With the 2024 Senior Bowl week set to begin on Tuesday, Steelers Depot will once again have a team in Mobile, Ala., scouting the 2024 draft crop and gathering a first-hand account of the events. There are 155 players who have accepted invites, so it can be difficult to sort through the information once the week gets underway. Here are 10 players to watch whom the Pittsburgh Steelers could have interest in.
Stay tuned to the site throughout the week as we will bring you exclusive player interviews, practice recaps, reported interest from the Steelers, and much more.
DARIUS ROBINSON, DL, MISSOURI
Robinson fits everything that the Steelers look for in a defensive lineman. He is listed at 6-5, 296 pounds, was a two-time team captain, and was highly productive in his final college season with 43 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 14 tackles for loss. Last year, the interest in DT Keeanu Benton in Mobile made the Steelers later drafting him seem inevitable. This year that guy could be Robinson.
Cameron Heyward is entering what could be the final season of his career and the Steelers are in need of a young player to pair with Benton to anchor the middle of the defense for the future.
Darius Robinson Scouting Report
GRAHAM BARTON, OL, DUKE
Barton played some center in 2020 but was moved to left tackle because he was the best offensive lineman on the team. He certainly could be viewed as a tackle, but Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy hinted that he would be playing a lot of center in Mobile. The Steelers are in need of both a center and a tackle, so Barton’s versatility is a huge positive. Steelers assistant OL coach Isaac Williams will coach for the American Team OL in Mobile. It isn’t yet clear which roster Barton is on, but if Williams ends up coaching him it could strengthen the Steelers’ interest in him. He is only 21 years old, which is attractive given the number of fifth- and sixth-year seniors in the draft this year.
JORDAN MORGAN, OT, ARIZONA
Morgan was a first-team AP All-Pac-12 selection in 2022 and 2023. He bounced back from a torn ACL at the end of his 2022 season and was one of the best tackles in college football last year. At 6-5, 325 pounds, Morgan has ideal size for a tackle. Morgan was a team captain in 2023.
Many want the Steelers to draft a right tackle so Broderick Jones can move back to the left side, but that doesn’t seem like a foregone conclusion. Mike Tomlin said the Steelers were “undecided” when it comes to moving Jones back to the left side and said he is capable in either spot. If they do want to keep Jones on the right side, Morgan could be a good option at pick 20 in the first round.
MIKE SAINRISTIL, CB, MICHIGAN
Sainristil is a redshirt senior who is 5-10, 182 pounds. He played primarily in the slot in the two seasons he started at Michigan and proved to be a playmaker from that position in 2023. In his national championship-winning season, he logged six passes defensed, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, and scored two defensive touchdowns. The Steelers have had serviceable play in the slot, but could use an upgrade in the increasingly important position. Sainristil is also a willing tackler and could be a big-time contributor on special teams right away as he works his way into the defense in Pittsburgh.
Mike Sainristil Scouting Report
JADEN HICKS, S, WASHINGTON STATE
The Steelers need a long-term answer at safety to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Hicks could be an option at strong safety. He was moved around WSU’s defense but played his most snaps in the box. He is a junior, so he will likely need some time to develop, but the 6-3, 212-pounder came on strong in his two seasons as a starter in college. The Steelers need answers against tight ends and a safety of his size could help in that regard.
KALEN KING, CB, PENN STATE
The Steelers should be familiar with King’s tape from watching Joey Porter Jr. the year prior. He is an in-state prospect so there is a level of familiarity there and they could pick Porter’s brain for info on his former teammate. King is a junior prospect. He didn’t have a very productive 2023 season, but in 2022 he recorded a whopping 18 passes defensed and three interceptions. If the Steelers can find the 2022 version of King, he could eventually start opposite Porter.
JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON, C, OREGON
Powers-Johnson was confirmed to be on the American Team in Mobile, which means Williams will be coaching him directly and helping the Steelers gather info on him. He projects as one of the top centers in the draft. Centers don’t often go in the first round, so he could potentially be grabbed in the second at decent value. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school — he also wrestled and played baseball — and he hit his stride as a center after playing primarily guard earlier in his collegiate career. He could be a plug-and-play option and fits the Steelers’ intended run-first identity well.
Jackson Powers-Johnson Scouting Report
PAYTON WILSON, LB, NC STATE
Wilson will be 24 by the time his rookie season starts, but he was a Chuck Bednarik Award and Butkus Award-winning player in 2023. He is 6-4, 238 pounds and has plenty of starting experience. Steelers RB coach Eddie Faulkner coached at NC State from 2013-18 and the Steelers have brought in players from that program in the past. He has an extensive injury history, but he overcame a lot of that with a stellar 2023 season. He was also a team captain in 2023. He logged 402 total tackles, 202 solo tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 13 passes defensed, seven interceptions, and one forced fumble throughout his time in college. Similar to Hicks above, his size and athleticism could help the Steelers overcome their problems defending tight ends.
JACOB COWING, WR, ARIZONA
Cowing is a fifth-year senior who started his career at UTEP prior to transferring to Arizona. He was very productive in college with 316 receptions for 4477 yards and 33 touchdowns, and he played a majority of his time in the slot. The Steelers have gotten very little out of their slot receivers over the last two seasons. Adding one this offseason should be a top priority. In his final season at UTEP, he had an outstanding 19.7 yards per reception. That number came down against better competition in the Pac-12, but he still averaged over 10.0 in his two years at Arizona.
MICHAEL PENIX JR, QB, WASHINGTON
Penix did a lot of good for his draft stock with his performance in the College Football Playoffs. He will be an intriguing watch throughout the pre-draft process and the Senior Bowl will be the first step in that. Teams are getting extended meeting time with quarterbacks at this year’s event, so the Steelers will have plenty of time to get familiar with Penix and the other quarterbacks. The Steelers’ West Coast scout, Mark Bruener, went to Washington and remains close to the program, so he should be plenty familiar with Penix. He is athletic but is more of a traditional pocket passer with a cannon arm.
Tomlin stated that the starting quarterback for next season is on the roster, but there will be a new offensive coordinator and likely a new quarterbacks coach, so it may be a good time to hit the reset button and add more talent at the most important position on the team.
