When it comes to the NFL draft, it’s not often the Pittsburgh Steelers dip their toes into the small-school waters. Especially in early rounds, they focus primarily on Power Five conferences and even throughout the entire draft, that’s where their picks are concentrated toward.
So when they express interest in anyone who deviates from that, it’s serious smoke. And absolutely worth paying attention to. Which leads us to Georgia State OT Travis Glover, a prospect the Steelers have been all over for the past week.
In context, Glover isn’t *that* small school. Georgia State is FBS, a Sun Belt member since 2013, and won a bowl game in 2023. This isn’t D-II. But comparatively, it’s a smaller school than those from where Pittsburgh normally drafts. The Steelers have a new GM and assistant GM, making historic trends a little less telling (though their 2023 draft class followed lockstep with their trends), but using it as our guide, here are the number of non-Power Five prospects drafted over the past seven classes.
Steelers’ Non-Power Five Selections (2017-2023)
2023 – Zero
2022 – Two (WR Calvin Austin III, QB Chris Oladokun)
2021 – Zero
2020 – Two (OLB Alex Highsmith, OG Kevin Dotson)
2019 – Three (WR Diontae Johnson, OLB Sutton Smith, ILB Ulysees Gilbert III)
2018 – One (OT Chukwuma Okorafor)
2017 – One (OLB Keion Adams)
In total, that’s just nine of their 53 selections, or 17 percent. And four of those nine have come over the final two rounds, sixth- or seventh-round selections. And five of the nine have come from the MAC, territory the team is more familiar with. And only two offensive linemen make that list, Dotson and Okorafor.
Point being, when the Steelers plug into anyone outside the Power Five, it’s worth talking about. And they couldn’t be showing any more interest in Travis Glover.
It began on Monday with Georgia State’s Pro Day. Crucially important for Glover, a Combine snub who couldn’t be with his 2024 draft class peers in Indianapolis. And anyone who missed him there would logically go watch him work out. Pittsburgh brought at least two personnel in assistant offensive line coach Isaac Williams and director of college scouting Dan Colbert. Even prior, there was a relationship with the Steelers. Midway through the week of Senior Bowl practices, Glover was added to the American Team roster as an injury replacement, coached by Williams, who worked with the team’s offensive line. It made the Pro Day a reunion, not a first meeting. Williams put Glover through his workout.
Fast forward to Wednesday morning and NFL Draft Insider Tony Pauline reported Glover was in Pittsburgh for one of the team’s allotted pre-draft visits. Another sign of obvious interest.
It’s a similar situation to then-South Carolina State DT Javon Hargrave in 2016. Like Glover, Hargrave was a midweek Senior Bowl call-up who immediately flashed. DL Coach John Mitchell attended his Pro Day and Hargrave was later brought in for a pre-draft visit. He became the team’s third-round pick in 2016, the highest non-FBS selection Pittsburgh had made since Tusculum CB Ricardo Colclough in the second round of the 2004 draft. Hargrave went on to be a stud, even if his best years came after leaving the team.
While I need to dig into Glover’s tape — a scouting report will be coming soon — on paper, he checks key boxes. Offensive line coach Pat Meyer prioritizes length and the Steelers’ offensive tackles have had plenty of it. Everyone from first-round picks like Broderick Jones (34 3/4-inch arms) to veteran journeymen like Le’Raven Clark (36 1/8-inches).
Per Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, Glover checked in at 6060, 317 pounds (down 15 pounds since the Senior Bowl) with 34 3/4-inch arms, the same as Jones. Glover is versatile, having played significant snaps at both tackle spots, most recently at left tackle, and left guard.
As Nagy’s tweet indicates, Glover’s viewed as a sixth- or seventh-round pick. Pittsburgh has a pair of the former, No. 178 and 195 overall. It’s plausible the Steelers use one of them on Glover. Especially given the signs that they will address center, wide receiver, and a handful of defensive spots (slot corner, defensive line) ahead of tackle, at least in their ideal world. Travis Glover could be their guy.
