Today I wanted to look at interior defensive line prospects (IDL) in the upcoming draft, a position that many expect Pittsburgh will look to add to. The chart below is 2024 PFF Grades and the current Big Board that updates through the draft process:
The top overall IDL prospects on PFF’s current big board (#12) is Byron Murphy II of Texas. Snaps increased in the last three seasons (298, 392, 438), aligning primarily in the B and A gaps. Excellent 91.1 overall grade (OVR) last season, with 90-plus pass rush (PRSH) and true pass set (TPS) grades. 80.5 run defense (RDEF), 19.6 pass rush win rate (PRWR), and 9.5 run stop rate (RSTOP) as well. Nine sacks since 2021 (six in 2023), and hurries skyrocketed each year (nine, 17, 36). The Senior Bowl invite didn’t participate.
Jer’Zhan Newton of Illinois (20). Snaps increased (611, 723, 749), aligning over tackle primarily, along with substantial time in the B gap. 15 sacks (eight last year), but hurries dipped (28 after 36 in 2022). In 2023, 80-plus OVR, PRSH, and RDEF. TPS in the 70’s, a 15.4 PRWR, and 7.4 RSTOP. Five batted passes the last two seasons and also pulled out of the Senior Bowl.
Michigan’s Kris Jenkins (58) played the most in 2022 (536), compared to 418 last year, despite more games. Mostly B gap, with over-tackle experience as well. Four sacks the last two years (two in each). Hurries were also lower than the aforementioned (two, 16, and 18 in 2023). Last season, 80-plus OVR and RDEF, 70-range TPS and PRSH, an excellent 12.6 RSTOP, and a great 11.0 PRWR.
Ruke Orhorhoro of Clemson (68) had decreased snaps (504, 486, 409). B gap primarily, with A gap experience too. 13 sacks since 2021, with five that year, and matched that output last season. Eight bats too, but hurries down ticked in 2023 (nine, 21, 17). 70-plus RDEF, OVR, and TPS last year, mid-60 PRSH, 8.7 PRWR, and 7.0 RSTOP. Jenkins and Orhorhoro continue the list of Senior Bowl invites.
Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus (78). Snaps (665, 651, 587). Played B gap to outside the tackle often. Nine sacks in the span (four last season), providing hurries consistently in each (33, 40, 35). Nine bats, with a major uptick in 2023 (six). 80-plus TPS last year, 70-range OVR, PRSH, and RDEF, good 10.5 PRWR but below average 5.2 RSTOP. Some noted a strong Senior Bowl week but wasn’t mentioned in our Steelers Depot roundtable and opted out of the game.
Braden Fiske of Florida State (81). Snaps (471, 737, 444). Had 300-plus snaps in the B gap the last three years. More versatility in 2022 (213 outside tackle, 182 A gap). 18 sacks (four, eight, six), but fewest hurries last year (23, 35, 19), and three bats (all in 2022). 70-plus TPS, PRSH, and OVR, average 69.3 RDEF, and good 8.9 PRWR and 8.5 RSTOP. Great Senior Bowl, per Ross McCorkle. The practice player of the week instantly won reps and littered my game notes with backfield disruption but had poor run defense reps.
T’Vondre Sweat (90) had the best 91.7 OVR among this group in 2023, with two Texas IDL topping the list. Increased snaps (315, 464, 503), primarily B gap, with A gap and over-tackle sprinkled in. Just three sacks in as many years (two last year). Hurries encouragingly improved (two, 18, 26), and a whopping 14 bats (three, five, six). 90-plus RDEF and OVR, high-80 TPS and PRSH, excellent 15.3 PRWR, and 12.8 RSTOP in 2023. Senior Bowl starter but wasn’t noted in the Depot roundtable or game notes.
Rounding out the top 100 is Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. (96). Increased opportunities each year (35, 266, 413) playing B gap the most. 80-plus TPS and PRSH, high-70 OVR, average 69.5 RDEF, a stellar 18.3 PRWR, and a good 7.3 RSTOP. Seven sacks in the last two years (just two in 2023), with desirable upticks in hurries (three, seven, 22). The Senior Bowl participant was also a practice player of the week.
