Welcome back to your Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
BurghInPhilly: Alex, thanks for your great work. Sticking to the pro day visit as indicator of the rd.1 pick, can you rank these guys in order of your preference: Latham, Arnold, McKinstry, Mimms, Bowers, Wiggins, and McConkey. Thanks again!
Alex: I didn’t write the reports on all those guys so I don’t have a quantifiable way to do that in the way I put numerical grads on the reports I do write. Bowers just feels like a luxury even for Arthur Smith’s tight end heavy offense. I really did like Wiggins’ tape even if his weight and lack of length are disappointing. McConkey is a ton of fun but I don’t see him as a No. 1 defined as a guy your passing attack runs through. He’s more complementary, which brings down his value.
Mims is really about rolling the dice. But the traits are all there for him to succeed in the NFL. I’d likely lean him top of my list right now.
Nicholas Arnold: Hi Alex. I’m as guilty as any, but lately I’ve been seeing more and more indicators that the Steelers are interested in first round corners with their Tomlin/Khan visits, interviews and dinners. With Wiggins, Kool-aid, and Terrion, do you think we’re short changing that position in the first?
Alex: Sure. I plan on writing about it for the AM. If you follow into their history, CB is right up there to be taken in the first round. They know Donte Jackson is a short-term, one-year play. And if they don’t address outside CB now, it becomes a top need in 2025. It can’t and shouldn’t be overlooked. The only thing that gets me is not seeing Grady Brown out on the trail but in terms of first round stops linking with Tomlin and Khan, CB is at the top with OT.
turtle: I like Mohamed Kamara OLB out of CSU. Averaged about 9.8 sacks/year in four years. What round you think he goes (I’m thinking the 4th) and do you think they are waiting until after the draft to maybe re-sign Golden. I know Jeremiah Moon was added as well.
Alex: I remember him saying a Steelers’ front office member called him a Pittsburgh type of guy. Tough and physical. According to Mock Draft Database, which aggregates mock drafts across the board (it isn’t gospel but a useful guide) has him in the fourth round. So you’re suspicion seems to be on the money. But I don’t think in play for Pittsburgh with Herbig the No. 3 and Moon the No. 4/special teamer. Not much urgency to add there with a draft pick. Maybe some UDFAs.
Mark O’Conner: Hi Alex, why do you think there have been no Centers in for 30 visits? It makes no sense with the massive need and lack of Tomlin and Khan at the pro days of the top prospects
Alex: It’s hard to say since our list is incomplete. They could’ve been in, they could be coming. In past years, the players Tomlin and Colbert/Khan met at Pro Days didn’t typically come in for visits because the decision-makers had already had an extended meeting with them. So it was redundant. That’s changed a bit in recent years and last year under Khan when they were at Broderick Jones’ Pro Day and brought him in for a visit.
I would just wait and see the whole list and go from there. A conversation to revisit two weeks from now.
steelers58: If Barton is there at 20, would you take him? Would he be your top choice?
I don’t see how we can wait till 51 for a C. Too much of a gamble
Alex: I don’t know if I have a “top choice” here but I would like Barton. I know some will be upset and call it Kendrick Green 2.0. It’s a projection but it’s not Green all over. I hear you on waiting on a center. Maybe they trade up into Round Two. That feels like something Omar Khan would do.
Peter-Petersen:
Hey Alex,
the Steelers are looking for a new slot DB. And most of the attention seems to revolve around small, extra shifty, lightweight CBs guys like Sainristil and Phillips. Could you see the Steelers adding a guy that’s a little more on the bulky side like Tykee Smith or Javon Bullard, who are also somewhat shifty but better against the run?
Could the new Kickoff rule lead to (more) Oline men playing on kick return teams and would you play a developmental OL there from day one?
Alex: Like slot receivers, slot corners can come in different sizes. And you would like some size to match up against all these big slots, though at least Joey Porter Jr. can travel to the slot so if teams try to align their No. 1 inside, Pittsburgh wouldn’t be consistently outmatched. But it’s really just trying to find the best guy. Someone who can blend run defense and coverage. And whatever size that is, so be it.
On kickoffs, Dave and I floated the idea a bit when we talked about the rule change the day it got passed. It’s a bit of a wait-and-see approach. Some who have worked in the XFL, like Eric Galko, compared it to a run play now. And you could have “run schemes” play out. But it would still take a pretty athletic lineman to do it. I bet someone tries. There will be trail and error. And I could see defensive linemen be on kick coverage a lot more now. Even under old rules, the occasional guy would do it. Brett Keisel, Hendry Mondeaux. That should increase with long speed no longer being required. It’ll be interesting to watch play out.
