The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t given any positional unit more attention in free agency than the inside linebacker position. The team basically cleaned out the entire depth chart and started from scratch. But despite the fact the Steelers signed two free agent linebackers to replace the ones no longer on the team, Pittsburgh cannot ignore what is an elite inside linebacker class in the 2023 NFL draft.
What the Steelers lacked at inside linebacker in 2022, and frankly since Ryan Shazier was injured half a decade ago, is athleticism. Coverage skills by the inside linebackers have been in short supply, and opposing offenses have taken advantage.
Devin Bush was supposed to be that guy, but it didn’t happen. Myles Jack was supposed to be that guy, but it didn’t happen. Robert Spillane wasn’t supposed to be that guy, but they tried anyway. In the final analysis, all three had to go, leaving only Mark Robinson from the linebackers who played last year.
Pittsburgh replaced those three linebackers with Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. The staff assumes these guys are upgrades, or at the very least no worse. But neither Holcomb nor Roberts provides the athletic versatility this defense truly needs.
This draft class, on the other hand, offers these traits up in spades. Here is a short list of guys available in the first three rounds who would be immediate impact players:
Trenton Simpson – Clemson
Jack Campbell – Iowa
Drew Sanders – Arkansas
Daiyan Henley – Washington State
Noah Sewell – Oregon
Owen Pappoe – Auburn
Ivan Pace Jr. – Cincinnati
The Steelers have several significant draft needs, including offensive tackle and wide receiver, but with four picks in the first three rounds, there’s more than enough to go after one of these defensive playmakers.
Let us know in the comments which of these inside linebackers is your favorite.