Duke’s DeWayne Carter would be the first day three candidate (102). Snaps (613, 648, 588). Primarily B gap, and 100-plus outside the tackle in 2023. There were 14 sacks (only two in 2023), and hurries also declined (27, 39, 18). There were 11 bats, including four in 2023. 70-plus TPS and OVR, high-60 RDEF and PRSH, above average 6.2 PRWR, and low 4.6 RSTOP. One of McCorkle’s standouts, explosive and flattened guys in practice, but noted mostly lost reps as a starter in the Senior Bowl.
Miami’s Leonard Taylor III (109). Snaps increased (200, 329, 341). Mostly B gap before primarily playing A gap in 2023. Seven sacks in three seasons (only one last year), though hurries ticked up (four, 15, 17). Last year, 80-plus TPS and PRSH, mid-70 OVR, below average RDEF. Great 14.7 PRWR and above average 6.6 RSTOP. Was inactive for the Shrine Bowl.
McKinnley Jackson of Texas A&M (123). Snaps increased (326, 389, 430), played B gap most, and A gap rose each season (14, 116, 235). Six sacks (four in 2023), but hurries dipped (12, 11, eight), and had a bat in 2022. Last season, 70-plus RDEF, OVR, TPS, and PRSH. Good 8.7 PRWR and above average 6.2 RSTOP. Noted a couple plus plays in the Senior Bowl, one run defense, and another penetrating well.
Northern Iowa’s Kristian Boyd (129). Played increasingly (329, 592, 631) with substantial B gap (147, 376, 310) and A gap (11, 211, 302) alignments. Seven sacks (three in 2023), improved hurry totals (five, 19, 28). Three bats in the last two years (one in 2023). 80-plus OVR, TPS, PRSH, and RDEF, great 16.1 PRWR and good 7.8 RSTOP. Impressive Shrine Bowl, Joe Clark’s best IDL there, and consistently positive reps throughout my game notes.
Maason Smith of LSU (133). Snaps (354, eight, 582). Torn ACL in 2022.159 outside tackle and 136 B gap alignment in 2021, then a vast majority of B gap in 2023. Seven sacks (three last season), with 30 hurries (18 in 2023) and two bats last year. 80-plus TPS, 76.5 PRSH, mid-60 OVR. Poor 55.6 RDEF and 3.5 RSTOP, with a much better 9.5 PRWR.
Iowa’s Logan Lee (137). Snaps (492, 595, 749), primarily B gap with A gap second-most. Eight sacks (two in 2023), increased hurries (four, 13, 20), and seven bats (three last year). Nice 80.3 RDEF, 70-plus OVR, TPS, and PRUSH, okay 7.6 PRWR and average 5.3 RSTOP. At the Shrine Bowl, he flashed on day one but slowed through the week per Clark. In the game, noted him on the ground multiple times, with pass and run struggles.
Tyler Davis of Clemson (147). Snaps (320, 495, 474). B gap primarily and 100-plus A gap in 2022. 12 sacks since 2021 (two last season), with seven in 2022. Most hurries that year, too (18, 22, 18), along with his only bat in the span. 90-plus RDEF, mid-80 OVR, 70.5 TPS, and 69.3 PRSH. Solid 10.7 PRWR and 7.7 RSTOP. Seemed quiet in the Senior Bowl, noting a negative rep in run defense.
LSU’s Mekhi Wingo (148). Snaps (460, 821, 389). B gap primarily, 200-plus over tackle in 2022. Sacks increased (two, four, five), but hurries dipped (10, 20, 12). Limited by injury to eight games in 2023. 70-plus OVR, TPS, RDEF, and PRSH, good 7.9 PRWR, but poor 3.4 RSTOP.
