The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense took a considerable dive in quality in 2025, especially during the first half of the season. A big part of their struggles was due to a secondary that took weeks to sort itself out. The addition of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay was supposed to raise the floor of a unit that needed veteran talent badly, but both moves failed to have the impact that the Steelers (and their fans) hoped.
Ramsey ended up transitioning to safety after failing to hold up at slot corner, while Slay was released mid-season and replaced by James Pierre and others. Pittsburgh made a splash this offseason by adding former Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Jamel Dean to play opposite of Joey Porter Jr., but the slot position remains a question mark.
That's where a surprising name in this year's NFL draft class could come into play.
Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis put on quite the show in front of scouts at his Pro Day on Thursday, including nearly the entire Steelers brass. Despite being labeled as a LB, I think he could be the answer they have been looking for in the slot for a long time.
Pitt product Kyle Louis could be exactly what the Pittsburgh Steelers need to upgrade their defense
There has been a trend in recent years on some of the NFL's best defenses, and it's the usage of a bigger, more athletic player in the slot. Often referred to as the "Star" position, these defenders are asked to fill more roles than traditional slot corners would be asked to do. Whether it's being heavily involved as a blitzer, filling the run with more ferocity, or being able to handle multiple body types in coverage, it's a role that not every player can handle.
Louis fits the mold teams look for in that spot. He has the body type (around 6'0", 220 pounds) and the athleticism (9.10 Relative Athletic Score) to play that role, and his experience at LB will help him be a force in run defense from the slot as well. He is likely too small and not quite strong enough to hold up in a true LB role, but he could still play there on occasion or in specific situations.
Pittsburgh has struggled to fill the slot corner spot ever since Mike Hilton departed for the Bengals half a decade ago, and Ramsey clearly isn't the answer at his age. Brandin Echols performed admirably when forced into the starting job last season, but his size limits what he can offer from that spot.
New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham deployed the 6'3", 220-pound Jeremy Chinn as his primary slot defender with the Raiders a year ago, so he already knows how to use a player like Louis in that spot.
The question for Pittsburgh is how high a pick it would take to add Louis in the draft. As of now, he is projected to be a mid-to-late Day 2 pick, of which the Steelers have a whopping four picks in that range. Some fans may be wary of going back to the local well after the disastrous Kenny Pickett situation, but the Steelers should consider keeping Louis in the Steel City.