Every year since joining BTSC in 2024, Ryan Parish has put together a draft gems list. This series is not meant to predict who the Steelers will pick, but rather highlight players Ryan thinks will be viable NFL players, and should be available in Rounds 2-7. Looking for more? Check out Ryan’s picks this year at wide receiver.
While it may not be at the top of the Steelers’ draft list, linebacker is one of the deeper position groups in the 2026 class. It is also one of the sneakier needs for Pittsburgh.
Patrick Queen has been a rumored cap casualty since the season ended, but even if he remains in Pittsburgh for the final year of his contract next season, it’s hard to foresee the Steelers extending him for big money. Payton Wilson also had a somewhat disappointing second season. While he still shows promise in pass coverage, he has struggled in early downs against the run and ceded snaps to Malik Harrison down the stretch. Harrison is the inverse, a player that a liability in pass coverage, but adequate enough against the run. Cole Holecomb is a free agent, and Carson Bruener is likely to remain on special teams. That sounds like a room that could use a talent infusion to me.
For this series, we’ll be entering some uncharted territory. While I’ve looked at edge linebackers previously, this will be the first time I’ve taken a crack at an inside linebacker class. In many ways, this will be a learning experience for me. I have a loose idea of some positional benchmarks in terms of size and athletic testing, but I will be curious to look back on this process next year and see if there is anything I glean from this year’s process.
As always:
- Any player selected for this list cannot be commonly mocked as a 1st round pick
- I also avoid players who will have a profile written on BTSC. Paired with the previous rule, this year that disqualifies: Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, C.J. Allen, and Jacob Rodriguez.
- Because this list is meant to dig deep into the draft, I will try my best not to give you a majority of second-rounders, though I’m not excluding that tier of prospect entirely. I believe up to four linebackers could be drafted in the second round — Rodriguez, Anthony Hill Jr., Josiah Trotter, and my selection for this list — so I will only pick one from that group.
With no further delay, these are my 2026 Draft Gems linebackers.
Jake Golday, Cincinnati
Age: 22 (05-23-2003)
Height/weight: 6’4 1/2, 239 pounds
Arm Length: 31 7/8”, 76⅞ ” wingspan
RAS: 9.84
Golday’s athleticism, length, versatility, and general blue-collar attitude were all major selling points for me. A former defensive end with few offers coming out of high school, Golday spent three seasons at Central Arkansas before transferring to Cincinnati in 2024. The Bearcats deployed him all over the field, lining him up at Mike and Sam linebacker, as a defensive end/edge, and even deploying him as a slot defender for 501 snaps in his college career.
Golday has enough size and power to take on blocks in the run game, and enough speed, range, and change of direction skills to be effective in pass coverage. I do think he needs to work on his reaction time against the run, as he can sometimes be a beat late triggering down; I think that’s something that can be coached up in him, however, as he’s still relatively new to the position, having played it for about three years. While I think he could step in and play right away, Golday shared, “I’m telling everybody that I’ll play special teams. I’ll play any special teams that I’m asked. I’m a guy that’s going to go in and just contribute any way.”
Golday was one of the few prospects to compete in all of the drills, another quality I like. In an era where so many prospects elect not to fully compete at the Combine for fear of hurting themselves — both literally and figuratively — it’s refreshing to see a guy that just loves the game and the process, and is willing to put it all on the line. Golday’s 7.02-second 3-cone drill, which measures agility and change of direction, was a better time than Combine standout Sonny Styles’ (7.09) mark.
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Age: 23 (02-11-2003)
Height/weight: 6’3, 226 pounds
Arm Length: 31 7/8’’
RAS: *Will update once released*
Lawson is another likely Day 2 prospect, though he is more likely to fall to the third round.
Pros:
- Experienced (2,461 snaps on defense)
- Fast on tape
- Rangey in coverage
- Has some pass rush upside (52 pressures, 8 sacks in college career)
Cons:
- Light for a linebacker at 226 pounds, can show up engaging with climbing blockers
- Inconsistent tackler. 16.3% missed tackle rate in 2025, 12.2% in 2024
- Injury history. Had a quad injury in 2023, an ACL tear in Nov. 2024, and other smaller dings and bruises can pop up and affect him during a season
Though Lawson didn’t participate in the Combine drills, he looks plenty athletic on tape. I’d like to see him add on a bit more weight at the pro level, but he’s a defender who is more slippery against blocks than he is overpowering. He might ultimately be too similar to Payton Wilson’s skillset, but as we go deeper into the draft, these prospects will all have flaws. Lawson isn’t my favorite linebacker on this list, but his role as a sub-package linebacker is easy to envision should the Steelers want to hedge their bets on Wilson.
Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State
Age: 22 (12-12-2003)
Height/weight: 6’2, 231 pounds
Arm Length: 31 1/4’’
RAS:*Will update once released*
Elliott was one of my favorite prospects at the Senior Bowl. He hadn’t really been on my radar prior to that week, but he rarely came off the field during practices and was always around the ball. His size falls in line with modern linebackers, and he’s great at taking on blocks against the run and then making the tackle. He didn’t run a 40-yard dash, but he did do the jump drills, which highlight a prospect’s explosiveness. His 38” vertical (91st percentile for ILB) and his 125” broad jump (96th percentile) shows up as burst on tape when he triggers down on a run or on a pass in the flat.
A former quarterback in high school, Elliott sees the field really well. He’s still developing in pass coverage, but if the Steelers are looking to supplement Wilson’s skillset with a thumper against the run, Elliott fits the bill. He also took a big step as a pass rusher this year, collecting seven sacks and 15 pressures on just 24 pass rush snaps, according to PFF.
Elliott was described as a high-character guy during my week in Mobile, and getting an opportunity to talk to him, I agree that he’s got the focus and temperament that coaches love to have on a roster.
Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
Age: 23 (07-08-2002)
Height/weight: 6’1, 233 pounds
Arm Length: 30 3/4’’
RAS: *Will update once released*
Boettcher is another player who lives around the ball. He’s another of a handful of linebackers in this class who started out as a safety. A two-sport athlete — he was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2024 — who walked on at Oregon, Boetcher’s game is highlighted by his intensity and commitment. At bare minimum, he’s a player who could carve out a long career as a special teams player.
Boettcher moves well in pass coverage, allowing just six yards per reception and a QB passer rating of 74.7 in 2025. He’s also a sure tackler with a career missed tackle rate right at 10%. He’s aggressive against the run, which can lead to him blowing up plays, but also makes him susceptible at times to play action or cutback lanes. He’s got adequate but not elite speed. He also has experience as a green dot for the Ducks. I see his size and athleticism dropping him to a Day 3 pick, but he’s got the mentality and the drive to make a long career.
Jack Kelly, BYU
Age: 23 (01-02-2003)
Height/weight: 6’2, 240 pounds
Arm Length: 31 1/8’’
RAS: 9.83
I debated on whether I should include Kelly here with the linebackers or bump him over with the edges. He ran with the backers instead of the edges at the Combine, and does have enough upside as a sideline to sideline backer that I felt good about putting him on this list.
But if we’re leading with Kelly’s best trait, it’s undoubtedly as a pass rusher. Kelly had 576 pass rush snaps in his college career, and he created pressure on 128 (22.2%) of them. Whether it’s from the edge or up the middle, Kelly’s got an explosive first step and trigger.
While the body types look different, and I think Nick Herbig has more lateral twitch in his game, Kelly’s height, weight, arm length, 40-yard time, and 10-yard split are all near matches to Herbig.
Kelly moves better than you’d assume, given his thick torso. He can cover sideline to sideline, though I question if he has the speed necessary against wide zone runs against backs with elite speed. Again, he isn’t a blue-chip linebacker by any means, but as a guy who could play some special teams, give some juice to the pass rush, and potentially develop into an Elandon Roberts-style run defender (eight career forced fumbles), I can think of worse ways to spend a Day 3 pick.
Khalil “Red” Murdock, Buffalo
Age: 22 (09-24-2003)
Height/weight: 6’2, 232 pounds
Arm Length: 31’’
RAS:*Will update once released*
Lastly, if the Steelers are looking for a brawler in the middle of their second level, look no further than the product out of Buffalo. Murdock doesn’t have top-end speed, which could limit his role to an early-down linebacker, but he has great instincts and production. Over the past three seasons, he’s produced 39.5 tackles for loss, and his 17 career forced fumbles is an NCAA record. In 2025, he turned 47 pass rush opportunities into 20 pressures and six sacks.
And Murdock can deliver bone-rattling hits that pop off your screen.
How his speed translates to the NFL could be a sticking point in his career, but I once again am reminded of Elandon Roberts. Roberts was also not the most agile of players, but he was a fan favorite for his ability to crash downhill and make stops. I could see Murdock filling such a role.
What do you think of these LB prospects? Would you like the Steelers to draft any of them? Who was your favorite? Did I leave one of your favorites out? Let us know in the comments!
