Sometimes, you see players who just look, play and feel like a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Turns out, that is defensive end Logan Lee.
The Steelers made the Iowa product their sixth-round selection at No. 178 overall, addressing depth along the defensive line.
For Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, who spoke to reporters Saturday following the selection of Lee, he simply fits the mold that the Steelers look for along the defensive line.
“Strong-handed, big man and I think he’s very, very mature,” Dunbar said of Lee when asked why he believes he fits the mold of the Steelers.
That sums up Lee perfectly.
Lee measured in at 6053, 281 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. However, he bulked up to 295 pounds for Iowa Pro Day. Though his 32 1/2-inch arm length is a slight concern, he plays with good hand usage and power and was a very productive college player.
During his time with the Hawkeyes, Lee recorded 158 career tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. Last season, he recorded 55 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, and three sacks.
“We’ve gotten another piece of the puzzle. I think Logan Lee brings a lot of good things to the table,” Dunbar said of his newest defensive lineman. “He has size, he has length. He’s a strong kid that can do some things. Watched him play, had a lot of interaction with him at the Combine. He came up here on a top-30 visit.
“Good young man. And I think he fits the Steeler mold.”
Growing up in Iowa, Lee was a Steelers fan, with Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount his favorite player, he told Steelers Depot at the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl. He has experience in the Black and Gold, too, and now gets to join his favorite childhood team.
Though there are concerns about the arm length, Dunbar loves the versatility that Lee brings to the table.
“I think he’s a defensive end. When I say defensive end, he can play anywhere from the five-technique to a zero, ’cause he’s that kind of guy,” Dunbar said of Lee. “He has the girth as far as 295 pounds that he could play outside because he has a little speed. But he’s going to be mostly an interior guy, a defensive end in our 3-4 package.”
After entering the offseason with major issues along the defensive line from a depth perspective, the Steelers have done a solid job overall addressing the group quietly, re-signing Montravius Adams, adding Dean Lowry in free agency, and now landing Lee in the sixth round of the draft.
Here’s what Steelers Depot’s Tom Mead had to say about Lee in his scouting report:
“Overall, Lee has very good starting experience and a very good motor. He plays with solid snap quickness and good pad level. Good hands and play strength allow him to yank blockers out of the way, and he displays flashes to rush the passer. He played a lot of two-gap defense with the ability to shed blockers. He has quickness to get in gaps, high effort and good chase get him around the ball often.”
