The Pittsburgh Steelers might he a fullback-featuring, tight end-heavy type of offense under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. But they’re not ignoring wide receiver, either. According to our team at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, Joe Clark, Ross McCorkle, and Jonathan Heitritter, the Steelers have held formal interviews with at least five wide receivers this week, all notable names.
The team sat down with Washington’s Jalen McMillan, Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., and Florida State’s Keon Coleman.
McMillan’s been overshadowed by teammate Rome Odunze, one of the top receivers of this year’s class. But he held his own with a solid Huskies career, outproducing Odunze in receptions and touchdowns two years ago. For his career, McMillan racked up 164 receptions, over 2,100 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Franklin is a well-regarded prospect, a lanky speedster who averaged more than 17 yards per catch in 2023. A nose for the end zone, Franklin’s caught 25 touchdowns the past three seasons. In our scouting report, we noted his explosiveness and body control though drops and beating press coverage are concerns. Our conclusion summarized him as an upside player, who just needs to find consistency and eliminate mistakes.
“Troy Franklin is an athletically gifted receiver who can take the top off defenses as well as make them pay after the catch at the next level. He is a better route runner than most give him credit for. He also provides an offense with a good weapon in the red zone thanks to his contested-catch ability as well as his body control. He needs to get the drops under control, having had an 18% drop rate as a freshman and 10% drop rate last season.”
He’s currently projected to be a Late Day 1-Early Day 2 selection.
Mitchell is a tall but bulkier prospect than Franklin, weighing in at almost 200 pounds. A Georgia transfer who made his way to Texas, he used his size to catch 11 touchdowns last season and proved his health after battling an ankle injury in 2022. Our scouting report noted the need for refining his game to maximize his raw talent.
“Mitchell has the talent that most college receivers can only dream of. He has a natural feel and fluid athleticism as a receiver. His routes are sloppy, but he has the traits to tighten them up and become a dangerous separator. It’s discouraging when a college prospect plays this loose, and teams may take him off their board completely due to effort inconsistencies.”
Evaluations on him might end up all over the map, but he could hear his name in the second or third round.
Like QB Jayden Daniels, Thomas broke out in a big way in 2023, catching 68 passes for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the Tigers’ bowl win, he led the way with a pair of scores in a 35-31 shootout. He’s squarely in the first-round conversation and could hear his name within one of the first 10 picks of the draft.
Coleman finished his career at Florida State after starting it at Michigan State. He led the Seminoles in all major receiving categories last season, finishing the year with 50 receptions, 658 yards, and 11 touchdowns. A big-bodied wideout, he’s viewed as a late first-round pick.
Pittsburgh isn’t being shy about talking with the tier-2 receivers in the draft. While they won’t be in play for the elite names in the class, Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Odunze, they could set their sights on a Day 2 target. That’s their sweet spot drafting the position, only using a first-round pick on a wideout twice this century, Plaxico Burress in 2000 and Santonio Holmes in 2006.
Instead, they’ve looked to Friday nights to target the position, including with starting receivers George Pickens and Diontae Johnson, second and third rounders, respectively. Depth is weak and though the Steelers and Johnson are having extension talks, the fifth-year veteran is entering the final year of his deal. For a team urgently needing to make Kenny Pickett work, its focus may be on surrounding him with as much talent as possible.
