There’s not much to not like about LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr., especially if you’re a team in need like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Everybody knows they’re going to add a wide receiver relatively early in the draft, but even they don’t know when. Could it be as early as the first round, when everyone has them taking an offensive lineman? Well, like everything else, it depends on the options.
“I think one of the wild cards in this is, where does Brian Thomas Jr. go, from LSU? Is he available at 20? If he’s there, he’s the type of pass-catcher who I think makes the Steelers think twice”, draft analyst Dan Brugler told Matt Harmon on the Yahoo Fantasy Sports Show podcast recently.
Our Alex Kozora wrote up a draft profile on Thomas and put him right in the range the Steelers draft. He wrote that Thomas “has all the tools and traits you want”. He’s got size, he’s got speed, he’s got strength, he’s athletic. On top of that, he’s 21 years old and has the college production the Steelers covet. While he’s not without flaws, that’s why he’s not going in the top 10.
“This might be his floor”, Brugler said of Thomas at 20 to the Steelers. “If he doesn’t go off the board before 20, I do think this might be the floor for him. I’ve heard they love Brian Thomas. Everyone wants them [to] take another character faller on Day 2. My impression of the Steelers is that they’re…kind of sick of that. Understandably so based on the last few seasons. I think they’d love to just hit a home run with a guy like Brian Thomas in the first round”.
The Steelers traded WR Diontae Johnson earlier this offseason in exchange for CB Donte Jackson. That leaves them with George Pickens as their only “proven” wide receiver, though they added some free agents. Neither Van Jefferson nor Quez Watkins are filling the void Johnson left on the field, however. And third-year WR Calvin Austin III very much still has to earn any snaps that he might see.
Many believe the Steelers traded Johnson in part because of off-field issues, including locker room behavior. All of this is based on various reports and assumptions, however, and head coach Mike Tomlin denied that as a motivation for trading him. He also denied that Johnson requested a trade.
Either way, however, the Steelers need another starting-quality wide receiver, or so they seem to believe. Their pre-draft interest in the position strongly indicates that belief. With that said, they don’t have the usual pre-draft ties with Thoams that they ordinarily do for their top picks.
Then again, we don’t have much draft history under Omar Khan as general manager. The Steelers have broken several precedents or patterns. I certainly don’t think Thomas would be off their board or anything like that. Still, I struggle to see them drafting a wide receiver in the first round. Even if it enables them to land a top talent without the usual baggage. And that hasn’t stopped people from mocking him to the Steelers.
