1. Roquan Smith
Georgia, 6-1, 236
Before he declared for the draft as a junior, Smith was a force behind Georgia's run to the national championship game. He was credited with 137 tackles, including 14 for a loss, and six sacks, which was good enough for Smith to win the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. He ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, the second-fastest time among linebackers tested at the NFL Combine.
2. Tremaine Edmunds
Virginia Tech, 6-5, 253
Edmunds, the son of former Miami Dolphins tight end Ferrell Edmunds, is only scratching the surface of his potential. He doesn't turn 20 until after the draft. In his career at Virginia Tech, he had 10 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss. As a junior, he had 109 tackles (14 for loss), 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
3. Rashaan Evans
Alabama, 6-3, 232
It wasn't until his senior season that Evans began to dominate. He tied for the team lead with 74 tackles and had a team-high 13 tackles for loss to go with six sacks and three passes defensed. Evans' speed came into question when he declined to run at the 40 at either the NFL Combine or Alabama's pro day.
4. Leighton Vander Esch
Boise State, 6-4, 256
Vander Esch started only one full season at Boise State, but he closed his collegiate career with standout back-to-back performances. He was the Mountain West championshp game MVP with 16 tackles and an interception. He also was the best defensive player in a Las Vegas Bowl win over Oregon with 12 tackles (three for loss), one sack and a forced fumble. A cervical condition – he plays with a neck brace – could scare away teams.
5. Darius Leonard
South Carolina State, 6-2, 213
Clemson didn't offer Leonard a scholarship, so Leonard headed to South Carolina State and emerged as a second-round draft prospect. As a senior, he had 114 tackles, including 12 for a loss, 8.5 sacks and two interceptions.
6. Malik Jefferson
Texas, 6-3, 236
Jefferson left Texas after his junior season. In 2017, he led the Longhorns with 110 tackles, including 10 for loss, and he had four sacks. He was named to the first-team all-conference in the Big 12. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds at the NFL Combine, the third-fastest time among linebackers.
7. Micah Kiser
Virginia, 6-2, 240
Kiser led the ACC in tackles in each of his final three seasons at Virginia, making him the second player in conference history to accomplish the feat. As a senior, he had 145 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, five sacks, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
8. Josey Jewell
Iowa, 6-1, 235
Jewell ran a slow 4.82 40 at the NFL Combine, which could make teams question whether he has the speed to track down running backs and receivers. A finalist for the Butkus Award as a junior, Jewell was a first-team All-American as a senior when he had 134 tackles, including 13.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble and 11 passes defensed.
9. Jerome Baker
Ohio State, 6-1, 229
Baker has almost the exact same measurements as Ryan Shazier, and he admits to having patterned his career at Ohio State after the Steelers linebacker. In 2017, as a junior, Baker led Ohio State with 72 tackles. He also had 3.5 sacks and three passes defensed in 13 starts.
10. Genard Avery
Memphis, 6-1, 248
Avery started two full seasons and part of another at Memphis. As a senior, he was named to the first-team all-conference in the AAC with 80 tackles. He had 22 tackles for loss, which was among the best in the nation. He also had 8.5 sacks, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
Homegrown
Jason Cabinda
Penn State, 6-1, 234
A three-year starter at Penn State, Cabinda finished ninth at Linebacker U in career tackles. He was a second-team all-conference selection in 2017 when he led Penn State with 88 tackles. He had 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes defensed. He is considered a late-round selection or undrafted free agent.
Best fit for the Steelers
Rashaan Evans
Alabama
Evans has all the tools the Steelers seek in an inside linebacker. The question is whether he will be around for the No. 28 pick. Evans may be off the board by then. If that's the case, the Steelers could target Boise State's Leighton Vander Esch provided he's still available and they aren't scared off by his medical report.
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