Hi all. The Big Board is on its final evolution and will be published during draft week as premium content for everyone to enjoy.
The final piece of substance comes down to splitting up and/or combining some clusters of talent into their appropriate grades. I’m going to list those below. Please give your thoughts on which ones are right, wrong, and above all, why you think that. I do not move grades around because of any one person’s opinion, but I try very hard to move the grades if I see a consistent and reasoned opinion.
The discussion down in the comments is going to matter more than anyone’s individual thoughts. Please engage if you have the time, always remembering that these are Pittsburgh Steelers-specific grades, not all-teams values or predictions about the way reality will turn out.
NOTE: The orange grades show a player who is projected primarily at a different position but has the chops to be considered at the named position, too.
ROUND 3 AND 4 OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Here’s the current board. Who should move up, who should move down, and why?
| 3:01 | OT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame (Junior). 6-5¾, 310 lbs. with very long 34⅜” arms and 10” hands. Turned 21 in March. [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] The RT running mate to all-world LT prospect Joe Alt for the last two years – which means he started at Notre Dame right away, as a 17-18 year old true freshman. The only one in Notre Dame history, in fact. But despite all that, the No. 1 asset for an NFL tackle is absolute, reliable consistency with his technique, and Blake Fisher doesn’t have that. Is it because of his youth or his limitations? Was leaving school so early the right decision? Fisher is supposed to be an extremely smart, fairly well-rounded player who needs a good 2-3 years of NFL coaching on technical matters. At this point, he has vulnerabilities that can sometimes allow skillful pass rushers to quickly slide by. Tossing him in early would provide a decent run blocker and someone who must have a TE next to him on passing downs. A good but not extra-good athlete with limited mobility. Brandon Thorn’s late January scouting profile characterizes Fisher as “a young, long, and powerful blocker with good athletic ability” who has some boom-or-bust to his game. He sees the physical assets ranging from fine to excellent across the board: quick enough feet, good balance, solid strength, long arms with a strong and skillful punch, good hand usage for the most part, etc. It’s just that he can be manipulated into losing his fundamentals; when that happens, he gets beat, and when he gets beat, he often loses badly. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 or maybe 3) sees Fisher as an exceptionally young player with a well-rounded if incomplete game that will always be capped by his lack of “the top-end physical or athletic traits of other linemen in this class.” Alex uses Dan Moore Jr. as his comp for style, but with unknowns at the areas where Dan Moore still needs to improve. “Across the board in the run and pass game, Fisher is solid everywhere but not spectacular anywhere. He’s young with a game that can and needs to grow.” Alex disagrees on the initial punch, calling it “messy,” and sees a slew of small issues arising from areas where Fisher looks like a “bit of a robotic mover and not super fluid” and fails to show “high-end traits.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile offers something more like a late-2nd grade, seeing an athletic prospect (RAS of 7.72) who occasionally gets off the ball late, which creates a cascade of glaringly bad moments that make his film look worse than his fundamentals really are. |
| 3:12 | OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington (Junior). 6-5, 308 lbs. with 33½” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 22 in February (?). Michael Penix, Washington’s QB, is left-handed, which means his blind side protector played on the right rather than the left. That’s Roger Rosengarten. The scouting reports read a little bit like Steeler Nation’s cartoon version of Chuks Okorafor: amazingly quick-footed for someone this size, which could particularly suit Arthur Smith’s outside zone preference, lets Rosengarten get in the way of almost any pass rusher, and do better than that for the ones who rely on speed. Nice technique, too, with an approach to the game that sounds a lot like the one espoused by Coach Meyer. He’s just a little light in the pants when faced with pure power, and it really shows up in the running game. A good NFL weight room will help with that, but something along those lines will probably be his final verdict when all is said and done. Compiled an elite 9.60 RAS, but declined to do the bench press at the Combine. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile concludes by saying, “Rosengarten is a twitchy, aggressive and crafty player who needs to improve his functional strength before getting on an NFL field. But he has enough tools to work his way into a swing tackle role with starting potential down the road.” The gif-supported Depot scouting profile (Round 6 grade) also emphasizes lack of strength as a significant problem for someone who otherwise has good awareness and the technical foundation needed to play the position. Is that easier to fix if the team does indeed move to an outside-zone running attack? Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) notes that Rosengarten’s final game in the CFB championship was by far his worst of the season, leaving a poor last impression. The Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy argues that Rosengarten’s excellent performance during that week should move him from fringe-3rd to fringe-2nd consideration. The relatively long PFN scouting profile agrees on a fringe-3rd grade. |
