NFL player comparisons for Pittsburgh Steelers DL DeMarvin Leal

DeMarvin Leal was a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. Here are his high-end, low-end, and most likely NFL player comparisons. 

When the Pittsburgh Steelers were on the clock with the 84th overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, I went on record saying that I wanted the pick to be DeMarvin Leal. Many draft analysts believe that Leal had a disappointing season after a promising sophomore campaign, but I think his 2021 tape was still solid.

Leal was once considered to be in contention for a top-10 draft choice, but average testing numbers and being stuck in between positions apparently scared teams away. I’m very excited for what this young player could bring to the table for the Steelers. Here are my high-end, low-end, and most likely NFL player comparisons for DeMarvin Leal:

High-end NFL comparison: Jonathan Allen

Throughout the pre-draft process, DeMarvin Leal reminded me of Jonathan Allen. Allen was a former stud interior pass rusher for Alabama, but he didn’t test nearly as well as most anticipated despite being an undersized player.

Like Allen, Leal played a hybrid role in college and was a bit light for an interior defender, but the traits were evident on tape. Both players win with a great first step, terrific quickness, and unnatural bend for players their size.

Allen is the best-case scenario for Leal, and this would prove to be a huge win for the Steelers. Through his first five NFL seasons, Allen has topped 8.0 sacks twice. In 2021, Allen was selected to the Pro Bowl after earning 9.0 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, and 30 QB hits, according to Pro Football Reference.

Leal and Allen have very similar builds and play styles, but it’s going to take a lot of fine-tuning for Leal to reach his potential in the NFL.