Scouting another talented defensive lineman in a strong class.

Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

Is Toledo defensive lineman Darius Alexander a sleeper option for the Steelers’ first round pick?

The basics on Darius Alexander

• Position: Defensive line
• Class: Sixth-year senior
• Size: 6’4, 305 pounds
• Age: 24 (will turn 25 ahead of rookie season)
• Projected draft round: 2

Stats via Sports Reference

Darius Alexander scouting report

Alexander has an incredibly high floor; he’s one of those players where it’s easy to predict a long career in the NFL. After a whopping six years at Toledo, the well-built defensive lineman has become a versatile, well-rounded prospect.

The first thing that stands out about Alexander is his length. He’s a well-proportioned 6’4, 305 pounds with 34” arms. That helps him keep offensive linemen away from his chest and control plays (No. 9 in all clips).

Alexander didn’t play against a ton of high-end competition at Toledo, but he performed like you’d expect a top-100 player to against the Rockets’ opponent. His upper body strength is another impressive trait, with Alexander possessing a strong bull rush and the ability to viciously shed blocks.

(Plus, check out the rep as a stand-up edge rusher! Alexander fits best as a 3-tech in the NFL, but he played everywhere in college).

Those abilities, as well as an impressive anchor, show up in Alexander’s run defense as well.

However, from time to time his pad level gets a bit too high, allowing him to be moved off the line of scrimmage.

Alexander doesn’t stand out as much when it comes to raw athleticism (but a 9.16 RAS says there’s some upside). While not consistently bad, his first step is not remarkable and he was often the last defender off the line in college. He doesn’t win with speed or burst.

But his hand usage is polished with a good pass-rush plan and solid arsenal of moves; Alexander isn’t the most disruptive defensive lineman in this class, but he has his fair share of plays were he knifed into the offensive backfield.

Alexander’s lack of agility can also hamper his ability to finish plays. He’d often win reps but just miss the tackle or locate the ball-carrier late. His production could’ve been a bit better in 2024:

That being said, Alexander is a polished prospect overall. But his lack of high-end athleticism, plus a long college career where it took him a while to become an impact starter in the MAC, gives me some pause regarding the first-round hype that’s started to build around him.

Still, Alexander is one of many talented Day 2 defensive tackles who should make an instant impact for whichever team drafts him.

Strengths

• NFL size, strength; rarely driven back
• Violent block shedding
• Great length
• Versatility to play all over the defensive line
• Wins with power; incredibly powerful upper half
• Active hands and decent selection of pass-rushing moves

Weaknesses

• Older prospect as a sixth-year senior
• Lacks quick twitch; often last defender off the line
• Linear defender; subpar agility and ability to find ball hurt tackling radius
• Occasionally plays with high pad level
• Good tape, but a lot of it is against lesser competition

What others are saying about Darius Alexander

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Interior lineman with the size, length and physicality for consideration in odd or even fronts. Alexander is capable of destroying blocks, but he needs to do a better job of balancing his force to control the action at the point of attack. He can hold his ground when he’s staying low, but the pad level is inconsistent and causes his gap constriction to be hit-or-miss. Alexander has above-average rush acumen. He does a nice job of utilizing his traits and crafting a plan of attack. His best football could be ahead of him, but for now, he projects as an average rotational player or backup.

Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team

Alexander has played up and down the front, mainly in the B-gap in various 2, 2i, and 3T alignments. Nearly 1,700 of his career 2,054 snaps have come in the B-gap. Physically, he profiles as a 3-tech for even front teams and a 4i end for odd front schemes. … Alexander projects as a universal talent but should be regarded as a developmental starter. He has the length, upper-body power, and lateral disengagement agility to play gap control schemes as a 4i while also boasting the raw first-step quickness and rush counters to attack in a penetration scheme.

The Draft Network

This theme of taking plays off showed up too often for my liking, but what Alexander puts on tape speaks for itself. Despite my concerns about his play-to-play consistency, this is a player who will be the best version of himself in the NFL. With proper coaching to improve his ball-tracking instincts and to develop a more relentless pass-rush mentality, the rewards could be significant. This is an early-round talent who has had a unique path to unlocking his potential. While he may be an older prospect, what Alexander has shown at the end of his career feels like the beginning of what could be a future star in this league—provided he lands in the right situation.

Darius Alexander’s fit with the Steelers

Alexander fits into the weird group of early Day 2 graded players who have had top-30 visits with Pittsburgh. Are the Steelers planning a trade back? A “reach” in the first? Are we reading too much into it?

The one thing we do know is that the team has a need at interior defensive line. Alexander might not be the flashiest there in this year’s class, but he has a strong enough overall profile to be an every-down player, and he has the sort of strength and length you want to see in a 3-4 base end.

TL;DR: Alexander is an extremely “safe” pick in the early Day 2 at defensive line. He’s a lengthy, powerful defender in the run and pass game with good technique. He’s a bit stiff as an athlete and played against lesser competition over a six-year college career, but his abilities should translate well to the NFL level.

What are your thoughts on Toledo DL Darius Alexander? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!

Amos should be getting more consideration as the Steelers’ first-round pick.

Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

The Steelers have shown interest in a wide variety of positions when it comes to their possible first-round pick in 2025. Quarterback, defensive line, safety, and running back have all received plenty of discussion, but cornerback remains a sneaky strong option at pick 21. How does Ole Miss’ Trey Amos fit the Steelers?

The basics on Trey Amos

• Position: Cornerback
• Class: Fifth-year senior
• Size: 6’1, 195 pounds
• Age: 23
• Projected draft round: 1

Stats via Sports Reference

Trey Amos scouting report

After doing a deep dive on Amos for this article, he’s solidly one of my top defensive backs in this draft class. Smooth athleticism is one of the top traits that I look for in corners, and Amos excels in that category. He’s a scheme-versatile defender, but his best tape is when he’s in zone.

Amos doesn’t have much wasted movement when he changes direction, seamlessly switching assignments in coverage while maintaining a read on the quarterback. With three interceptions and 13 passes defensed in 2024, he showed off some good production and drive on the football as well.

In man, Amos’ smooth style of play and ability to quickly flip his hips also shines. He also brings an element of physicality to his game. While some scouting profiles see this as a negative, I thought that for the most part, Amos did a good job avoiding penalties while still being able to bump and run with receivers.

While there are some reps where Amos reacts a bit sluggishly, he’s generally aggressive at the catch point and sticky throughout the route. He has prototypical NFL size at 6’1, 195 pounds, and good length to break up passes.

Long speed is a minor concern, even if Amos ran a reassuring 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. For the most part, his physicality and athleticism allow him to shut down deep routes:

But there are inconsistencies, with teams beating Amos on one-on-ones with crossing routes:

You’d just like to see a bit more urgency there — that’s LSU tight end Mason Taylor who Amos isn’t catching up to in the clip above. Similarly, when playing with a cushion he allowed a few too many easy completions underneath.

In run support, Amos is a bit of a mixed bag even if he’s largely adequate as a tackler. He shows good effort and discipline coming downhill:

But Amos is an arm tackler for the most part who has a decent number of whiffs on tape, and he can get dragged around a bit at times as well.

Still, I consider Amos’ work as a tackler more of a strength than a weakness.

While Amos’ draft stock seems to be hovering around the early Day 2 range, I think we might be undervaluing his stock. Travis Hunter is obviously CB1, but Will Johnson, Benjamin Morrison, Maxwell Hairston, and Shavon Revel Jr. are coming off of injuries, Azareye’h Thomas has testing and tackling concerns, and Jahdae Barron is likely a nickel corner at the next level.

When it comes to a player who projects as a starting boundary cornerback, Amos isn’t just one of the best in his class — he’s one of the safest bets. He’s only started one season at the SEC level in a five-year college career, but that one year was a good one. have a first-round grade on him, and I bet he’ll be picked in the top 32 selections as well.

Strengths

• Good size, length
• Smooth in transitions
• Great eyes in zone coverage
• Adequate in run support
• Physical in coverage but not overly grabby

Weaknesses

• Good, not great long speed
• Fifth-year senior who played for three different schools
• Smooth, but lacks high-level twitch and urgency

What others are saying about Trey Amos

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Long press cornerback who proved he could make the jump from the Sun Belt to the SEC without a hitch. Amos can disrupt the release and plays with good short-area movement in man coverage. He can get a little lost at the top of the route and needs occasional safety nets over the top. He has twitchy feet to close and sees the action clearly from zone but can be hampered by indecisiveness, despite favorable instincts. Amos uses physicality and length to shrink the 50/50 odds in his favor. He can play in multiple coverage but is most consistent in zone. Amos needs to ramp up his run support and trust his eyes in space, but he has the goods to become a solid starting outside corner.

Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team

Amos projects as an NFL starting perimeter cornerback. He will need to be vigilant about his hands and how physically he plays the catch point, but teams that desire a deep third corner in Cover 3 or a press-heavy man defender can both find starting roles for a player of his stature and skill set. Amos should be considered an early candidate to start and be drafted accordingly.

Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network

Although Amos plays a considerable amount of man coverage, his skill set suggests he is best suited for a zone-heavy scheme, such as Cover 2 or Cover 3, in the NFL. In zone coverage, Amos could take advantage of his physicality in press knowing he has help on the back end. He can also be more aggressive in jumping routes and taking angles to make plays on the ball, without worrying about being left without safety support. His football IQ and understanding of route combinations put him in excellent positions to anticipate plays and generate turnovers.

Trey Amos’ fit with the Steelers

With the signings of Darius Slay and Brandin Echols in free agency, the Steelers’ roster need at cornerback has lessened ahead of the draft. Slay is the presumed CB2 while Echols has inside/outside versatility as a rotational piece or even the starter in the slot.

However, while Slay is still playing well at 34 years old, he’s not a long-term answer opposite Joey Porter Jr. Pittsburgh doesn’t seem tied to a particular position in the first round, making Amos, who could be an excellent boundary starter in the NFL, firmly on the team’s radar at pick 21. The Steelers have shown interest, bringing in Amos for a top-30 visit ahead of the draft.

TL;DR: Amos is a scheme-versatile cornerback with NFL-caliber size and athleticism. His fluidity stands out in zone and he has the quickness and physicality to succeed in man coverage. His game still has some frustrating inconsistencies, but he’s a quality prospect who should fit most defenses at the NFL level.

What are your thoughts on Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!