The Ole Miss Rebels had a star-studded roster this past season in college football, and they brought three members of their defensive line down to Mobile, Alabama for the 2025 Senior Bowl.
One of those players is DL Jared Ivey, a big, long, and tall pass rusher that hails from Suwanee, GA and played his first two years at Georgia Tech before transferring to Ole Miss.
Ivey was easy to pick out as the pumped-up edge rusher showcased impressive athleticism for his size, racking up 16 size in his past three seasons with the Rebels, including seven this past season.
Ivey spent Wednesday’s practice seeing reps on the edge, but he also kicked inside to 5-tech, which is the position Pittsburgh’s interior defensive line traditionally plays. Given his measurements, I asked him about his experience playing inside during his college career and if he would be comfortable kicking inside at the NFL level.
“I played almost exclusively on the edge my entire career,” Ivey told me during the media breakfast. “Last year, we had a bunch of edge guys and they kind of created this package for all of us to get on the field at the same time. So that’s what I had to do, and I had production doing it.”
Ivey did say that he would be able to kick inside at the next level, and given his measurables, standing 6055, 283 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms. Those numbers resemble what Pittsburgh normally looks for in their base defensive ends, that being if Ivey were to add an extra 5-10 pounds and play with that same athleticism inside.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Ivey, as he is considered a pretty good cook by his teammates… and he backs that statement.
“I love to cook, man.” Ivey said. “I make steak all the time. I mean, I make everything… chicken, fried rice, ground turkey quesadillas, stuff like that.”
Pittsburgh is in need of more athletic defensive linemen that can both stop the run and get after the quarterback as a pass rusher, and Ivey fits the bill as a prospect that Pittsburgh could look to likely target on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Head coach Mike Tomlin was watching the defensive line intently during the practice sessions, and Ivey acknowledged that the two hit it off during their interactions in Mobile.
“Ya, Coach Tomlin is like one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met,” Ivey said. “Obviously, one of the best winning percentages and just a real guy. Like the conversations I’ve had with him have been so real. He’s giving me tips and pointers and stuff to focus on during the practices and in our individual meetings at night, he’s really getting to know me. Coach Tomlin is awesome.”
Power 4 conference? Check. Ability to kick inside while having the ideal length and size for an interior defensive lineman in Pittsburgh’s scheme? Check. Multiple run ins with Coach Tomlin both on the practice field and in individual meetings with the team? Check.
The Pittsburgh Steelers do a poor job of hiding their affections for a player. A couple of years ago, that was DL Keeanu Benton at this same event. This year, it may be Jared Ivey, who the team looks to be doing their due diligence on prior to the NFL Combine in the coming weeks.
