Senior Bowl sleepers the Steelers must have on their radar

Steelers should be watching Ivan Pace

A name I am quickly growing fond of in this upcoming draft class is Ivan Pace. Transferring from Miami of Ohio, Pace quickly established himself as an impact player for this Bearcats defense. He racked up 136 tackles along with nine sacks, showcasing his ability to shoot gaps and disrupt offenses. While coverage isn’t his strength, he can handle zones pretty well and use his athleticism to disrupt plays there.

The issue with Pace isn’t his play, it’s his size. While undersized linebackers can succeed in the NFL, he has struggled to get off blocks at the college level. Professional linemen only get bigger and stronger, so Pace will have to work on finding ways to shed. If he can’t, he won’t be a realistic defender.

That said, he plays like his hair is on fire and should, at worst, be a special team’s contributor. His play reminds me so much of Vince Williams, except that Williams could shed (Pace is better in coverage though). If he can show some improvements in his ability to get off blocks at the Senior Bowl, he would be a great draft target for the Steelers.