry … led the Chippewas in tackles in three games and registered two 10-plus tackle games … made three tackles (one solo) with 0.5 sack in season finale vs. Toledo (11/24) … made four tackles with a pass breakup at Ohio (11/15) … made four tackles with two pass breakups at Western Michigan (11/7) … finished with six tackles (three solo) with a quarterback hurry and pass breakup vs. Akron (10/14) … made six tackles (five solo) at Buffalo (10/7) … registered eight tackles (seven solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, and a pass breakup vs. Eastern Michigan (9/30) … made six tackles (four solo) at Notre Dame (9/16) … made a team-high 10 tackles (10 solo) with a pass breakup vs. New Hampshire (9/9) … finished with 10 tackles (four solo) with 1.0 tackle for loss, and a pass breakup in season opener at Michigan State (9/1).
2022
As a sophomore, played in all 12 games with 11 starts at cornerback … saw action in 898 total plays on the year … First Team All-MAC defensive back … First Team All-MAC honoree by Phil Steele Magazine … concluded the year ranked No. 9 nationally and No. 2 in the MAC in passes defended (15, 1.4 per game) … finished the year with 51 tackles (39 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, and a team-high 15 pass breakups … ranked sixth on the team in total tackles (51) and third on the team in solo tackles (39) … also forced a fumble and blocked a kick … registered at least one pass breakup in eight of 12 games … made four tackles with a 0.5 tackle for loss in season finale at Eastern Michigan (11/25) … broke up a career-high tying three passes, blocked a kick and made five tackles (three solo) vs. Western Michigan (11/16) … made six tackles (three solo) vs. Buffalo (11/9) … broke up two passes with three tackles at Northern Illinois (11/2) … made four tackles vs. Bowling Green (10/22) … made four tackles with a career-high tying three pass breakups at Akron (10/15) … finished with seven solo tackles, broke up two passes, forced a fumble and finished with 1.0 sack for 19 yards vs. Ball State (10/8) … finished with four tackles at Toledo (10/1) … made four tackles with two pass breakups at Penn State (9/24) … finished with two pass breakups with seven tackles (six solo) vs. South Alabama (9/10) … made three solo tackles with one pass breakup at in season opener at Oklahoma State (9/1).
2021
Selected to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America team … earned All-Mid-American Conference Fourth Team honors from Phil Steele … played in all 13 games, starting 12 … posted 54 tackles, including 45 solo stops … ranked sixth on the team in tackles and second in solo tackles … credited with a team-high 14 pass breakups … had at least five tackles in six games … made eight tackles vs. Northern Illinois (10/23) … made eight stops, all solos, vs. Western Michigan (11/3) … credited with seven tackles, all solo, a forced fumble, and four pass breakups vs. Kent State (11/10).
2020
Appeared in all six games … started at cornerback in the season finale at Toledo (12/12) … made 18 tackles including 15 solos … made a career-high six tackles at Toledo (12/12) … made five tackles, all of them solos, vs. Ball State (12/5) … made his first career interception at Eastern Michigan (11/27) … credited with a forced fumble at NIU (11/11).
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2020 graduate of Harrisburg High School, where he played varsity football for Head Coach Calvin Everett … team captain … won a district championship at Harrisburg, helping the Cougars to a 13-2 record … made three district title games and two state championship appearances during high school career … named first team all-state as an athlete …recorded 10 interceptions over final two seasons … carried a 3.3 grade point average … rated a two-star recruit by 247sports, ESPN, and Rivals.
PERSONAL
Born Donte Kent on September 28, 2001 … son of Ronald and Kathy Kent … selected Central Michigan over offers from Albany, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Connecticut, East Carolina, James Madison, Kent State, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Old Dominion, Stony Brook, Toledo, Towson, Western Carolina, William & Mary, Penn State, Temple, and Virginia Tech … majors in Sport Management.
