The Pittsburgh Steelers could really use at least one more cornerback this offseason. They added CB Donte Jackson from the Carolina Panthers in the WR Diontae Johnson trade, which helps. But they released Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace is an unrestricted free agent. The Steelers have been linked to a number of corners throughout the draft process. Could the team go off the board a bit and take Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. with the 20th overall pick?
That’s what former NFL DE Leger Douzable thinks. He and former NFL QB Brady Quinn alternated picks in a mock draft recently, and CBSSports.com writer Chris Trapasso graded it on Monday.
“Rakestraw ran slower than expected at the combine — 4.51 — and his film in 2023 was so consistent,” Trapasso wrote. “This may be a tick early for him, but it clearly fills a need in Pittsburgh. Grade: B”
Rakestraw is definitely a surprise at this spot, especially once you scroll a bit further and see who all was taken after him. In the following 12 picks, three more cornerbacks went off the board. Two picks after Douzable had Rakestraw to the Steelers, he sent Cooper DeJean to the Philadelphia Eagles. Kool-Aid McKinstry and Nate Wiggins were also taken after Rakestraw.
And that’s just at Rakestraw’s position. Four offensive linemen were taken after Rakestraw in the first round as well. Quinn sent C Jackson Powers-Johnson to the Miami Dolphins with the very next pick. Offensive tackles JC Latham, Amarius Mims, and Jordan Morgan all went after the 20th overall pick as well.
Now is Rakestraw a terrible pick? Absolutely not. Trapasso grades the pick as a B for a reason. Tom Mead scouted Rakestraw for Steelers Depot this offseason and came away seeing how he would be a fit for the Steelers.
Overall, Rakestraw, Jr. is a scheme-diverse corner who can play outside or in the slot. His best fit is in a Press corner role that also uses Zone schemes. He has a strong, quick jam and the athletic ability and speed to match receivers on all routes. Against the run, he will shoot gaps and work as the force player to funnel runners inside. Additionally, he was a good gunner on punt coverage.
Areas to address include adding muscle to his lean frame, working on his ball production as well as limiting the grabby hands in coverage. Showing more effort to go to the ball not in his area, making the effort to tackle with teammates, and cutting back on the bravado will be beneficial.
He has talent and the easy athleticism to play corner in the NFL. His measurables will be important because he looks smaller than his listed numbers, and a big physical receiver may cause him to struggle. He has had some injury issues as well, with an ACL and core muscle injuries.
He would be a scheme fit for the Steelers, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them show interest with the versatility to play outside and in the slot.
The problem with Rakestraw at 20 is two-fold. The first is obvious: The Steelers would be neglecting talented players. We profiled how many offensive linemen went after him in this mock.
Then there’s the matter of the cornerback position itself. Rakestraw played in 35 games and only had one interception (he did knock down 24 passes in that timeframe). DeJean, who went two picks later in this mock, had seven interceptions in 30 career games along with 13 passes defended. Wiggins had three interceptions and 21 passes defended in 27 career games.
Most people, Mead and Trapasso included, do not see Rakestraw as a first-round talent in 2024. Mead had a Day 2 projection in his scouting report, and Trapasso seems to feel similarly. Most people would expect corners like DeJean, McKinstry, and Wiggins to go before Rakestraw.
Does that mean Rakestraw would be a bad player to be on the Steelers? Absolutely not. What it does mean is that the Steelers could be neglecting better talent by taking Rakestraw at 20.
