Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan are back on the scouting trail to kick off the week. They’re attending Iowa’s Pro Day to check out the Hawkeyes’ slew of 2023 NFL Draft prospects, highlighted by LB Jack Campbell and DL Lukas Van Ness.
Several Iowa fans reached out to the site with the news this morning while Steelers.com’s Dale Lolley tweeted the same a short time ago.
For Tomlin and Khan, this is as far west as the Steelers get and it’s definitely notable. Van Ness is considered the school’s top prospect, a likely first-round pick with great size. Though a backup and rotational player throughout his career, he recorded 13 sacks over the last two years while notching 19 tackles for a loss. Van Ness has prototypical size for a 4-3 defensive end at 6’5”, 272 pounds, though he could potentially play on his feet as a stand-up linebacker.
Campbell might be the player the Steelers really have an eye on. A prototypical-looking, off-ball linebacker at 6045, 249 pounds, he’s been one of college football’s most productive linebackers the past two years with a combined 265 tackles (nine for a loss) with four interceptions, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. Campbell surprised many at the Combine with a 4.65 40-time, 37.5 inch vertical, 10’8″ broad and really impressed in the shuttle drills, a 4.24 short shuttle and 6.74 three cone time. He’s a projected Day Two selection and could be on the Steelers’ radar at No. 32 and No. 49.
Other notable Iowa prospects include Sam LaPorta, a talented tight end in a deep class who also had an impressive Combine workout. There’s also CB Riley Moss, running a 4.45 40 with great jumps in the vert (39 inches) and broad (10’7″).
Tomlin and Khan aren’t the only Steelers in attendance. Senior scouting assistant Kelvin Fisher and potentially even Director of College Scouting Dan Colbert are also there.
Check out our scouting reports on the Iowa players we’ve profiled below.
