7 Steelers Inside Linebacker Draft Targets

Steelers Inside Linebacker Targets: Round 1-2

Given how the Devin Bush experiment turned out (granted, injuries played a role), I would be surprised if the Steelers went back to the first-round off-ball linebacker well. This class doesn’t have an elite prospect at the position like Devin White in 2019 or Roquan Smith in 2018.

Furthermore, recent picks at the position (Isaiah Simmons and Kenneth Murray in 2020, Zaven Collins and Jamin Davis in 2021) haven’t really panned out. Nevertheless, there are two dynamic athletes that could fundamentally reshape the Steelers’ defense this season and for many more moving forward. 

Unlike the player to be mentioned later, I would only be comfortable if the Steelers selected this player with either of their second-round picks. Trenton Simpson is a high-ceiling ball-of-clay type of player. He’s played all over the Clemson defense, somewhat like former Tiger Isaiah Simmons.

Thanks to his athletic ability, he can play anywhere from on the line of scrimmage like a defensive end to covering the deep middle as a free safety. In 2022, he transitioned into a more traditional off-ball linebacker role after the departure of defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Simpson is a younger player (he turned 22 in January) and would need some seasoning in the more standard aspects of playing inside linebacker. But he has all the physical tools any defensive coordinator could desire.

Unfortunately, Simpson lacks the turnover-creation aspect that the Steelers seemingly covet in the defense. He has zero career interceptions, only two career passes broken up, and forced two fumbles in 2022. Simpson also plays a tad aggressively sometimes and has some issues with missed tackles.

On one hand, the Steelers need an inside linebacker to develop behind Holcomb and Roberts for at least a year. On the other, if they’re forced to play Roberts or Mark Robinson next to Holcomb on passing downs, those two would make Robert Spillane look like Fred Warner in coverage. 

Ultimately, Simpson doesn’t seem like the cleanest fit for Pittsburgh. He doesn’t create turnovers, and frankly, I don’t think he’ll make it to the Steelers' pick at 32, much less the one at 49. What’s worse, he seems more like the hybrid linebackers that have struggled in recent years (see examples above). But if Simpson falls to them and they go with him, I could see a world where he becomes a serious impact player for Pittsburgh for many years to come. 

As married as I am to the Steelers taking a cornerback in the first round, one exception I would be willing to make is Jack Campbell. Campbell is a true unicorn; listed at 6’5” and 249 pounds, he fits the traditional preconception of what an Iowa linebacker looks and plays like.

He is exceptionally reliable in run defense and adds some value as a pass rusher. But what makes him so unique is his fantastic athleticism and stellar coverage ability. Campbell earned an RAS of 9.98, the sixth-highest RAS for a linebacker all-time and tied with Luke Kuechly.

The reigning Butkus Award winner racked up five interceptions and three forced fumbles over the course of his career. Campbell also finished with the highest PFF Coverage grade (92.9, 20% snap minimum) and the second-highest overall Defense grade (91.9) of all linebackers. 

If the Steelers drafted Campbell, he would be an immediate starter. He is essentially Cole Holcomb with the super-solider serum from Captain America. Campbell would give the Steelers three competent linebackers that they could put on the field simultaneously. Making the wholesale switch to a 4-3 base defense seems unlikely, but that is the tree from which both Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin come. Given the lack of depth on the interior of the defensive line, perhaps we could see more three-linebacker packages.

Regardless, Campbell would give the Steelers a long-term solution at inside linebacker. His game is very clean, and he perfectly fits into what the Steelers need on defense. Plus, he wouldn’t need to make many changes to his wardrobe. In all seriousness, Campbell would provide Pittsburgh with a defender to lockdown the middle of the field against the run and the pass.