Top 6 DL prospects for the Steelers in the 2022 NFL draft

Curt Popejoy
·2 min read

The NFL season is more than 1/3 over, the college football season is hitting the halfway mark and we want to talk about the 2022 NFL draft and some top prospects for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This time we are going to break down the top six defensive line prospects for the upcoming draft.

Pittsburgh loves those hybrid guys who can move from the inside to the outside across the defensive front. However, the team would be well-served to consider bringing in a big, run-stuffing nose tackle to take heat off the linebackers.

1-DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M

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Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal is almost universally accepted as the top interior defensive lineman in the draft and honestly the only first-round guy of the group as of now. Leal reminds very much of a young Cam Heyward and can just dominate from anywhere along the line of scrimmage with his first step and upper body strength.

2-Jordan Davis, Georgia

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If the Steelers want to beef up its interior and add a guy who can just eat up blockers, Georgia’s Jordan Davis is the guy. He’s massive at 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds but has some nice quickness for a man as big and powerful as he is.

3-Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey is another one of those long, athletic guys who can rush the passer at 290 pounds as well as set the edge and chase down backs. He’s not a polished guy which would drop his draft stock some but he’s an excellent developmental guy.

4-Haskell Garrett, Ohio State

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

I could basically write the same thing about Ohio State defensive lineman Haskell Garrett I did for Winfrey. They are near physical clones with Winfrey, with Garrett a bit thicker and shows a more refined technique.

5-Tyler Davis, Clemson

If Davis can stay healthy in 2021, his draft stock should take a nice jump. He’s got an excellent first step and his compact frame allows him to play with excellent leverage. This class is short on guys with the height the Steelers covet so they may need to change up their philosophy for a playmaker.

6-Cory Durden, North Carolina State

(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

Durden transferred to North Carolina State after a troubled 2020 season and is hoping for a big bounceback in 2021. In terms of a physical type, Durden fits perfectly. 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds with a high motor is just what the Steelers love in their defensive ends and Durden could be a bargain.

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