6 prospects the Steelers must watch closely at the NFL Combine

Steelers need to watch Linderbaum

As is well documented and discussed, there are a lot of Steelers fans that want this team to draft Tyler Linderbaum. Arguably one of the best center prospects in the past ten years on film, he has all of the makings of an elite player. He plays with a lot of aggressiveness and great technique overall. Linderbaum could be the solution this team needs along the line.

Unfortunately, the reason the Steelers need to be watching him at the combine isn’t for a great reason. While he should test well as an athlete and his blocking tape is impressive, he isn’t a big prospect. Iowa lists him at 6’3 290 pounds, which is about as small as you would want in a center. As stated before, it isn’t uncommon for college teams to list their players bigger than they actually are, so there is a real chance Linderbaum comes in significantly smaller than anticipated.

This could really hurt his draft stock if he does. That said, coming in smaller would be a double-edged sword. Being smaller would push him down into the realm of possibility at pick 20, but the team may not want another undersized center. How he measures in will be key to what happens to his draft stock. It should be one of the bigger storylines for the Steelers considering their need along the offensive line.

The Steelers will be as present as ever at the combine as they seek to fill a roster full of holes. While they will talk with a slew of prospects, these six, in particular, deserve some special attention. Each would be fits for the team, but they need to show up and perform well at the combine. That said, a solid showing could land them atop of the Steelers draft list.