The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl gets going on Saturday with the first day of practices, and a lot of eyes are going to be on the defensive line, largely due to Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, a potential first-round pick who will look to cement his draft stock with a strong showing in Dallas. Along with Grant, below are some interior defensive linemen to know and who might be of interest to the Steelers, who drafted DL Logan Lee last year after a strong performance at the Shrine Bowl.
Kenneth Grant – Michigan
Age: 21
Height/Weight: 6-3, 339 pounds
Grant is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the class and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was off the board by the end of the first round. He moves really well for his size and has some potential to unlock as a pass rusher. He’s someone who can occupy the A-gap and has some versatility, often lining up as a 3-tech in Michigan’s defense. Something that might also catch Pittsburgh’s eye, as well as get the attention of teams around the league is Grant’s penchant for batting down passes. He had five passes defensed each of the last two seasons at Michigan.
In total, Grant put up 69 total tackles with 12 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks with an interception and 10 passes defensed at Michigan. He’s a freaky athlete for his size and someone who’s going to be a lot of fun to watch in Dallas. If the Steelers decide to address defensive line in the first round of the draft, Grant is someone that they’re going to have to consider.
Cam Horsley – Boston College
Age: N/A
Height/Weight: 6-3, 306 pounds
Horsley’s got a lot of collegiate experience, with 59 games played during his time at Boston College. As a graduate student in 2024, Horsley made All-ACC third team after registering 42 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and three passes defensed. Horsley did not show off much pass-rush prowess in college, with just 3.5 career sacks, but he’s a good run stuffer and someone who could be worthy of a late-round flier, although he’ll likely need to bulk up to play the interior in Pittsburgh.
Jordan Phillips – Maryland
Age: 20
Height/Weight: 6-2, 320 pounds
A transfer from Tennessee, Phillips was a two-year starter at Maryland, playing in 25 games over the last two seasons. He had 57 total tackles and three tackles for a loss during his time with the Terrapins, and his size makes him well-suited to be an A-gap run stuffer at the next level. A nose tackle at Maryland, he will likely be a nose tackle at the next level, and he currently projects to be a Day 3 pick. Phillips didn’t register a sack during his college career, and he’s someone who could boost his stock a bit if he can show some pass-rush juice or disruption during his time in Dallas.
Mike Tomlin has a good relationship with Maryland head coach Mike Locksley and the Steelers always scout the school pretty heavily, so Phillips could be a late-round defensive line option.
