Thursday kicked off the first day of on-field testing and drills at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. The defensive front seven was in action, the interior defensive lineman, DEs/EDGE rushers, and off-ball linebackers. A solid workout overall for the group. The EDGE rushers were freaky, like they always are, the inside linebackers ran well, but I was most interested in identifying the defensive linemen who could scratch the Pittsburgh Steelers’ itch.
From a measurable and testing standpoint, it’s hard to find names that check all the boxes. The height, weight, length, and overall performance. Seeing Thursday’s Combine results, there are a couple more linemen who, at least on paper, fit. Let’s talk about them.
I’ll list them in order of Relative Athletic Score (RAS).
Ruke Ohorhoro/Clemson – 9.9 RAS
If there’s one player my eyes were really opened to, it was Ohorhoro. The Steelers held a formal meeting with him, and it should come as no surprise. Measuring in at 6040, 294 pounds with 34-inch arms, he hits all the right notes. His testing was off the charts, dipping into the high-4.8s for his official 40 with a wicked 1.67 10-split. By comparison, that’s the same split as 240-pound Kansas EDGE rusher Austin Booker.
With good college production, 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks over his last two seasons, he has the makings of a solid Day 2 pick, which is about where Pittsburgh’s been targeting defensive linemen (Tuitt, Hargrave, Leal, Benton).
Gabe Hall/Baylor – 9.12 RAS
Hall is someone I’ve mentioned a handful of times in the pre-draft process. He profiles similarly to LSU’s Maason Smith and looks the part. 6060, 291 pounds with 34-inch arms. While some have compared him to Chris Jones and I suppose that’s his ceiling, he’s raw and developmental. But he’s athletic in a line and coming into the draft, I expected him to run between a 5.00-5.05 40. He clocked in at 5.03.
My concern and question regarded his agility times, and they were average to a little below, about as expected. On the field, he needs to develop more pass-rush moves and keep his pads down, making him someone who won’t be ready to play significant snaps out of the gate. But big picture, he looks like a future Steelers defensive lineman.
Maason Smith/LSU – 8.99 RAS
Smith entered the Combine on our list of names to watch. His weigh-in nailed everything Pittsburgh looks for. At 6051 and 301 pounds with 35-inch arms and an 84 5/8-inch wingspan, he is “built in a lab” stuff for the Steelers. His testing was solid, and he looked fluid, though perhaps a bit uncoordinated, in drills. His near-nine RAS fits the athleticism the team has valued in the last several drafts. By comparison, Keeanu Benton’s RAS was 8.9.
Smith is raw and far from Day 1 ready but if Pittsburgh can add a veteran free agent and draft Smith in the third/fourth round, he can take a year to develop and hopefully be ready for 2025.
Kris Jenkins/Michigan – 8.83 RAS
Jenkins isn’t as big as his father and namesake, but Pittsburgh will love the bloodlines all the same. Jenkins slightly lacks ideal height in a Steelers end, measuring in at 6026, but his 34-inch arms matter more, and he’s incredibly long for his frame. At 299 pounds, he checks that box as well. He tested well, turning in a 1.70 10-split and 4.91 40 with good explosion numbers for his body type.
In an interview with NFL Network reporter Kimmi Chex, Jenkins showed a fun and big personality, hyping up his teammates and enjoying his experience at the Combine. You can bet he did well with teams during the interview process. We don’t have confirmation if Jenkins met with the Steelers — he’s not currently on our list — but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did.
Jenkins lacks overwhelming production, but he was part of a fantastic Wolverines defense that was tough, physical and well-coached by Jim Harbaugh. The defense had so much talent that the numbers were spread around, similar to what happens at Georgia. He’s someone to keep an eye on.
Leonard Taylor III/Miami (FL) – 7.47 RAS
Finally, there’s Taylor, whom I don’t feel as strongly about as the others but is still worth including. He does look the part at 6034, 303 pounds with 33 7/8-inch arms. But his overall testing wasn’t as strong as the others, a 10-split at 1.76 with average explosion figures. Taylor had a big 2022 before cooling off in 2023. That could create some value if he slips a bit in the draft past his current second-round projection.
