Regardless of the size at which he played in college, new Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Sutton Smith was a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end for Northern Illinois, which means that, while he is well-verse in playing the role of edge defender, he didn’t do a ton of work that separates 4-3 defensive ends from 3-4 outside linebackers, the latter of which will be his first role in Pittsburgh.
The first time he really got to show what he could do away from the line of scrimmage was in his participation in the Senior Bowl, and he did more linebackers drills at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, followed by his workout at his Pro Day, so the team has gotten multiple looks at him in that regard.