Reston Lehman

Physical Profile

At a verified 6'4", 230 pounds, Lehman has the long-levered, high-cut frame programs covet on the edge, with clear room to add 15-20 pounds onto his lower half without sacrificing the bend and range he flashes now. His track background points to functional straight-line athleticism and closing burst, which shows up in his pursuit numbers. The build is a tweener in the best sense: heavy enough to set an edge against the run but rangy enough to drop into coverage, which explains the OLB-vs-DE designation disagreement across services.

Play Style

Lehman plays as a versatile hybrid defender who lines up on the edge but offers real coverage value, evidenced by three interceptions from a front-seven spot. On film he wins with length, range, and instincts — he diagnoses quickly, pursues sideline to sideline, and creates takeaways by attacking the ball, not just the ball-carrier. He's a disruptor first (TFL machine) whose game is built more on athleticism, motor, and awareness than refined power-rushing technique at this stage.

Strengths

• Elite production diversity for the position — 3 INTs, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries as a senior is unusual for an edge and signals genuine ball skills, awareness in zone drops, and a nose for the football rather than just a one-dimensional pass rusher.
• Backfield disruption that scaled year over year (10 TFL as a junior, 11 TFL plus 4 sacks as a senior) — consistent penetration against WPIAL competition and back-to-back all-state honors confirm he wins, not just looks the part.
• Length and frame projectability at 6'4" with a body that clearly accepts more mass, giving him the developmental ceiling that drew Big Ten and national offers (Penn State, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Nebraska, UCLA, Maryland).

Areas to Improve

• Sack production (4 as a senior) lags his TFL and coverage output, suggesting his hand usage, pass-rush plan, and counter moves need refinement to convert pressures into finishes against college tackles.
• Functional play strength at the point of attack — he'll need an NFL-style strength program to anchor against bigger college offensive linemen once he adds the weight his frame is asking for.

College Projection

Expect a redshirt or rotational role early at Pitt while he adds mass and develops a pass-rush arsenal, with a path to a starting stand-up edge/OLB job by year two or three. His coverage ability gives him a special-teams and sub-package floor as a true freshman, and his frame projects to a 250-260-pound college edge. Strong scheme and family fit (his father attended Pitt) should ease the transition.

NFL Outlook

As a developmental 4-star with rare positional versatility, Lehman has a credible mid-rounds draft trajectory if the pass-rush production catches up to the athletic and coverage profile. The combination of 6'4" length, takeaway instincts, and an addable frame is exactly the raw material NFL teams bet on; his ceiling hinges on whether he refines into a true edge finisher or settles in as a hybrid SAM linebacker. Realistic outcome: Day 3 with Day 2 upside if he develops.

Best Fit

A multiple, hybrid-front defense that lets him stand up and use his range and coverage instincts rather than asking him to play with his hand in the dirt every snap — exactly the flexible 3-4/4-2-5 looks Pitt runs. A program with a proven track record of developing tweener edges into pro rushers maximizes his ceiling.