Five players to watch at this week's Shrine Bowl in Texas

An early exit in the postseason means the Steelers' offseason is under way with scouting for the future.

This week, two prominent scouting events will be taking place down South. The major event of the two is the Senior Bowl, which will kick off one week from today, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. EST in Molibe, Ala. I will be down there for coverage of practices beginning Tuesday.

But, before that game takes place, the East-West Shrine Bowl will kick off from Frisco, Texas Thursday at 8 p.m. EST, giving us an early glimpse of some prospects who could be starting their professional journeys in Pittsburgh come April's draft.

Here are five players to watch from a Steelers perspective throughout the week at the Shrine Bowl:

1. Devin Leary, quarterback, Kentucky

Leary likely wouldn't be picked until the mid-to-late rounds, but the same Kentucky program that benefitted Will Levis and helped transform him into a second-round pick in 2023 gave Leary a renewed shot to build for the NFL. 

He sustained a torn right pectoral muscle six games into his 2022 season at N.C. State and transferred to Kentucky in 2023. In Lexington, Leary threw for 25 touchdowns to finish second in the SEC behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels' 40. At 6-1, 217, Leary is a project quarterback who takes too many risks. While he battled through a mid-season shoulder injury, his 56.3% completion rate was second-to-last in the SEC and he tossed 12 interceptions to lead the conference. 

There is potential to tap into, though. In 2021 with N.C. State, Leary passed for a career-high 3,433 yards while completing 65.7% of his passes for 35 touchdowns and five interceptions.

2. Matt Lee, center, Miami

Lee played his final collegiate season at Miami after spending four seasons a Central Florida, where he was a three-year starter. In 2022 at UCF, Lee earned a 90.6 pass-blocking grade and 80.6 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, and he was rated as their third-highest center. Listed at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, Lee allowed just four pressures and earned second-team All-ACC honors for his efforts at Miami in 2023. 

He profiles more as a pass blocker and is currently billed as the fifth-best center prospect by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. A strong showing this week could propel him into mid-to-late round discussion at a position of need for the Steelers. Reports from Frisco have indicated Lee has met with the Steelers, so he is a player who is at least on their radar in this early draft process.

3. Dallas Gant, linebacker, Toledo

Am I including Gant here because I used to cover some Toledo football? Am I putting Gant here because he developed at Ohio State before transferring to the Mid-American Conference school? Am I putting Gant here because the Steelers could use some inside linebacker depth in the later rounds?

How about a "yes" to all three?

The 6-3, 230-pound inside linebacker was a two-time first-team All-MAC selection in 2022 and 2023 for a Rockets program that won 20 games over the last two seasons. Gant tallied 116 tackles in 2022 and 117 in 2023 and added 14.5 tackles for loss, eight passes defended, and three forced fumbles in his two seasons at Toledo. He posted 54 career tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 36 games with the Buckeyes from 2018-2021. 

His experience and savvy for stopping the run could be an attractive commodity for the Steelers in the later rounds.

4. M.J. Devonshire, cornerback, Pittsburgh

Why not include a Pitt prospect? There are three at this Shrine Bowl -- adding in wide receiver Bub Means and offensive lineman Matt Goncalves -- but the Aliquippa native Devonshire has athleticism, play-making ability, and special teams experience to help carry him into a potential late-round slotting at cornerback.

The Steelers drafted Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. in 2023. Those cornerbacks are lengthier and are more suited to play outside. Listed at 5-11, 190, the second-team All-ACC selection Devonshire could slot into the Steelers' nickel packages and run with an opponent's speediest threat up the seam. He had four interceptions and 10 pass breakups last season and has been Pitt's primary punt returner for the last two seasons.

And, who could forget this memory from the 2022 Backyard Brawl inside of Acrisure Stadium?

5. Leonard Taylor III, defensive tackle, Miami

Coincidentally, there are two Miami prospects on this list. The Steelers hit a home run with Keeanu Benton as a pass-rushing defensive tackle in the 2023 draft. Why not go back into the well?

Taylor was a consensus five-star recruit and was the No. 11 prospect in the recruiting class of 2021, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He was an All-ACC honorable mention as a sophomore after posting 10.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in 2022. He had his 2023 cut short because of injury, but the 6-3, 305 pounder has draft grades in the second and third round entering this process.