Could The Steelers Find Their Long-Term Answer At Inside Linebacker In The 2023 NFL Draft?

The inside linebacker play of the Pittsburgh Steelers over the past few seasons has been incredibly underwhelming. Names such as Jon Bostic, Mark Barron, Joe Schobert, Devin Bush, Robert Spillane and most recently Myles Jack. Some of these have played better than others, but the Steelers have seemingly been searching for a game-changer at inside linebacker ever since the unfortunate injury to ascending superstar, Ryan Shazier. 

With quite a few big-name free-agent inside linebackers being available this offseason, the Steelers may look to address this issue by adding a veteran. However, if their recent history of free-agent linebackers is any indication of success, they may be better suited to draft their long-term answer at a position group they have so desperately been searching for.

A Deep Inside Linebacker Class For The 2023 NFL Draft

With the 2023 NFL Combine coming to an end, certain inside linebacker prospects are starting to separate themselves from the pack. While the Steelers had a formal meeting with both Henry To’oTo’o from Alabama and Noah Sewell from Oregon, there seems to be two inside linebacker prospects who would play well in the 3-4 defense for the Steelers. Those two players were Jack Campbell from Iowa and Drew Sanders from Arkansas. 

Iowa Linebacker: Jack Campbell

From the black and yellow at Iowa to the black and gold with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jack Campbell fits the mold of an off-ball linebacker for the Steelers. His NFL Combine results helped his stock rise significantly. Campbell ran a 4.65-second 40-yard dash at nearly 250 lbs. He also performed surprisingly well in the on-field drills, showing his improved ability to move well in space, a crucial component of being a three-down linebacker in the NFL. 

More importantly, Campbell had an extremely productive career at the University of Iowa. He was the recipient of the 2022 Dick Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. During his tenure at Iowa, Campbell tallied nearly 300 tackles to go along with five interceptions, and three sacks. These stats may not quantify Campbell as a “playmaking” linebacker, but his toughness and leadership ability make him an interesting prospect to consider at pick #32 or even #49 for the Steelers. 

Arkansas Linebacker: Drew Sanders

Drew Sanders is widely regarded as the most talented off-ball linebacker in this year’s draft class, and for good reason. A five-star recruit out of high school, Sanders played his first two seasons at Alabama where he was primarily a backup and special teams player. Following the 2021 season, Sanders transferred to Arkansas where he quickly cemented himself as one of the top defensive players in the nation. A Dick Butkus Award finalist in 2022, Sanders amassed 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. 

These stats would indeed quantify Sanders as a “playmaking” inside linebacker. While Sanders did not run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, he did take part in the on-field drills where he demonstrated his quickness and change of direction. The Steelers’ held a formal meeting with Sanders, as confirmed in a press conference he did following his workout. Not surprisingly, Sanders is a projected first-round pick, so he may not even be available at #17. However, if he still happens to be on the board by then, the Steelers may have to pull the trigger on a guy who could control the middle of the defense for the next decade. 

Sanders' draft profile can be found here: Drew Sanders Draft and Combine Prospect Profile

The Steelers may have to end up trading up in the first round in order to land Drew Sanders. Check out this SteelerNation article which details the possibility of a trade happening: Steelers' Insider Suggests That 1st Round Trade Is A Real Possibility

Inside Linebacker: A Sneaky Position of Need for the Steelers

Inside linebacker may not be the most pressing need for the Steelers at this point in time with both Myles Jack and the ascending Mark Robinson under contract for the 2023 season, but both Devin Bush and Robert Spillane are slated to hit free agency. This is why the Steelers may end up deciding to address this positional group through both free agency and the NFL draft. 

Regardless of how they choose to do so, having an inside linebacker who can make some plays for this defense would help superstars TJ Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick tremendously. 

What do you think about our current inside linebacker group, Steeler Nation? Would you rather the Steelers sign a big-name free agent such as Tremaine Edmunds / Eric Kendricks or pick someone in the NFL Draft such as Jack Campbell or Drew Sanders? Let us know in the comments below! 

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