| 3:12 | T/G Caedan Wallace, Penn St. (RS Senior). 6-4⅞, 314 lbs. with 34” arms and 10¾” hands. Age t/b/d. Best friends with Joey Porter Jr. after being his roommate for three years. Guaranteed to be a fan of Thomas Sweets ice cream since he is a huge young man who grew up in Princeton, and it’s some of the best I know. Dark chocolate and mystic mints blend in, mmmmmm. [Ahem. Sorry, I had a moment there]. Wallace has quick feet and good movement skills to pull and catch defenders out in space. Better at positional blocking and uses his movement skills and general athletic talent (RAS of 9.10). May fit particularly well in the outside zone running attack favored by Arthur Smith. Has improved every year but needs to keep doing so. Tends to be a waist bender and head-ducker and can be beat around the edge. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade of 6.23) calls him “a clock-puncher who plays with better fundamentals and technique than his highly regarded teammate, Olu Fashanu.” High floor, low ceiling. Jim Hester’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade of 7.6) describes Wallace as a good run blocker and technically inconsistent pass protector who “shouldn’t be asked to start right away, but [] has a lot of upside to be a productive RT at the next level.” |
| 3:24 | T/G Kiran Amegadjie, Yale (Senior). 6-5, 323 lbs. with shame-a-condor 36⅛” arms and 9⅝” hands. Age t/b/d. [Injured quad cost him a lot of the 2023 season,] when he was expected to show off his abilities. Even so, it’s fair to say that Amegadjie dominated his vastly less athletic competition, so he looks the part and acts the part, but… Yale? He amounts to a true boom-or-bust projection. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ryan Roberts (Round 4 grade of 7.5) uses the utter lack of competition and the injured quad, as grounds for an early Day 3 grade, lower than many other reviewers. “If healthy, Amagadjie has the combination of core strength, length, and foot quickness to develop into a starting offensive tackle down the road.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sounds more like a Round 2-3 grade, writing that Amegadjie has “a rare blend of athletic traits and eye-popping length, [so] it might be a mistake to bet against the high number of boxes Amegadjie checks. His hand usage is a work in progress, and he hasn’t learned to consistently get into blocks with proper footwork and body control, but both issues are coachable and likely to be corrected.” |
| 3:24 | OT Javon Foster, Missouri (RS Senior). 6-5½, 313 lbs. with long 34⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 24 in March. Team captain and three-year starter. Big, long, and strong with a lot of the assets you look for, such as length, strength, and mobility skills both in the phone booth and out in space. Compiled an overall RAS of 7.67. The problem is that 2023 was the first year where he started to get it, and he still has major technical flaws to fix in his footwork, hand usage, and punch. Brandon Thorn’s late-January scouting profile sums him up as “an ideal developmental pick who can be groomed into a contributor over time.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead (Round 4 grade of 7.4), says: “Foster has a lot of experience, [] many good traits, [and] enough athleticism to play left or right tackle… The size and potential are there to be a starter, but at worst he’ll be a quality swing tackle in either a zone or power scheme.” Tom’s issues come down to “smoothing out his footwork, his hand usage, [] maintaining half-man alignment, [] improving his timing to the second level, continuing to add play strength, and being consistent on run blocks.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) says that Foster “[is] very capable as a zone blocker… [but] isn’t a natural knee-bender and that lack of leverage shows up as a drive blocker and when handling bull rushers… Foster lacks fluidity in his pass sets and proper footwork with certain run blocks, but he gets his job done.” |
| 3:24 | G/T Matt Goncalves, Pitt (RS Senior). 6-6¼, 327 lbs. with 33¼” arms and 9” hands. Turned 23 in January. [Mtg. at Local Visit] He’s quick, strong, and at least average as an NFL athlete, but will require a year or three of solid coaching to fix fundamentals that will make him shaky against next-level competition. Jim Hester’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4) calls Goncalves “a solid offensive lineman who is a technician in both the run and pass game,… [and] has the upside to become a developmental starter,… but he shouldn’t be counted upon to start right away unless in a pinch.” |
