Leal, a 2021 All-American, had his best season in last year as he moved back and forth between defensive tackle and defensive end. He racked up 58 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks and forced fumble in 12 games. For his career, Leal tallied 133 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 13 sacks.

The fact that Leal was a steady performer on both end and tackle may have hurt him in the eyes of NFL teams who deemed him a "tweener". But the Steelers, with a history of outstanding defenses, decided to grab him with the 84th pick in the third round.

Leal will see some familiar faces when he gets to the Steel City, as the Steelers took a pair of his teammates in 2020. Left tackle Dan Moore was a starter for Pittsburgh as a rookie last year, while linebacker Buddy Johnson played sparingly as a reserve.