Breakfast With Benz NFL Draft preview: Bet on 1 of these 3 defensive linemen to be the Steelers' 1st-round pick

In this year’s NFL Draft, two pools of talent that are particularly deep appear to be along the defensive line and at running back.

That’s good because the Pittsburgh Steelers need help at both positions.

We’ll get to the running backs next week during our series of NFL Draft preview podcasts with former NFL and college scout Matt Williamson (Steelers Nation Radio/Fox Sports Radio 970). But for Friday’s post, we’re going to focus on the front seven.

Specifically, we’ll be trying to find potential first-round selections who could serve as an immediate replacement for Larry Ogunjobi and could be a long-term running partner with Keeanu Benton on the Steelers’ defensive interior whenever Cameron Heyward retires.

Williamson has narrowed his choices to three players who could capably fill that need in the trenches.

• Walter Nolen (Mississippi; 6-foot-3, 304 pounds): “Nolen was the top recruit in the country and has rare explosion. Strength. But then he kind of disappears for a while. Maybe there’s a little entitlement there. He has changed schools (Texas A&M before Ole Miss). He’s gotten paid a lot already. But if I could put him with Cam Heyward, I think that’s my pick.”

.@OleMissFB @WalterNolen4 is ready for duty. Build your defense strong up the middle with men like Nolen. #nfldraft #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/uGE4YSJJgo

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 15, 2025

• Derrick Harmon (6-5, 311 pounds): “Harmon is kind of in that mold, not from his mental makeup, but he’s kind of a one-year wonder. He goes from Michigan State to Oregon. Really, really disruptive. He’s probably the best pass rusher of the group now. Makes the most plays now. Nolan, I think, has a higher upside.”

Derrick Harmon go vroom pic.twitter.com/NH81WNWwrW

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) April 14, 2025

• Kenneth Grant (Michigan; 6-4, 331 pounds): “Grant would be more nosy, in the Vita Vea, Haloti Ngata role. But you can move him around. Nolan and Harmon would be absolute nickel rushers, which is 60% of the defense, and probably a 3-4 end in the base.

“Grant is different than the other two. Grant is heavier, humongous. More of a nose than an end. Doesn’t offer as much pass rush as those guys, but immense run-stuffing capabilities in the middle of the line and (is) a great athlete. He probably would be third for me, though, just because … how many snaps does a nose play anymore? He’s a nose-plus. But even if Casey Hampton was (still) on the Steelers, he’d only play 22 snaps a game.”

.@UMichFootball DT Kenneth Grant is just defensively gifted ????‍????????@KennyGrant78

????: 2025 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
????: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rnSf0jSfKZ

— NFL (@NFL) April 16, 2025

Williamson thinks one — if not all three — of those players will be on the board when the Steelers pick at No. 21.

“Three names that, if I had to bet everything I owned, will be the Steelers’ first-round pick,” Williamson said. “Maybe all three are sitting there at (No. 21), and you can maybe move back to 27th or 28th and get whatever one is left and pick up a second round pick, or a third and something else. That’s ideal to me.”

Also, in the podcast, we will give you some picks for Day 2 or Day 3 that are worth remembering if the Steelers go with another position aside from the defensive line on Thursday night. We examine a good group of edge rushers too. And we’ll toss out a name or two at inside linebacker if the Steelers consider adding to that group late in the draft.

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