| 4:01 | G/T Brandon Coleman, TCU by way of JUCO (Senior). 6-4½, 313 lbs. with long 34⅝” arms and enormous 10¾” hands. 21, turns 22 in June. Three-year starter and team captain. Born in the U.S. but grew up in Germany until H.S. Coleman is an athletic blocker with good tools (a bit short but very long-limbed), and a 2023 “Feldman Freak” at No. 61. Coleman has the feet, footwork, burst, mobility, and balance to reach his landmarks before pass rushers and run defenders alike. Decent strength, too. Generally plays with good leverage, except when he doesn’t. Good hand position, except when he loses it. Good pop on his punch, except when it misses. Nice, quick feet, except when he plants them. Seems to regularly get in position for pass protection, but after that, he can lose the actual combat. Gets where he should be in the running game but doesn’t display a nasty demeanor. Catching a theme here? There’s an awful lot of “yes, but…” that needs to be addressed. Could be, but needs to be. Good coaching and hard work should make him a solid pro eventually, but it is hard to say if that will start in Year 2 or Year 5, nor if he’s going to be forced inside to Guard. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein ends in something like a Round 4-5 grade and a conclusion that Coleman “will be scouted and drafted as a guard but might be able to handle a move to tackle in an emergency.” Tested as the most athletic guard prospect in the class, with a massive, top 2% RAS of 9.98. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Alex Kozora (Round 2 grade of 8.2) is worth some study because, as Alex freely admits, “I have a much higher grade than Colman’s currently projected to go… While he’s played more tackle than guard, he’s ideally a left guard in a power/man scheme. He has experience, athleticism, technique, and finish, [and] someone is going to get a steal in him.” |
| 4:01 | G/T Delmar Glaze, Maryland (RS Junior). 6-4⅛, 315 lbs. with long 34⅞” arms and big 10¼” hands. Age t/b/d. A three-year college tackle with good experience on both sides, who may need to move inside because he combines average athletic talents with limited size. Can those extra-long arms and extra-big wingspan make up for the lack of height and footspeed? He’s on this board as a guard with the versatility to move back out in emergencies the glass needs breaking, but make no mistake: whoever drafts him will give the young man a good, long look on the edge as well. The call really is that close, especially for teams that run a gap/power-running attack. Glaze offers very good phone booth power supported by a good understanding of the OL craft. The scouting profile by Brandon Thorn sums the prospect up as follows: “Overall, Glaze combines polished technique with good play strength and a patient, calculated approach to win the leverage battle more often than not despite below-average athletic ability… [He] should be able to carve out a role on an NFL roster at guard while offering the ability to play tackle in a pinch.” He showed nice, fluid movement skills at the Senior Bowl, where he, of course, practiced at both positions. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 4-ish grade as an edge protector, calling Glaze a “swing tackle prospect with some promising NFL traits but tape that comes up lacking against some of the better competition he faced.” He also writes that Glaze has good handwork to supplement decent feet and quickness but gets “beaten frequently by inside moves due to chronic over-setting.” Put up a nice, solid RAS of 6.58 held back by the lack of height. Jim Hester’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 8.0) basically agrees. “[Glaze] can play multiple positions along the offensive line with good experience at both tackle spots, but some teams may view him more so as a guard due to his limited athleticism and his foot quickness.” Pittsburgh is probably one of those teams, at least if they really do plan to adopt Arthur Smith’s favored outside zone running attack. |
| 4:01 | OT Christian Jones, Texas (RS Senior). 6-5¼, 305 lbs. with long 34½” arms and big 10⅝” hands. Turns 24 in May. A big, run-blocking, power-oriented OT who got excellent results in college but has some heavy feet that could make him vulnerable to NFL speed off the edge. They could be faster than thought, however, because he has some extra weight, was a soccer player as a boy, and looked positively light-footed during the Combine field drills, if a little stiff. OTOH, his agility testing was poor. Nice anchor. Brandon Thorn’s always-solid scouting report concludes that, “Jones is a big, physical, durable and strong college tackle with middling athletic ability who will struggle to consistently mirror and match up athletically on an island.” Jim Hester’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4-6 grade) describes Jones as a powerful blocker who will “definitely need time to develop and harness his skills and techniques, but [] could be a solid starter down the line.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein agrees: “Right tackle prospect with athletic limitations that are sometimes covered up by his strength and length… He can maul and brawl what is in front of him, but meeting movement with body control and foot quickness is much tougher for him.” |
