For several years now, I have kept a personal running spreadsheet during the draft process. The goal for me was to learn about the players, gathering information that I have tweaked along the way as I’m sure I will continue to do in the future. I will share a visual and some takeaways from the data points I create each year, simply called interest and athletic scores with explanations to follow.
As Dave Bryan and Alex Kozora discuss regularly, the Steelers have a type of player they look for, and what the scores attempt to achieve is seeing who checks many of those boxes, or vice versa. You will notice many of the inspirations for these scores come from their studies of draft trends over the years for Pittsburgh, and have fared well in who Pittsburgh has ultimately drafted.
While there is no perfect way to predict what selections the Steelers will make in the 2024 draft at the end of the month, I feel great about what the data points measure and of course would love to hear feedback as I’m always looking to improve the points system. Also, there is only so much time in the day and additional things I’d like to measure, so I focus on the crucial and/or practical choices in my opinion.
Now for more explanation on how the scores come together. The biggest point I want to make is this is not a big board or round projection view, rather trying to pinpoint names the Steelers may select regardless of when they are drafted. After I get a healthy pool of names that I hear about or research, I begin the scoring.
Interest Score: Here I configured a points system for the following important factors. College performance, body type, experience, age, position, competition level, pro day attendance, pre-draft meeting(s), and Senior/Shrine Bowl invitations/participation.
This matches up nicely to the Athletic Score: simply 11 combine metrics excluding wingspan, and whether or not they were within a threshold in each metric of any player drafted at their position by the Steelers since 2013.
Clear as mud? Here are the edge rushers (EDGE) that were combine invites:
NOTE: If you don’t see a name please ask, I have many more non-combine players compiled but excluded them for a cleaner chart.
Not the highest interest from Pittsburgh in the position overall. The strongest scores largely include high Pro Day attendance (including HC Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan) at schools with an array of talented players, along with some prospects that offer nice athleticism.
Topping the 2024 EDGE interest scores is Dallas Turner of Alabama (9.3), which ties for 27th in the entire draft class. His strongest marks are the aforementioned Pro Day attendance that included a dinner meeting, age (21), body type, and 2023 performance. Nine athletic score, meeting all Pittsburgh’s thresholds in the drills he participated in (DNPs in shuttle and three cone). Primarily EDGE snaps the last three years, and projected top-ten selection.
Michigan’s Jaylen Harrell is second in interest score (9.2). Highly attended Pro Day (asterisk with a slew of talent there), informal combine meeting, age (21), experience, body type, and excelling at the Senior Bowl are higher marks. Still solid, but 2023 performance was his lowest score. Nine athletic score, checking the boxes in the drills he did, with DNPs in bench and three cone. Vast majority of reps on the edge, seemingly a late/undrafted prospect.
Fellow Wolverine Braiden McGregor is third with a 9.0 interest score. The Pro Day, informal combine meeting, Senior Bowl participant, age (22), and body type are all solid in his interest box checking. Performance last season and college experience were lower, but still good marks. Ten athletic score, fitting in all the drills he participated in (DNP on three cone). Vastly edge alignment, and likely day three pick.
Chris Braswell of Alabama (8.6 interest score, eight athletic score). High Pro Day attendance (asterisk), experience, age (22), body type, 2023 performance, and Senior Bowl participation were strong in his interest score. No meeting with Pittsburgh is his notably lowest mark. Eight athletic score, due to three DNPs (bench, shuttle, and three cone). Edge alignment primarily, second or third round projection.
Three players have interest scores in the seven tier: Penn State’s Adisa Isaac (7.6 interest, perfect 11 athletic scores), Xavier Thomas of Clemson (7.6 interest, nine athletic), and Cedric Johnson of Ole Miss (7.1 interest, perfect 11 athletic). Pittsburgh also had an informal combine meeting with Johnson. Isaac also fits Alex Kozora’s past “What The Steelers Look For” criteria.
Combine invites with lower interest scores that had meetings with Pittsburgh include: Marshawn Kneeland of Western Michigan (6.6 interest, perfect 11 athletic), UConn’s Eric Watts (6.3 interest, nine athletic), Myles Cole of Texas Tech (6.2 interest, eight athletic), Austin Booker of Kansas (5.6 interest, ten athletic), Houston Christian’s Jalyx Hunt (4.8 interest, eight athletic), Mohamed Kamara of Colorado State (4.4 interest, nine athletic), and Troy’s Javon Solomon (4.0 interest, eight athletic).
Players with perfect 11 athletic scores yet to be mentioned are: Jared Verse of Florida State (6.4 interest), Washington State’s Brennan Jackson (5.4 interest), Khalid Duke of Kansas State (4.8 interest), and Trajan Jeffcoat of Arkansas (4.5 interest).
No meetings for non-combine invites. Three have perfect 11 athletic scores: Ovie Oghoufo (7.1 interest), Isaac Ukwu of Ole Miss (4.9 interest), and South Carolina’s Jordan Strachan 4.7 interest).
Pittsburgh has shown a bit of interest at EDGE, but that desire is obviously greater at other positions. Late, and especially undrafted candidates are far more likely to complete the room in my opinion. One thing’s for sure, I can’t wait to see how it pans out.
Do you think Pittsburgh will draft one of the names listed above? Who are some of your favorites? Thanks for reading and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
