There are still four games left in the regular season and much to play for down the stretch for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason and the 2024 NFL Draft in today’s NFL landscape.
Though Pittsburgh remains in the playoff mix in the AFC, there are a couple of holes on the roster that will need to be addressed in a major way this offseason, whether that’s through the draft or in free agency.
One such area of major need is at cornerback, at least according to Pro Football Focus, which identified the position of need in a piece Friday morning.
Outside of rookie Joey Porter Jr., who is having one heck of a rookie season and has become a true lockdown corner for the Steelers, Pittsburgh is thin at the position. Veteran Patrick Peterson signed a two-year deal in free agency last offseason, and though he’s played better in recent weeks, he might be a one-and-done guy this offseason.
Levi Wallace is a free agent at the end of the season, as is James Pierre and Chandon Sullivan. The only other guys under contract at the position moving forward are rookies Darius Rush and Cory Trice Jr., with Trice being on Injured Reserve and having not played a single snap — even in the preseason — this year.
Cornerback is a major need. PFF believes Clemson’s Nate Wiggins is the best fit for the Steelers to pair opposite Porter long-term.
“Wiggins has legit ball skills and shutdown athletic abilities,” PFF writes regarding the Steelers’ biggest need and selection. “He needs to be more consistent in run defense and with the overall strength parts of his game, but he might be at the top of the list of corners you’d want to tell, ‘Go make sure that receiver doesn’t catch the ball.'”
Wiggins is a popular name for the Steelers, one that PFF’s Trevor Sikkemma paired with Pittsburgh in his latest mock draft last week.
The Clemson standout had 29 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown for the Tigers this season, and he has three interceptions total over the last two years.
He profiles as a long, athletic cornerback who fits the modern-day style of athlete at the position and would be an ideal pairing opposite Porter for years to come for the Steelers.
The position of need and the school makes it easy to connect the dots for the Steelers and Wiggins. Pittsburgh has heavily scouted Clemson this season and has always sent a full contingent of front office personnel and scouts to Clemson’s Pro Day every year recently, looking at some of the top prospects in the draft.
With Porter developing the way that he has, the Steelers need a true running mate opposite him. Though there is hope that Trice could be that guy and that Rush develops and works his way into the mix full-time, a high-caliber prospect like Wiggins would be a welcome addition to the room as the Steelers continue to turn this over at this position.
