We’re back with our annual Pittsburgh Steelers “what they look for” studies. Yearly draft exercises determining physical and athletic thresholds for each position based on how the team has drafted during the Mike Tomlin era.
We built overall profiles for prospects in the upcoming class to see which names for 2025 fit best and are most likely to be on the organization’s radar. Because players are doing less and less testing at the NFL Combine, we’ve expanded our criteria to include Pro Day testing even understanding those times aren’t laser-official like at the Combine and can vary from team to team.
After going through the Steelers’ draft history, we’ll examine the 2025 prospects who checked every box along with the ones who missed in just one category. Starting off with defensive ends, one of the team’s biggest needs heading into the draft.
2024: LOGAN LEE
Height: 6053
Weight: 281
Arm Length: 32 1/4
40 Time: 5.05
10 Split: 1.76
Bench: 25
Vert: 31.5
Broad: 9’6″
SS: 4.37
3C: 7.16
2022: DEMARVIN LEAL
Height: 6037
Weight: 284
Arm Length: 33 1/8
40 Time: 5.00
10 Split: 1.72
Bench: 17
Vert: 30.5
Broad: 9’2″
SS: 4.49
3C: 7.20
2021: ISAIAHH LOUDERMILK
Height: 6063
Weight: 274
Arm Length: 32 5/8″
40 Time: 5.08
10 Split: 1.71
Bench: 21
Vert: 28.5″
Broad: 9’4″
SS: 4.55
3C: 7.52
2019: ISAIAH BUGGS
Height: 6031
Weight: 306
Arm Length: 30 5/8″
40 Time: 5.15
10 Split: 1.81
Bench: 20
Vert: 24.5″
Broad: 8’0″
SS: 4.83
3C: 8.01
2015: L.T. WALTON
Height: 6050
Weight: 319
Arm Length: 32 1/4″
40 Time: 5.25
10 Split: 1.78
Bench: 25
Vert: 27″
Broad: 8’7”
SS: 4.78
3C: 7.91
2014: STEPHON TUITT
Height: 6054
Weight: 304
Arm Length: 34 3/4″
2013: NICK WILLIAMS
Height: 6040
Weight: 309
Arm Length: 34 1/8″
40 Time: 4.94
10 Split: 1.70
Bench: 28
Vert: 33″
Broad: 9’3″
SS: 4.65
3C: 7.55
2011: CAM HEYWARD
Height: 6050
Weight: 294
Arm Length: 34 1/4″
Vert: 30″
2010: DOUG WORTHINGTON
Height: 6051
Weight: 292
Bench: 19
Vert 35.5″
Broad: 10’1”
2009: ZIGGY HOOD
Height: 6027
Weight: 300
40 Time: 4.97
10 Split: 1.73
Bench: 36
Vert: 34.5″
Broad: 9’8”
SS; 4.55
3C: 7.5
SONNY HARRIS
Height: 6043
Weight: 298
40 Time: 4.99 40
10 Split: 1.82
Bench: 28
Vert: 25.5″
Broad: 8’10”
SS: 4.87
3C: 8.18
2007: RYAN MCBEAN
Height: 6040
Weight: 286
Arm Length: 33 1/2″
40 Time: 5.05
10 Split: 1.76
Bench: 27
Vert: 28″
Broad; 9’0”
SS: 4.46
3C: 7.79
The Steelers drafting Logan Lee, one of four prospects who checked every box in our pre-2024 draft study last year, did not change our criteria at all. It remains:
Height: 6035+ (9 of 11)
Weight: 280+ (10 of 11)
40 Time: 5.15 (7 of 8)
10 Split: 1.85 (7 of 7)
Arm Length: 32+ inches (7 of 8)
Bench: 20+ (8 of 9)
Vert: 27+ (9 of 10)
Broad: 8’5” (8 of 9)
3C: 8.00 (6 of 8)
SS: 4.85 (7 of 8)
Five prospects invited to this year’s Combine checked every box.
| Name/School | Height | Weight | Arm Length | 40 Time/10 Split | Bench | Vert | Broad | SS | 3 Cone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Alexander/Toledo | 6037 | 305 | 34 | 4.95/1.71 | 28 | 31.5 | 9’3” | 4.79 | 7.60 |
| Zeek Biggers/Georgia Tech | 6054 | 321 | 34 7/8 | 5.09/1.74 | 22 | 34.5 | 9’5” | 4.75 | 7.91 |
| Kenneth Grant/Michigan | 6035 | 330 | 33 1/2 | 5.13/1.72 | 22 | 31 | 8’9′ | 4.76 | 7.69 |
| Ty Robinson/Nebraska | 6051 | 288 | 32 1/4 | 4.83/1.70 | 28 | 33.5 | 9’11” | 4.50 | 7.58 |
| Nazir Stackhouse/Georgia | 6036 | 327 | 32 1/2 | 5.15/1.80 | 27 | 27.5 | 8’9″ | 4.85 | 7.65 |
Grant is the most notable name on the list (and I included all potential d-line prospects, even though Grant is viewed as more of a nose tackle). He remains a Round 1 candidate. Alexander drew plenty of buzz thanks to a hot Senior Bowl week but hasn’t been mentioned as much in recent weeks. If Pittsburgh passes on defensive line in Round 1, Alexander in Round 3 becomes a possibility.
Robinson was an early call by Dave Bryan and shouldn’t be forgotten either. He could go earlier than expected and projecting him even at No. 83 overall isn’t outlandish. Biggers and Stackhouse are later-round prospects with good size while Biggers popped with plus athleticism.
Several other prospects missed in just one category. They are listed below:
One Box Away
Warren Brinson/Georgia: Three Cone (DNP)
Eric Gregory/Arkansas: Height (6032)
Ty Hamilton/Ohio State: Height (6027)
Cam Horsley/Boston College: Height (6026)
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins/Georgia: Weight (276)
T.J. Sanders/South Carolina: Bench (DNP)
Largely a later-round crop of prospects. Hamilton is a sturdy interior defender while Horsley is a true plugging nose tackle, not a base end. Sanders could go higher in the draft and likely would’ve reached the attainable mark of 20 reps had he participated. Gregory is an interesting prospect worth further evaluation.
