On Thursday, the defensive linemen and linebackers took the field at the NFL Scouting Combine. These are both serious positions of need for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2023 NFL draft. Here are three quick takeaways.
Calijah Kancey, welcome to the first round
Kancey had a huge day and put himself squarely in the first-round mix and that means he has to be an option for the Steelers. A penetrating defensive tackle who some view as undersized but plays with impressive quickness and leverage.
Speed all over the field
It is remarkable how far pre-combine training has come. Players show up bigger and faster every year. 2023 was no exception. In addition to a 4.67 40 by Kancey at 281 pounds, Clemons DT Bryan Bresee ran a 4.86 40 at 298 pounds and Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith burnt up the track with a 4.39 40 at 238 pounds.
Be weary of Andre Carter II
I had high hopes for Army EDGE Andre Carter II to bounce back after his struggles at the Senior Bowl but it didn’t happen. Carter is part of a large group of big edge players and with guys like Ohio State’s Zach Harrison and Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness performing much better, he has some catching up to do.
