DeMarvin Leal expects to line up all over the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive front this season. But instead of having his head swim like any rookie, he’s embracing the challenge. To him, it’s not a challenge. It’s football. It’s fun.
Leal spoke with reporters on Wednesday, excited to get his second season underway.
“It’s not challenging actually,” he said via Steelers.com of his different roles. “I’d say it’s fun. You get to go inside and out, you get to go with mismatches, you get to go with the top guys. You get to go with the guys that are kind of inexperienced. So, I can use my speed inside and I can use my strength outside.”
Though it’s been hinted by the organization all offseason, Leal essentially confirmed he’ll continue his hybrid ways. As a rookie, he bounced around position groups. Drafted as a defensive lineman, he dropped weight and began playing outside linebacker after T.J. Watt partially tore his pectoral in Week One. He spent the rest of the year standing up and rushing with his hand down, even seeing a handful of snaps at inside linebacker against the Buffalo Bills.
What’s almost forgotten is the fact Leal missed part of his rookie year with a knee injury that placed him on IR. Combine that with the natural adjustment of being a rookie and someone who never got comfortable in one spot, it becomes an understatement to say Leal had plenty on his plate.
Now a second-year player, Leal says he feels confident no matter where he lines up.
“I wasn’t completely sure of all the positions I was gonna play last year. But now I know exactly what to expect.”
What we’re expecting out of Leal remains a little unclear. It seems Pittsburgh will be using him as a stand-up EDGE rusher and hand-down defensive lineman. His path to seeing snaps is more open among the latter, a true down lineman, but Leal’s athleticism and pass rush juice, even if his game needs refined, is attractive. His alignment and usage will be one of the first things we’ll watch for at tomorrow’s first camp practice.
