Steelers Mock Draft: Senior Bowl standouts leave an impression on Mike Tomlin

Steelers mock draft round 6: Omar Speights, LB, LSU

It's hard to imagine the Steelers coming away from the 2024 NFL Draft without selecting a linebacker. During the 2023 season, Cole Holcomb was lost halfway through the season with a knee injury, while Kwon Alexander's season was finished one game later when he ruptured his Achilles.

Holcomb and Elandon Roberts are projected to be Pittsburgh's starting linebackers in 2024, but Alexander is no longer under contract and he might not be healthy enough to suit up until halfway through the season.

We quickly found out just how deplorable the Steelers' depth was at the linebacker position last year. Mark Robinson is simply a liability in space due to his compact frame and lack of speed, and in a desperation move, Pittsburgh added players like Mykal Walker and recently retired linebackers like Myles Jack and Blake Martinez to their roster late in the year.

Omar Speights is expected to be a late-round draft choice, and the LSU linebacker didn't have a great season in 2023. However, the Steelers need bodies at the position, and Speights should be able to carve out work on special teams. In time, he could see the field in certain packages if he sticks around.