INDIANAPOLIS — The Pittsburgh Steelers have a very distinct flavor when it comes to their defensive linemen. They like them tall, long, and big. Specifically, they like their base defensive ends above 6-4 and nearly 300 pounds with have an arm length of at least 34 inches.
These types of defenders don’t grow on trees, and the list of them who check every box coming out in the draft every year is slim. However, there are a few every draft class who meet all of these benchmarks, and Baylor DL Gabe Hall is one of them. Hall has yet to measure in at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he came in 6056, 290 pounds at the Senior Bowl a month ago, having 34 3/8-inch arms and an 84-inch wingspan.
Hall has the size and length that perfectly matches what Pittsburgh is looking for at the position, but still needs some seasoning before he’s ready to be a starter at the next level. Alex Kozora concluded in his pre-draft profile on Hall that he is a bit raw as a pass rusher and needs to play with better pad level to become a quality base defensive end in the league.
“Yes, that’s one thing that I have been working on,” Hall told me when I asked about pad level. “It comes with repetition and repetition, and that’s a big thing that I like to highlight and focus on.”
While Hall’s technique can be a bit raw, his physical tools are tantalizing. His combination of size, strength, and athleticism makes for impressive flashes on tape, especially as a pass rusher.
“My pass rush game is using my long arms,” Hall said. “I got the length and strength, so it’s about how you get off with your speed and use what God gave me. I like to start with a long arm on my pass rush and counter back to a push/pull for a counter.”
Given his unique body type, I asked Hall if he watches film of Steelers DL Cameron Heyward and if he tries to adopt things from his game.
“Yeah, I watch him,” Hall said. “I don’t watch him as much as I watch [Kansas City’s] Chris Jones, but I watch him. Chris Jones has all the tools that I have. Explosive, strong, quick. If I can use what he uses and how he uses it, I’ll be a beast.”
Hall told me that he had an informal meeting with the Steelers here in Indianapolis after speaking with the team in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. He highlighted his conversation with DL Coach Karl Dunbar as something that has stuck out to him during this process.
“It was one of my favorite meetings,” he said. “Coach [Dunbar] is cool as heck. He’s so cool in person. I like him a lot.”
Dunbar may get the chance to coach Hall at the next level, given the fact that he fits what Pittsburgh covets at the position. Given the fact that he’s projected to go somewhere in the middle rounds, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Hall be on Pittsburgh’s short list of prospects to target with either its third-round pick or one of its two fourth-round picks come April.
Check out our full report on Gabe Hall below.
