Following a good career at the University of Pittsburgh that has him well-regarded in NFL circles, Pitt Panthers cornerback M.J. Devonshire has a few pre-draft visits lined up ahead of April’s 2024 NFL Draft.
One such pre-draft visit happens to be with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat’s Amanda Godsey, who covers the Steelers and Pitt Panthers, Devonshire has a pre-draft visit scheduled with the Steelers. He will not count as part of the top 30 visits ahead of the draft as the Panthers, obviously, fall under the Steelers’ area as a local school.
Along with a pre-draft visit with the Steelers, Devonshire has a pre-draft visit with the Buffalo Bills, according to Godsey.
Devonshire is a product of Aliquippa and appears to be the next in a long line of NFL products coming out of the Aliquippa pipeline. That pipeline includes Hall of Fame corners Ty Law and Darrelle Revis, not to mention Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka and former NFL players in Sean Gilbert, Jonathan Baldwin, Tommie Campbell and Charles Fisher among others.
The Pittsburgh-area native started his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky before transferring home to join the Panthers for the 2021 season. He burst onto the scene at Pitt and made arguably the biggest play of his career, picking off a West Virginia pass in the 2022 season opener and returning it for a touchdown late in the Backyard Brawl win, giving him a key spot in the history of the rivalry.
After a strong career at Pitt, Devonshire has quietly made a name for himself in the pre-draft process. He competed in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas and had terrific week locking up some of the top receivers. Then, he was invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. There, Devonshire checked in at 5106, 186 pounds with 32 7/8-inch arms and clocked a 4.45 40-yard dash and a 38.5-inch vertical.
He profiles as a physical, smart cornerback who handles himself quite well in man and zone and thrived on an island at times in Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s blitz-heavy defensive scheme. He has great ball skills, too, and should be a Day 3 option who could play right away at the next level.