| 4:01 | OT Walter Rouse, Oklahoma by way of Stanford (RS Senior). 6-5⅞, 313 lbs. with long 35⅛” arms and 10⅛” hands. 23 years old. Two-time captain, one year at each school. A fine basketball player in H.S. This marvelous September 2023 article digs deep into the background of a four-year Stanford starter moving over to Oklahoma for a final season in college. Bottom line: he’s an experienced college LT who needs to add some country strength, build up to an NFL technical level (particularly his footwork and movement skills), and prove he can play on either side of the line. Add that (and he appears to have the native ‘stuff’ the job will require), and you’ll have a solid pro who would enjoy a long career. Leave him as is, and he won’t. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jim Hester (Round 4 grade of 7.5) sees Rouse as “an experienced leader at left tackle with the physical tools and skill set to compete for a swing tackle role right away.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile puts it this way: “Rouse possesses the size and intelligence coaches like, and he might be able to continue improving if he can get stronger and prove he can play on the right side as well. He’s an average athlete with an average bend,… [but] he tends to anchor enough and maintain a level of stickiness as a run blocker, even when it looks a little disheveled. Rouse has [only] played as a left tackle but might be in consideration as a solid swing tackle prospect with some upside.” |
| 4:16 | T/G Julian Pearl, Illinois (RS Senior). 6-6, 312 lbs. with long 35⅛” arms and 10¼” hands. 24, turns 25 in October. Pearl converted from the defensive side of the line in college, and has since played RT, LT, and OG. He is a good athlete overall, with good movement skills and a solid punch, but doesn’t have a superpower to fall back on. Led a solid offensive line in 2023. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) worries that ”his game is too up and down to trust [especially given his age], [and] his best tape came against weaker competition [such as] Northwestern, [while] Penn State’s toolsy EDGE rushers gave him fits.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile is a little kinder, but only a little. ”Pearl is an athletic move blocker capable of creating creases in space, but the pass protection needs a big upgrade for him to develop into an NFL swing tackle [and while] the athletic pieces are in place, [he’s lacking] functional upper-body strength… and that must be corrected before he’s ready for any snaps.” A classic draft-and-stash for the practice squad, with a reasonable hope that you might have found a steal. Or not. |
| 5:01 | T/G Garrett Greenfield, S. Dak. St. (RS Senior). 6-5¾, 311 lbs. with 33½” arms and 9¾” hands. Age t/b/d. Two-year team captain. He looks like an NFL tackle and plays like he could actually be one, but it will take another few years of work to really find out. The physical assets are good enough to be a long-term NFL pro, but he doesn’t have a single superpower to hang his hat on aside from burst off the line. He accordingly needs to build utterly reliable, professional techniques to survive, a technique he does not have yet, especially coming from a smaller school. He will probably be able to serve as a snap-to-snap swing OT or OG early on because he is a good run blocker, but it will take a few years before he might be a starter. One easy fix will be dedicated time spent in an NFL training room. After that it’s footwork and hand-fighting drills for endless hours of detailed work. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 6 grade of 6.5) has some inside dirt since the two worked together when Greenfield was in H.S., but mostly it comes down to (summarizing) “he’s got the required size, strength, and length, and he was quite a performer at his smaller school, but Day 3 because there’s a long way to go before he reaches NFL levels of reliability.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile suggests something more like a Round 5 grade, saying that Greenfield, “plays with good quickness and is athletic in his lower body but needs to play under control [and rein in his] tendency to play with arbitrary footwork as both a run and pass blocker, which curtails his contact balance and consistency to sustain.” Caught the world’s attention at the Combine with record-setting explosion numbers and an overall RAS of 9.16. |
ROUND 3 AND 4 CENTERS
The Board has two names with Round 1 grades, Duke’s Graham Barton and Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. Those are not going to change unless we get some new data point like a medical concern. West Virginia’s Zach Frazier is on the board with an early-2nd grade, and Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger with a late-2nd. Those are also set for good. But there is a next tier we haven’t talked about as much as we should.
