The final draft class from former general manager Kevin Colbert is shaping up to be a real dud.
While George Pickens has a lot of growing up to do, he’s clearly the most immediately talented player of the 2022 crop. Many Pittsburgh Steelers fans feel Kenny Pickett was a miss and Connor Heyward and Calvin Austin III have only shown flashes.
But DeMarvin Leal, a defensive lineman out of Texas A&M, has failed to impress in limited showings.
Mike Tomlin said the opportunity to contribute in the future isn’t off the table, but he has to put in the work and earn it. Expectations were high for Leal coming into his second season, but results never materialized.
“There certainly is, but he’s got to be a component of that,” Tomlin said of plans to get him more involved. “Obviously, we put helmets on guys that we think are best positioned to help us secure victory, and he hadn’t been a component of that, and so he’s got some work to do.”
Leal was a healthy scratch for seven of their 17 games this season.
