The Pittsburgh Steelers left an impression on Tulane DB Jarius Monroe. In an interview with The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, Monroe mentioned the Steelers as one of his most memorable meetings during the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl.
“Every team loved the type of vibe I was giving off,” Monroe told Melo. “I had a great time with the Commanders, Broncos, Raiders, Bills, and Steelers, to name a few. Those are some of the meetings that stood out to me.”
Monroe looks the part, weighing in at 6005, 204 pounds with 32 1/4-inch arms. Productive in his two years with the Green Wave, he picked off six passes across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, three in each year, with 18 combined pass deflections and 97 total tackles. A transfer from Nicholls State, he comes from an athletic family that saw a cousin also attend college there while an older brother played at Tulane a decade earlier.
His team’s top cornerback, Monroe mentioned his football IQ as setting him apart from other players.
“I was able to shift our coverages,” he said in the interview. “The staff trusted me with that responsibility at cornerback. I had a lot of control over our defense this past season. Showcasing that aspect of my game, showing how much better I can play, having so much control showed me the type of player I am.”
Responsibility was even more impressive, considering he joined the team halfway through his college career. Monroe ended his Shrine Bowl week on the highest of notes, named the game’s MVP, picking off a fourth-quarter pass to help lead his team to victory. He was also named the West Team’s Practice Player of the Week.
Monroe also spoke with our Tony Calderone during the week, noting how he helped turn around a struggling Tulane program. The year before he arrived, they were 2-10. In his two years with the program, they went a combined 23-5, posting their first double-digit winning season since 1998. That included an upset win over QB Caleb Williams and the USC Trojans, a game in which Monroe had an interception.
Still viewed as a late Day Three prospect, he’s now at least on the radar of the draftnik community. Though scouts have likely been aware of him far longer, if Monroe continues his upward trajectory with a strong pre-draft process (unfortunately, he was an NFL Combine snub), he could play his way into the earlier portions of Day Three.
Look for a full scouting report before April’s draft.
