To be clear, Tom Pelisssero isn’t saying Michigan LB Junior Colson is a sleeper first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That would feel like a fever dream. But Pelissero is saying Colson is a sleeper at the end of the first round to the NFL at-large, including him on his list of surprise players who could hear their name called Thursday night.
Colson is most notable for Pittsburgh considering it brought him in for a visit. And to this point, very few if anyone believes he’ll go in the top 32. Explaining why, Pelissero writes:
“As my colleague Daniel Jeremiah noted recently, this isn’t a good year to need off-ball linebackers. But if one player at that position sneaks into Round 1, it might be the 21-year-old Colson, who led the national champion Wolverines in tackles for the second straight season in 2023 with 95.”
Like Jeremiah noted, the off-ball linebacker class isn’t strong. Assuming Colson doesn’t become a surprise first-round selection, there won’t be a linebacker taken in the top 32. The top names in the class are Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, NC State’s Payton Wilson, and Colson. Cooper is a well-rounded athlete while Wilson might be the best talent in the class but comes with medical and age concerns.
Colson is a clean prospect with solid and steady production even if his numbers don’t leap out of the box score. Over the last two years, he recorded 196 tackles (eight for a loss) with two sacks. But similar to conversations had about Devin Bush in 2019, Colson lacked splash plays. He never recorded a forced fumble or interception, broke up just five career passes, and in 2023, only had two tackles for a loss and zero sacks. Granted, he was part of an excellent Wolverines defense that spread the stats around, but more impact production could’ve cemented his status as a first-round pick.
While seemingly not high on the list of team needs, it’s likely the Steelers come away with an inside linebacker at some point during the mid-rounds of the draft. Inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry was active on the Pro Day circuit attending three schools (Ohio State, Kentucky, and North Carolina) while the team brought in veteran Khaleke Hudson for a visit during free agency. He signed with the Saints.
At the end of the pre-draft process, the team brought in two inside linebackers in Colson and Wilson, again signaling an interest in adding to the position. But if Colson goes higher than expected, or really even at his current second-round projection, he likely won’t be in the cards for the Steelers.
The three other “surprise” names on Pelissero’s list are WRs Keon Coleman and Xavier Legette – the latter also coming in for a visit – and OT Kingsley Suamataia.
