DeMarvin Leal has talent, but inconsistency, injury, position switches mar future

DE DEMARVIN LEAL

Experience/age: Fourth season, turned 25 on Tuesday

Contract status: $1.65 million cap hit in 2025, after which scheduled for unrestricted free agency

The past: Leal was both a high school and college all-American in the state of Texas (he played in the SEC at Texas A&M) and after an eight-sack season as a junior elected to forgo further college eligibility to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. He was a “tweener” at 6-foot-4, 283 pounds, but the Steelers took him as a defensive lineman. Aside from six weeks on injured reserve as result of a knee injury, Leal was a regular part of the Steelers’ defense as a rookie. He played both on the interior and as an edge defender. But by the end of Year 2, he’d lost his spot in the rotations at both spots, and he even served as a healthy scratch.

During last year’s training camp, Leal was at OLB increasingly more. He made the team but played a bit role through the first three games. Then, during a Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, he suffered a neck injury that landed him on injured reserve and ultimately ended his season. Leal told reporters during organized team activities that he had a bone spur and scoliosis in the back of his neck and spent several weeks on bed rest in addition to several others with no contact.

2025 outlook: Leal, though, was back participating in OTAs and minicamp, declaring himself “100%.” Leal also confirmed that he is regarded as a fulltime OLB now. Though that was the way his career was trending and seemingly a better fit for his skillset, it’s a spot at which the Steelers already have depth. After starters T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are Nick Herbig and rookie Jack Sawyer, in addition to special-teams standout Jeremiah Moon. Leal will probably need to have a strong camp and preseason (part of that being staying healthy) to ensure he’s on the season-opening roster.

Leal flashed at points last summer. Listed now at 6-4, 290 pounds, it’s obvious he has the physical tools. But after three mediocre pro seasons and coming off a significant injury — even at a freshly-turned 25 years old — Leal might be running out of time to show he belongs over a long term.