The Pittsburgh Steelers are already looking ahead, and middle linebacker belongs near the top of the list.
Yes, quarterback is the obvious long-term question. But the defense has its own future to sort out, and the Steelers need a player who can eventually serve as the middle of that unit beyond 2026. With the college game set to offer a strong group of inside linebackers, there are plenty of names worth tracking before next year’s draft picture starts to take shape.
Auburn’s Xavier Atkins looks like the kind of athlete who jumps off the screen right away. He’s fast, quick and physical, a gap-shooter who tackles with force.
Auburn also moved him around enough to show more than one dimension, using him as a traditional box linebacker and even as an overhang defender. Among the linebackers to watch entering the 2026 season, he may be the most intriguing.
Then there’s Biles, who arrives at Texas after three years at Pittsburgh and now gets a chance on a much bigger stage. The Longhorns are turning the middle of the defense over to him after losing Anthony Hill Jr. and Liona Lefau, and that kind of responsibility should only help his draft stock. He backed up the production last season too, finishing with 100 total tackles.
Indiana’s Rolijah Hardy is coming off a national championship run and figures to be a major piece again in 2026. He piled up 103 total tackles in 2025 and was consistently around the ball.
The Hoosiers leaned on Aiden Fisher, the James Madison transfer Curt Cignetti brought in, but Hardy was the one making the most disruptive plays. He added 8.0 sacks and broke up five passes, showing he can do more than just clean up tackles.
Still, Hardy comes with a question. Is he truly built for every down at middle linebacker?
His pass coverage has limits, and there’s a case that he may fit best as a run-stopper or even as an edge rusher in the right scheme. Even so, the upside is obvious.
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa may be the cleanest Steelers fit of the group. At 6'3" and 230 pounds, he brings size, speed and skill in one package. He was a strong run defender for Notre Dame in 2025, and as his role grows in 2026, his draft stock is expected to keep climbing.
In Other News...
Steelers Rookie Is Suddenly Crashing A Roster Battle Nobody Saw Coming
A seventh-round pick usually arrives in Pittsburgh with a long road ahead, but Robert Spears-Jennings has made enough of an impression early to get his name into the conversation. After OTAs and minicamp, an insider from The Athletic pointed to the rookie safety as a player who showed promising traits and could push for a spot on the 53-man roster in the kind of role the Steelers always seem to value, contributing on special teams while providing depth on the back end.
Spears-Jennings comes to the NFL after four seasons at Oklahoma, where he built a reputation for production and consistency across 47 games. His path is still steep, as it is for most late-round defensive backs, but the early buzz is notable because it suggests the Steelers may already be seeing more than just a developmental project as training camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Wont Love This Surprise Trade Buzz On Defense
The Steelers are still sorting out what their defense is supposed to look like under Patrick Graham, and that includes a secondary that has already seen its share of movement. Pittsburgh brought back Asante Samuel Jr. on a one-year deal after his spinal fusion surgery, then added Jamel Dean and Jaquan Brisker to a group that is trying to mesh new pieces with the teams familiar 3-4 leanings.
Now comes the kind of chatter fans usually do not love this time of year: a Sports Illustrated report casting Samuel Jr. as a possible trade candidate. It is only speculation, but it adds another layer to a defense that is already balancing health, depth and scheme changes, with any move depending on whether Pittsburgh thinks the back end is crowded enough to justify it. [Read more 🡒]