Steel City Underground presents it’s ‘Upon Review’ series of Pittsburgh Steelers positional group grades for the 2025 NFL season with statistical analysis and performance reviews.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker corps entered the 2025 season with high expectations, blending elite edge rushers with a revamped inside group anchored by big-money free agent Patrick Queen. After a 10-7 campaign that ended with a first-round playoff loss to the Houston Texans, the unit’s performance was a mixed bag: dominant on the edges but inconsistent in the middle.
Using metrics from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and season stats, here’s a player-by-player grade for the key linebackers, focusing on overall impact, snaps played, and contributions in pass rush, run defense, coverage and tackling.
The outside linebackers
T.J. Watt
The perennial Pro Bowler remained the heartbeat of the unit despite missing three games with a hamstring injury. The 31-year-old edge rusher logged 14 starts, tallying 7.0 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two interceptions and 55 tackles (23 solo). His PFF run-defense grade led all edge defenders at 90.3, and he forced a team-high six fumbles. Watt’s ability to disrupt plays was evident in wins like the 34-12 rout of Cincinnati, where he notched two sacks.
Grade: A-
Even with reduced snaps (around 700), and a big dip in sacks, his elite production justifies the mark; without him, the Steelers’ pass rush dipped noticeably.
Alex Highsmith
Watt’s counterpart delivered another solid year opposite the star. In 13 games (all starts – he missed weeks 3, 4, 10 and 11 due to injury), he recorded 6.5 sacks, 82 tackles and an 82.2 overall PFF grade, bolstered by an 82.4 in run defense – fourth among edge rushers with 500-plus snaps. However, his pass-rush grade (78.0) lagged behind his 2024 peak, partly due to double-teams drawn by Watt.
Grade: B+
Nick Herbig
Herbig emerged as a breakout star in his third season, stepping up during Watt’s absences. The 24-year-old played 16 games (636 snaps), earning an 87.3 overall PFF grade – sixth among edges. His stats: eight sacks, 48 pressures, 13 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, one interception and 25 tackles. Herbig’s 87.3 pass-rush grade ranked seventh league-wide, and he allowed just 89 yards in coverage on 10 targets.
Grade: A
Herbig’s versatility in coverage (73.2 grade) makes him a three-down threat, signaling a bright future.
Jack Sawyer
Sawyer, a fourth-round pick in 2025 from Ohio State, provided rotational depth in 17 games. The 23-year-old edge tallied 3.5 sacks, 22 pressures and 18 tackles in limited snaps (about 300). As a developmental piece behind Watt and Highsmith, Sawyer showed flashes, like a strip-sack in Week 12 against Baltimore. In a draft re-grade, he was part of a class praised for immediate impact, though his role was situational.
Grade: C+
Depth: Jeremiah Moon, a special teams staple, appeared in 17 games with minimal defensive snaps (under 200). The 27-year-old recorded 12 tackles and one sack, focusing on coverage units. His contributions were steady but unremarkable. Depth players like Moon are vital for roster balance, but don’t crack the rotation consistently enough for a solid grade.
The inside linebackers
Patrick Queen
Queen, the unit’s highest-paid player, underwhelmed in his second Steelers season. Starting all 17 games (1,180 snaps), he led the team with 120 tackles (56 solo) and added 1.0 sack, but his efficiency cratered. Queen’s 43.5 overall PFF grade ranked near the bottom among qualifiers, with dismal marks in coverage (32.4) and tackling (30.1, the worst for substantial snaps). He allowed 829 yards on 74 receptions – league highs – and missed 32 tackles. Queen regressed, prompting questions about scheme fit.
Grade: C-
Payton Wilson
Wilson, in his sophomore year, became the Steelers’ tackling machine. Appearing in 17 games, the 25-year-old racked up 126 tackles – tops on the team – along with 2.5 sacks and one interception. Wilson improved markedly, earning praise for “young impact” and a 92.7 PFF grade in a standout Week 8 performance against the Giants. Wilson’s athleticism solidified him as Queen’s complement, but coverage lapses remain.
Grade: B
Rotation: Cole Holcomb, a veteran presence, played 14 games (three starts) after injury recovery, notching 37 tackles. Malik Harrison, signed for depth, contributed 28 tackles in 17 games, excelling in run stuffing. His special teams work was key. Rookie Carson Bruener, a seventh-rounder from Washington, saw sparse action (17 games, minimal snaps) with four tackles. As a late pick, his focus was development.
Overall linebackers grade
With Watt and Herbig leading, the unit pressured quarterbacks effectively, but coverage woes (especially Queen’s) contributed to a middling pass defense (22nd in yards allowed). The group’s athleticism offers hope, but execution must match potential.
Grade: B-
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