Defense Dominates Offense Day 11 of Camp

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published August 3, 2025, 5:23 PM

LATROBE, Pa. – The air might be cooler in the hills of Latrobe, but the Steelers defense is white-hot and DeMarvin Leal is right in the center of the heat wave.

After one of the most dominant practice sessions yet, Leal was flying around the field, making his presence felt in team drills and individual battles. Asked about his intensity, Leal cracked a smile and simply said, “No man, feel good. Make sure we nice and healthy for the season. I feel good just waiting for more opportunities, some more ways to show what I can do.”

He’s showing plenty already.

In Seven Shots and goal-line sessions, the defense overwhelmed the offense by identical 6-1 margins. Leal played with urgency and fire. On one rep, he exploded into the backfield and got in the face of Mason Rudolph before the quarterback could set his feet. During one-on-one reps against offensive lineman Dylan Cook, Leal went three rounds winning two in dominant fashion. On one particularly nasty move, he blew past Cook so decisively the rep hung in the air like smoke after a firework.

“This defense, man, that’s pretty stout,” Leal said, eyes locked in. “Defense is probably the best defense I’ve been part of since I’ve been here, if I’m being honest with you. So can’t wait to see what we all do together.”

That’s not just talk. There’s a sharpened edge to this unit, one that Leal credits to leadership at the top and focus from every level of the roster.

“You can tell it in meetings, you can tell it during walk-throughs,” he added. “Everybody’s more attentive. Everybody’s just waiting to show what they can do. We got a lot of young guys, and we got the older guys that’s leading us as well, so we’re just following their footsteps and sticking to the standard.”

Those footsteps belong to captains like Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith. The three tone-setters who have helped shape the identity of a defense that looks locked in even this early in camp.

“Everybody, you know, the veteran guys, Cam, TJ, Alex, they want to make sure that everybody’s always attentive,” Leal explained. “So even when we’re doing little small talks in meetings, everything’s just about little things. Honestly, that just happened naturally. Like, we all just came in very attentive and just waiting on that opportunity.”

Leal’s own opportunity may come off the edge, where he’s looked comfortable and disruptive. Though he said his weight hasn’t changed much from last season, the speed and burst are there.

“Really, just using me wherever they need me,” he said. “That’s really the best I can explain it.”

With this much talent on one unit and this much attention to detail, Leal’s belief that this is the best defense he’s been a part of in Pittsburgh isn’t just optimism it might be reality.

Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton were a couple of other younger players that really packed a punch this afternoon. Leal was part of that group as well today and collectively they embarrassed the offense in front of the packed crowd on the hills of Saint Vincent College.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com