A ball-hawking Central Michigan corner with a 4.38 forty who saw his promising rookie season wiped out by injury.
Donte Kent arrived in Pittsburgh as a seventh-round pick out of Central Michigan with a track record of durability and production that made his draft slot look like a bargain. Instead, his first NFL season became a lesson in the sport's other constant: injuries can derail even the best-laid plans.
Path to the league
Kent grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and played five seasons at Central Michigan, where his brother Ronald Kent Jr. also played college football. The Steelers selected him with the 229th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Kent appeared in 53 games for the Chippewas, racking up 234 tackles, 46 pass deflections, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2022 and second-team All-MAC honors in both 2023 and 2024, and he timed a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
2025 season recap
Kent's rookie year never got off the ground. He was placed on injured reserve in late August 2025 with a right foot injury, and after suffering an ankle injury in practice, he was ruled out for the entire season in early December.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Donte Kent
- Steelers.com: How he fits - Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Cornerback
- Group
- defense
- College
- Central Michigan
- Hometown
- Harrisburg, PA, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
