After struggling to find a positional fit in the NFL, Steelers third-year defender DeMarvin Leal will likely move to outside linebacker in Pittsburgh this season.
Leal largely played as a jumbo-sized edge rusher in college at Texas A&M, but an uptick in interior snaps in his last season led to projections of a full-time switch in the pros. He added weight for such a role as a rookie, but bounced between interior and edge work in his first two years. Leal primarily played outside linebacker in 2024 before landing on injured reserve with a neck injury.
Now, the 2022 third-rounder is poised to make that move permanent. He has been lining up at outside linebacker at the Steelers’ OTAs, per Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show, and will likely slot in as a backup behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Interestingly, Leal is “noticeably bigger” than last season, according to Kaboly. His weight has fluctuated somewhat since entering the league, but he is currently listed at 290 pounds on the Steelers’ website, which might not be up to date. Given his draft billing as an oversized edge defender, gaining weight to play OLB in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense doesn’t quite make sense, especially since Leal wasn’t already an elite athlete for his size.
Though he’s on the other end of the OLB weight spectrum, Highsmith has been mentoring Leal through his position switch.
“He got some experience as a rookie, and he has that experience from a couple of years ago that helps him be versatile,” said Highsmith (via Kaboly). “He is a guy who you try to continue to help to get better.”