The NFL Scouting Combine is underway. Which means our “Blue’s Clues” game has begun. Though the Pittsburgh Steelers will talk to nearly all 321 prospects invited to Indianapolis this week, each team only gets 45 “formal” meetings. They’re only 18 minutes, just get enough time for each side to get to know one another, but it’s where the Steelers spend their resources that’s worth noting. Identifying particular names is a challenge from the group but there’s a clear correlation between the position groups they speak to and the positions they’re most interested in spending an early-round draft pick.
According to our tracker and information provided by our team at the Combine, Joe Clark, Ross McCorkle, and Jonathan Heitritter, the Steelers are loading up on talking to corners. We’re talking, Rolls Royce, that kind of fully loaded. And they’re all the top names of the class.
Cooper DeJean – Iowa
Terrion Arnold – Alabama
Kool-Aid McKinstry – Alabama
Kamari Lassiter – Georgia
Mike Sainristil – Michigan
Nate Wiggins – Clemson
Arnold, Wiggins, and McKinstry have high odds to be selected in the first round. DeJean is likely to join them while Lassiter and Sainristil are sure bets to hear their name called by no worse than the end of Day 2.
Their interest is obvious. Pittsburgh has a black hole at outside corner opposite Joey Porter Jr. Levi Wallace and James Pierre are pending free agents, not that either is a great candidate for that role. Patrick Peterson, even if retained, can’t play outside corner anymore. He shouldn’t, at the least. Free agency will provide options, though the top corners appear to either be unavailable or simply too costly to acquire. Likely, the Steelers will dip their toes into both waters, free agency and the draft, to improve this group. Because it’s not just outside corner that needs help. They can get younger, faster, and better in the slot while needing an infusion of those traits and factors throughout the entire secondary.
When the Combine dust settles, we can truly take a step back and identify which position groups the Steelers were heaviest in interviewing. The four inside linebackers they talked to (that we have been able to confirm; there may have been more) signal interest in doing something there. And you can bet they’ll speak to all the top centers and many of the top offensive tackles, too. But formally, cornerback looks to be as heavy as any position group. It’s a strong class and the Steelers have a real need. That’s the stars aligning for them to draft the position sooner than later.
