5 defensive studs from the combine Steelers must be drooling over

Steelers will be all over Maason Smith

When it comes to prototypes and builds, the Steelers have a very noticeable type when it comes to defensive linemen. They like them tall, heavier, and with extremely long arms. Good athleticism is also a plus. Unfortunately, college defenses are getting smaller, so linemen like this aren’t as common as they used to be.

Purely from a build perspective, it doesn’t get much better than Maason Smith. He checks all of the highlighted boxes, with good height (6’5), weight (306 lbs), and incredible length (35’’). In a defensive line class that features a lot of smaller interior rushers, Smith sticks out as a very unique build and one the Steelers will like.

While not an incredible athlete, Smith still helped his cause with good numbers. As a prospect, the numbers all seem to be there. The issue is his play. He was dynamic early in his career and looked like a potential top-draft pick. Inconsistencies and stretches of being a non-factor have pushed him down the board this year.

That said, you can draft him and sit him behind the current starters so he can learn and grow. He is an extremely young player, and he has all of the tools, he just needs to be molded. They don’t build defensive linemen like the Steelers want anymore, so it may be hard to pass on Smith in the draft.