With cap cuts coming, are the Steelers scouting a new middle linebacker at the combine? As I wrote in one of our past prospect watches, the Steelers could draft a middle linebacker in the mid-round of this year’s draft. Lawrence Timmons is owed over $15 million and his production has slipped over the past few seasons. One of the most decorated middle linebackers in this draft is Scooby Wright out of Arizona. This former two-star recruit burst on the national spotlight leading the Wildcats to an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl in 2014. That year, Wright won the Chuck Bednarik, Vince Lombardi and Bronko Nagurski awards along with the PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a consensus All-American. Scooby’s season should go down as one of the best in the history of college football for a …show more content…
Despite concerns of durability issues, his 6 foot 246 lbs. frame is prototypical for most inside backers though he does lack leg strength. Wright shows athleticism at the position by being able to run sideline to sideline to track down ball carriers. Scooby is not afraid to deliver huge hits while he has been to go after the ball and rip or punch the ball out leading to a fumble. However, Wright has shown that he will sometimes over pursue plays leaving teammates out to dry. He was also limited in pass coverage as he was asked to blitz a lot in Arizona’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme. A player like Wright with the athletic ability and football instincts at the linebacker position would be a great fit to the Steelers defense. Selecting Scooby could be a boom or bust proposition for the Black & Gold. The Steelers are already dealing with their own china doll at middle linebacker (Ryan Shazier) and would be a risky move to bring in another backer with durability issues. Still, Wright’s upside might be too good for the Steeler to pass