Though there is still one game left in the regular season that has much at stake for the Pittsburgh Steelers, not to mention a potential playoff game in their near future, it is never too early to start thinking about the NFL draft process.
With the College Football Playoff semifinals now behind us and all that’s left being the national championship game next Monday, the pre-draft process is about to kick into overdrive with the Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Bowl, and more on the horizon.
Eventually, that will shift the attention primarily to the pre-draft process, which should be another busy one for the Steelers under GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl.
Despite the strong finish to the season for the Steelers, there are plenty of areas that the team should be focused on leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft. For Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema, there is one key position — and one perfect name — for the Steelers to focus on. That would be the cornerback position, specifically Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry.
In a piece for PFF.com Tuesday morning highlighting the perfect prospect for all 32 teams, McKinstry was the selection for the Steelers.
“The Steelers did the right thing by investing in a future starting cornerback in 2023, selecting Joey Porter Jr., but they need to continue to do so, even with a first-round pick this year,” Sikkema writes regarding McKinstry. “Their secondary is aging fast beyond Porter, and McKinstry is one of the most experienced press-man cornerbacks in the draft. The Alabama product has forced 28 incompletions over the past two seasons.”
Coming into the season, McKinstry was considered the best cornerback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He didn’t exactly disappoint this season, but other names like Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, Alabama’s Terrion Arnold, and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean have emerged at the position themselves.
Still, there are few better athletes at the position in the draft class, especially one who thrives in man coverage and can handle the top assignments weekly.
With Porter already thriving as a true lockdown No. 1 cornerback, the Steelers are in great shape at cornerback, at least from having that true standout. But more is needed, especially in today’s NFL.
Veteran Patrick Peterson has played quite well in the last few months of season, handling a number of roles while moving around for the Steelers, but he’ll be 34 next season and shouldn’t be counted on to be a full-time starter and a high-end player. Levi Wallace is a free agent, as is James Pierre.
Rookie seventh-rounder Cory Trice Jr. should be healthy by training camp, but he’s an unknown as well, so the Steelers will need to add multiple pieces at the position, whether that’s through the draft or in free agency, or both.
If they go the draft route again, McKinstry would be a great addition. In three seasons at Alabama, McKinstry recorded 93 tackles, 5.0 sacks, two interceptions and 23 passes defensed. He was a dangerous punt returner, too, averaging 12.0 yards per punt return during his time in Tuscaloosa where he was a two-time first-team All-American.
