TCU offensive guard Steve Avila is in Pittsburgh today for his Top-30 visit with the Steelers, according to his Instagram account. Avila is considered to be one of the top interior offensive linemen in the class and will likely be selected at some point on Day 2.
The Steelers have addressed the interior of their offensive line with the signings of Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, but they could be looking to add more pieces. Even if they don’t draft Avila, having him in for a visit and getting to know him is useful if he ever becomes available down the line and the Steelers choose to pursue him.
It was previously reported that Avila was visiting the Steelers, but now we know that the visit is taking place today. The Steelers have brought in a host of pre-draft visitors this week, including Tyrique Stevenson, Siaki Ika, Anton Harrison and O’Cyrus Torrence yesterday.
In his draft profile on Avila, Ross McCorkle gave him a late Day 2/Early Day 3 grade.
“Avila’s game is not flashy, rarely mauling anyone in the run game or showing that nastiness that the guard position is known for, but he does have a solid grasp of the fundamentals and knows how to use his body mass to his advantage. His knee bend creates natural leverage and his wide base helps him keep his hips square. Those are a lot of the things that other linemen work at for years. At 23, and with a lot of games under his belt in college, his experience shows and you have to question the ceiling with someone who already has a good handle on his overall technique,” McCorkle wrote.
Given Pittsburgh’s investment in their interior offensive line this offseason, I would be surprised if the team spent a Day 2 pick on Avila. However, stranger things have happened, and if they view him as an upgrade or someone who can provide solid depth and eventually become a starter, he could be a round two or (more likely) round three selection.
Avila has ideal size for the position and the size Pittsburgh typically looks for, coming in at 6’3, 334 pounds with 33” arms. He was a consensus All-American for the Horned Frogs, who were runners-up to national champion Georgia in 2022.
It’s clear the Steelers are continuing to look for upgrades along the offensive line, and there’s always a chance that Avila could be one.
