The Senior Bowl practices will begin one week from today, and chances are that at least a couple of players in attendance will be drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in a few short months. Payton Wilson, Roman Wilson, and Keeanu Benton are some recent examples of players drafted who were at the Senior Bowl. The Steelers are in need of a 3-4 defensive end this year and there should be several candidates in Mobile, Ala., to watch.
With Cameron Heyward getting up there in age and Larry Ogunjobi likely to be a cap casualty, the Steelers need help for both the present and future of their defensive line. They have a very specific type they look for in defensive ends, so I narrowed down the list of 30 DT, DL, and EDGE players to who the Steelers may have interest in.
Finding true 3-4 defensive ends is hard. A lot of the players were edge defenders in college, and others were defensive tackles with the size to play 5-tech. Fortunately for the Steelers, there are way more good options compared to last year’s draft class.
This list will focus more on the defensive end-capable players. There are some defensive tackles worth looking at, but this list would get quite long if both positions were included.
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DEFENSIVE LINE ACCEPTED INVITES
Jordan Burch — Oregon
Age: 23.3
Year: 5
Height/Weight: 6-6, 295 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 59th
Burch started his college career at South Carolina before transferring to Oregon for the last two seasons. He played a majority of his snaps out on the edge but has the size to be a versatile piece who can play all across the defensive front. Burch suffered a knee injury in early October this season but returned for Oregon’s last five games.
In five seasons, Burch logged 170 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 11 passes defensed, including an interception for a touchdown, and one forced fumble.
Jared Ivey — Ole Miss
Age: 23.1
Year: 5
Height/Weight: 6-6, 285 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 61st
Ivey played two seasons at Georgia Tech before transferring to Ole Miss. He lined up on the edge a lot in 2024, but he has plenty of college snaps all over the defensive front and has the size and length to be an end for a 3-4 defense.
In five seasons, Ivey had 165 combined tackles with 35 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, five passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
Landon Jackson — Arkansas
Age: 22.1
Year: 4
Height/Weight: 6-7, 280 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 38th
Jackson played one season at LSU before transferring to Arkansas for his final three. He played primarily outside of tackles as an edge defender but also logged 178 snaps over tackle in 2024. If his height and weight measurements hold up, he might be a tad too tall and light to play defensive end, and he would really struggle to move inside. But if he comes in with an extra several pounds or if he looks like he has room to add a few pounds, then he could be worth a look.
In four seasons, Jackson had 116 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
Sai’vion Jones — LSU
Age: 21.6
Year: 4
Height/Weight: 6-6, 280 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 101st
Jones spent all four of his seasons at LSU, playing the majority of his snaps on the edge or aligned over tackle. Like some of the other players on this list, his official measurements will be telling for the possibility of him playing 5-tech. He is one of the younger guys on the list, which means there could be some room to fill out his frame.
In four seasons, Jones had 99 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, five passes defensed, and three forced fumbles.
Nic Scourton — Texas A&M
Age: 20.4
Year: 3
Height/Weight: 6-4, 280 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 25th
Scourton spent two years at Purdue before finishing at Texas A&M. The Aggies listed as an outside linebacker, and he might end up being best suited for a 4-3 system as an end, but he is just on the cusp of the size profile that the Steelers look for. He is also the youngest player on this list, which is a big positive. He played almost exclusively outside the tackle with the Aggies.
In three years, Scourton had 109 total tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, five passes defensed and three forced fumbles.
Shemar Stewart — Texas A&M
Age: 21.2
Year: 3
Height/Weight: 6-6, 285 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 20th
Stewart is another young player on this list, exiting Texas A&M after just three seasons. Pending official measurements and his arm length, he might be the ideal frame for a 3-4 DE, and he could be right within the sweet spot for the Steelers’ pick at No. 21 overall. He played a lot on the edge but also aligned some over tackle and inside as a B-gap defender. His frame should allow him to play anywhere.
In three seasons, Stewart had 65 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
T.J. Sanders — South Carolina
Age: 21.5
Year: 4
Height/Weight: 6-4, 290 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 35th
Sanders spent all four seasons at South Carolina. He was primarily a B-gap defender in college, but his frame suggests he might be able to kick outside and be a little more versatile. His arm length will be something to watch when the official measurements come in. He is pretty young to have four college seasons under his belt.
In four seasons, Sanders had 109 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and six passes defensed.
Ty Robinson — Nebraska
Age: 23.7
Year: 6
Height/Weight: 6-6, 310 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 198th
Robinson spent six years at Nebraska and played in 60 games. He has a huge frame and a lot of playing experience. He lined up all over the defensive front throughout his career and he has the size to hold up anywhere. He had by far the best season of his career in 2024.
In six years, Robinson had 134 total tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 12 passes defensed, and a forced fumble.
Shemar Turner — Texas A&M
Age: 22.0
Year: 4
Height/Weight: 6-4, 290 pounds
PFF Overall Rank: 128th
Turner spent all four seasons at Texas A&M. He played almost exclusively inside in 2024 but played a fair amount on the end earlier in this college career.
In four years, Turner had 115 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one pass defensed, and three forced fumbles.
