Frisco, Texas – The Pittsburgh Steelers are a historic organization when it comes to the names that have anchored the defensive line since the team was founded. Names like Mean Joe Greene, Cam Heyward, Ernie Stautner, and many more come to mind. With Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi both north of 30 years old, it’s time to start looking for the next name to hopefully add to the defensive line’s historic resume. After sitting down and talking to Cam Horsley from Boston College, I thought he might be a great candidate in this year’s NFL draft.
“I would just say my physicality and my play-making abilities,” Horsley tells me, attending this year’s Shrine Bowl. “I know my pass rush numbers lack, but I feel like I’m one of the better run defenders in the country, to be honest. I’m long, I’m physical, I’m strong, strong at the point of attack and all that stuff. So that’s what I can bring to an NFL team.
“Also, I like to compete too. I’m a very competitive person. Growing up with two brothers, we always competed with stuff like that in the backyard. Playing Wiffle ball, kickball, and all that, just not wanting to lose. And video games, too. Playing driving video games and not wanting to lose. I just want to win.”
Cam Horsley is not just hyping himself up, either. There may be a legitimate argument for what he said. His numbers have increased just about every single season, which allowed him to have career highs in 2024 with total tackles (42), tackles for loss (7), and pass deflections (3). He has a great motor and attacks double teams at a high level.
“For double teams, I wanna attack one guy. That’s the post guy, the first guy that comes at me. I want to attack him first, run through him. Then, once I feel that second guy coming, I usually drop a knee, or I’ll arm over and snag the post guy quickly, then arm over and be there. And that’s usually where the ball shows up.”
Cam Horsley’s ties to the Steelers include playing with Mike Tomlin’s son, Dino, at Boston College from 2022 to 2024. Horsley has praise for all parties.
“Coach Tomlin, I haven’t met him yet, but he seems like a good dude. Really good coach and philosophies and all that. Really good schemes. Cam Heyward, he’s one of my favorite players to watch on film. That’s one of the guys I like to watch. Physical, big, plays the game the right way. He’s very technically sound and all that. The Steelers, it is tough. The Steel City, so it’s just like hard-nose, and that’s the type of player I am. That’s what [Boston College] is. It’s hard-nosed, tough, grinding stuff out. That’s what the Steelers are. Definitely a great organization.”
His decision to attend Boston College was driven by location. Growing up in New Jersey, Chestnut Hill was close enough to his hometown to make it his next home. Pittsburgh would offer the same.
Cam Horsley talked about how choosing Boston College mainly came down to his not wanting to go far away from his hometown in Cinnaminson, NJ. So, obviously, he prefers to stay in the area if he has a choice rather than go across the country.
With the Steelers needing a new interior guy in the next few years, Cam Horsley seems like a great development piece they can get pretty easily now. One who openly said he plays with a chip on his shoulder for not being recruited by elite schools out of high school and knows his flaws by actively trying to work on his pass rush ability so that it eventually shows up in the stat sheet. Offering a wide grin after I mentioned the Steelers, there’s no doubt Pittsburgh would be the perfect fit.
After this interview, there is no doubt in my mind the Steelers should give Cam Horsley a shot, considering his big grin when I brought them up.