Jeremy: I love watching gunners work. DHB was so much fun, and the Boykin/Pierre duo was good. I know it is a low value position, but who looks like they could be the next guys up? Is Patterson a gunner?
Alex: The key to my heart. Gunner talk. Nah, Patterson isn’t a gunner. He’s a pure return man. It’s sort of wide open right now. CB Darius Rush did it at South Carolina, even as a starting corner. He should get a crack at it. WR Dez Fitzpatrick made the practice squad last year in part because he flashed as a gunner covering and downing punts. And some rookies will be given the chance, I’m sure, along with Reserve/Future names. We’ll see what happens. It’s a jump ball.
Junebug44:
Hey Alex! Just wondering, in your opinion, would the Steelers be making a big mistake if they didn’t get Barton, Frazier, Jackson Powers at Center? Time and time again we see how big of a detriment having a bad center is, and with Arthur Smith’s run-heavy scheme, do you think it should be a top priority?
Or do you think that if we get a good tackle and WR, we can deal with center in the 3rd round? Thanks!
Alex: Eh, I’d hate to find out their Plan B if they can’t get one of those top guys. You’re putting someone in that starting spot who probably shouldn’t be in there. Will it doom their offense? I dunno, having a vet quarterback will help a little bit. But I would be very, very nervous about how the position shakes out. And even the idea of making a late summer waiver claim/trade is tricky because you’re trying to get the anchor of your offense up to speed in short order. It’s easier to throw a guard in there than a center.
RueCains:
Hey, Alex,
In your view, is it fair to think that drafting a round 1 tackle is too much of a luxury for this team, with glaring needs at center, corner, and receiver? Dan Moore isn’t great, but he’s at least serviceable — not sure we can say the same about the overall personnel at the other three positions.
Alex: I wouldn’t call it a luxury. But I understand there is at least a pairing there. Same can’t be said for the other positions you mentioned. But I really want to move Broderick Jones over and this run game and o-line remains the engine of the Steelers’ offense. If that’s not right, nothing else will be. So I wouldn’t call it luxury. TE Brock Bowers is “luxury.”
Pcw: In recent memory has there been such an obvious hole in the roster heading into the draft as center is this year. Considering we aren’t hard against the cap do you feel a free agent should have been added to take the pressure off this situation?
Alex: I’d have to go back and look and research. It probably has happened from time to time. In ’21, there was no RB on the roster pre-draft but we all basically knew Najee Harris was going to be their pick that it didn’t feel that panick-y. It was just making sure the Jets or Dolphins didn’t snag him first. But yeah, typically there is more of a vet presence as a stop-gap. And right now, they don’t really have that at center, wide receiver, or slot corner. I would call that unusual.
steeltown: Hey Kozora, rank your Day2 wide receivers that have been linked to the Steelers. And if possible, a short reason why you have them ranked as such. Thanks!
Alex: Like I mentioned above, I didn’t file the reports on all those players so I don’t have an exact and precise grading system to go off of. And they’ve been linked to a lot of guys. I like Ladd McConkey the most as a prospect and he would fit in the system as that No. 2 opposite George Pickens. Would complement the skillset well and has that Diontae Johnson level of route running with better hands and less frustration. I don’t know if makes it to No. 51 but some receivers will fall in this deep class.
Xavier Legette I’m mixed on. Broke out in a big way, super explosive post-catch, big and strong. But not a great route runner and won a little too contested. Ricky Pearsall is a bit wiry but he’s got great hands and is tough.
Scorpio: Hey Alex – Do you believe OC Smith will move Heyward to FB, and then draft another TE in the 6th? Or do you think he wants to pick his own FB up in the 6th or as an UDFA? – GO STEELERS!!
Alex: I think Heyward will get some FB reps but I don’t see him as a true FB in Smith’s offense. He has used more of old-school classic FBs like Keith Smith, who rarely touched the ball on offense. I could see a guy like Jaheim Bell be a target in the sixth round. Not a lot of true FBs in this draft, even when you consider UDFAs. Might be a conversion type who tries out in camp. Sometimes they take short DL or LBs and move them to FB, like Rosie Nix.