Myles Murphy of North Carolina (166). Snaps (511, 532, 482). Largely B gap, with over-tackle second-most (particularly 2021, 185). Four sacks in the span, all coming in 2021. Hurries ticked up (five, ten, 14), and had five bats (three, one, one). In 2023, 70-plus RDEF, 68.0 OVR, low-60 TPS, and PRSH, with 6.9 PRWR and an average of 5.6 RSTOP. He won with variety at the Shrine Bowl, per Clark, and translated that impact as a pass rusher (sack, forced throwaway, and more).
Cincinnati Jawon Briggs’ (177). Snaps (505, 632, 443). Versatile alignments: 100-plus over tackle, B gap, and outside tackle in 2021. 400-plus A gap and 208 B gap in 2022, then primarily over-tackle (308) last season. Ten sacks (three, five, two), and hurries dipped (17, 11, 12). In 2023, 60-plus TPS, RDEF, OVR, and PRSH, 7.7 PRWR, and an average of 5.4 RSTOP. Shrine Bowl invite, with good game reps in run defense (including a tackle) and pass rush (one debatably being held).
Jordan Jefferson of LSU (178). Snaps (313, 556, 413). Vastly B (153, 275, 289) and A gap (153, 274, 119). Seven sacks, three each the last two seasons, and just 14 hurries (one, nine, four). Seven bats, highlighted by five in 2022. Last year, 70-plus RDEF and OVR, low-60 TPS and PRSH, 6.2 RSTOP, but poor 3.5 PRWR. The Senior Bowl starter had a couple of positive reps in the game (run defense, pass rush push).
Auburn’s Justin Rogers (181) had the lowest 63.6 OVR of the group. Snaps (209, 450, 375). 100-plus A gap in each (particularly 2022, 329), and increased B gap opportunities (39, 121, 239). Three sacks (one in 2023) and 19 hurries (two, nine, eight). In 2023, 60-plus RDEF, OVR, and TPS, but poor 57.3 PRSH, 3.5 PRWR, and 2.6 RSTOP for the Shrine Bowl invite.
Zion Logue of Georgia (200). Snaps increased (230, 332, 351). Primarily B gap, with some experience across the line. Two sacks, both in 2021, hurries ticked up (two, six, nine), and two bats in 2023. 70-plus RDEF and OVR, 60-range TPS and PRSH, 7.4 PRWR, and below average 5.3 RSTOP. He did well, per Clark, before his Shrine Bowl practices were cut short, and Melanie Friedlander noted the leader is practically coaching while sidelined. Played in the game, up and down pass rushing and run defense (including a huge hole).
Illinois’ Keith Randolph Jr. (234). Snaps (446, 597, 541). 100-plus over tackle (228, 393, 156) and B gap (113, 132, 335) since 2021. 11 sacks (four, four, three), with irregular hurries (two, 26, eight). One bat each season. 70.0 TPS, 60-range PRSH, OVR, and RDEF (poor), solid 9.3 PRWR, but below average 5.0 RSTOP. Largely noted struggles in the Senior Bowl, several lost reps (one washed majorly in run defense), and a missed angle/tackle opportunity. Enjoyed a pass rush, and hustle to tackle a screen.
Florida Atlantic’s Evan Anderson (247). Snaps (477, 265, 535). 100-plus A gap (251, 160, 154) and B gap (225, 103, 361) each season. Eight sacks, increasing to five in 2023. 23 hurries (eight, three, 12), and a bat last year. Great 83.7 RDEF, 70-range OVR, TPS, and PRSH, good 8.2 RSTOP, and above average 7.1 PRWR. Clark noted an okay Shrine Bowl week. Strong run defense in college showed up in his game, losing more as a pass rusher (he did have pressure).
Then, three more iDL prospects would land in the undrafted territory: Mississippi State’s Jaden Crumedy (260), Alabama’s Tim Smith (272), and Baylor’s Gabe Hall (292). The latter will likely be selected per Alex Kozora’s linked report (fourth round), due to fitting the hard-to-find measurables teams like Pittsburgh look for.
An upgrade to the position would definitely be welcomed, and hopefully, Pittsburgh will bolster the position room. While the big board will certainly change, I hope you enjoyed and learned something from the grade data and notes from the all-star games.
