The 2024 NFL Combine wraps up Sunday (technically, the o-line will bench Monday but the drills end tomorrow) but the media side of things concluded Saturday. Our team or Jonathan Heitritter, Ross McCorkle, and Joe Clark, did a fantastic job gathering as much info as possible. In total, we have 28 confirmations of the team’s 45 formal interviews the Pittsburgh Steelers held this year’s Indy Combine.
(Ed. Note: Washington’s Rome Odunze has now been included following Saturday night’s news of the Steelers meeting).
The most important piece of information I learn from these isn’t about specific players. It’s worth noting those the team met with at the Senior Bowl didn’t have formals at the Combine. Since Pittsburgh had already gotten to know those guys, they didn’t need to “burn” one of their meetings to speak with them again. But big-picture, I look at the number of players from each positional group they talk to. Obvious as it is, the more they speak with at a position, the more likely they consider it a “need” and intend to draft it early.
In 2023, they held formals with the top offensive tackles, including eventual first-round pick Broderick Jones. They held formal interviews with a whopping eight cornerbacks, drafting Joey Porter Jr. in the second round. And they held five formals with defensive lineman, using their original second rounder on NT Keeanu Benton. They also held a formal with fourth-round pick OLB Nick Herbig.
So what does 2024 tell us? Not everything but something. Let’s review it.
By position, here are the number of formal interviews we know Pittsburgh had.
Steelers Known Formal Combine Interviews, By-Position
QB: Zero
RB: Zero
WR: Six
FB/TE: One
OT: Four
iOL: One
DL: Three
EDGE: One
ILB: Four
CB: Six
S: Two
– Overall, no Earth-shattering results. I am including Duke’s Graham Barton in the offensive tackle camp, though he’s played some center and could kick inside at the NFL level. Only one formal interview with a true interior lineman is a bit surprising, though keep in mind many of the top names participated in the Senior Bowl (Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, West Virginia’s Zach Frazier, Arkansas’ Beaux Limmer). One who didn’t, Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, had a formal with the team at Indy.
– The positions we know the most are: cornerback (six), wide receiver (six), inside linebacker (four), and offensive tackle (four). Wide receiver higher than expected but with so many underclassman/non-All Star game participants, this does make sense. The fact Omar Khan isn’t sure of Cole Holcomb’s status makes their interest at off-ball linebacker understandable and personally, I underestimated the need and focus there. Not anymore.
– The positions the Steelers showed the least interest in at the Combine? Quarterback (zero), running back (zero), EDGE (one), and TE (one). Lots of informals with the group, which makes sense. Want to get to know the class overall without spending a formal on them.
– Obviously, free agency can have an impact on team needs and who they’ll target in the first three rounds. The roster will look different come late April than it does today. But in some order, cornerback, center, inside linebacker, and wide receiver will be among their top four picks. Tackle looks a little less likely, especially as Khan didn’t commit to moving Broderick Jones over to left tackle this offseason, even if he believes it’ll happen “eventually.”
While they interviewed four of them, with Barton being a tweener and the number of great tackles in a deep class, I thought this number would be higher (again, understanding we’re working with incomplete data).