Consider: What would we be looking for if Omar Khan had managed to land veteran free agent Mitch Morse on a two-year deal? There would be no ongoing terror about missing out or pressure to find someone who could start ASAP. Instead, we would be looking for a backup with the native stuff to grow into the next great Steelers center by 2026 and hopefully to compete with Morse in 2025. Many of us would still be pushing for one of the Big Four, but that would be out of pure want, not need. Everyone else would be focused in these names:
| 3:01 | G/C Christian Hayes, U. Conn. (RS Senior). 6-2½, 318 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 8⅞” hands. Age t/b/d. A 4-year starter who is athletic, technically sound, mobile enough, tough, and nasty. All good. He’s just… short. He’s got the build of a big center and did some work at that position during Senior Bowl week, but has always played guard instead and no one knows for sure if he could move to the pivot. An NFL quality lineman on a team where he stood alone, the January scouting profile by the well-respected Brandon Thorn calls Haynes “an adept run-blocker who wins with technique, processing skills and a relentless demeanor… [He] is a hard-nosed, mentally sharp and experienced player with good play strength to bolster an o-line room as a quality interior depth piece.” Thorn’s pro comparison is the 2023 LA Rams version of Kevin Dotson. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ryan Roberts ends in a Round 2-3 grade if viewed solely as a guard: “[With] outstanding length… good power and outstanding movement skills, [] you have a plus-starter relatively early in his career… with tremendous scheme versatility.” |
| 3:01 | C/G Hunter Nourzad, Penn St. by way of Cornell (RS Senior). 6-2¾, 319 lbs. with 32¾” arms and big 10⅝” hands. 23, turns 24 in November. Credit to Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade of 6.7) for this good-looking option. Nourzad played RT while he was at Cornell, then guard (2022) and center (2023) during his pair of years at Penn State. “As a pass blocker, he has good snap quickness, balance, and pad level [with] solid punch placement, [active and strong] hands, [and] good play strength and good anchor to subdue [power] rushers… As a run blocker, he has experience in zone and power schemes, [is fundamentally sound]… and flashed the quickness to execute reach blocks.” The weights on his stock come down to inexperience and difficulty dealing with the things that only experience can teach: stunts, twists, good swim moves, exceptional quickness, etc. Nourzad came in as the CTR3 in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade of 6.26) behind only Graham Barton, the clear No. 1 (6.46 = a solid starter within two years), and Jackson Powers-Johnson as the clear No. 2 (6.34 = eventually a plus starter). “Nourzad has the feel and footwork for all run-blocking schemes and is strong enough to deal with a 0-technique lined up over him.” |
| 3:01 | G/C Dominick Puni, Kansas (RS Senior). 6-4⅜, 323 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 10” hands. Turned 24 in February. A multiyear starter, almost exclusively at OT, who will move inside at the next level. Looks like a guard; run blocks like a good guard; has the play strength, physicality, and phone booth power to be a guard; and would have excellent mobility as a guard; but he lacks the extraordinary size and condor wingspan that’s normal for an NFL tackle. McCormick also played center during the Senior Bowl, and looked very natural doing it according to OL guru Duke Manyweather. Offers added value as a potential swing tackle because his sound fundamentals should protect him up to the point where he loses on purely athletic grounds. This goes to a January scouting profile by the always-reliable Brandon Thorn. The TDN scouting profile sees a desperate need to keep his pads down but suggests he could succeed even at tackle if he learns to do so. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 4 grade of 7.4) sees Puni’s tendency to “play tall with poor hip flexion” as a flaw that will move him inside to guard, “where he can continue to excel making blocks out in space as a puller or climbing up to the second level.” |
| 3:12 | C/G Nick Samac, Michigan St. (RS Senior). 6-4, 307 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9¾” hands. 22, turns 23 in August. [Mtg. at Shrine Bowl] 5-year player, 3-year starter. Samac has a strong background in wrestling and shotput, both of which sync up well to OL skills. He also came in as the No. 5 center ahead of Zach Frazier in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile with a “potential starter” grade and some comments that make him sound like an excellent fit for what we know about Arthur Smith’s offensive game plan. “A three-year starter with good feet and technique, Samac could be in consideration for a move-blocking rushing attack. He is strong at the point of attack but will have limitations against NFL power.” Factor that against Arthur Smith’s preference for mobile centers and an outside zone running scheme, and his stock is very strong from a Steelers POV. Jim Hester’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3-4 grade of 7.4) describes Samac as a “scheme-dependent move blocker” who wins on brains, technique, positioning, quick hands, and tenacity but is held back by physical limitations having to do with “his slower, choppy feet [that] could limit his ceiling in pass protection… He projects as a developmental starter [who] would definitely be a fit in Arthur Smith’s offensive scheme if the Steelers were looking for a center later in the draft.” |
| 3:24 | C/G Beaux Limmer, Arkansas (Senior). 6-4½, 301 lbs. with short 31½” arms and 9⅜” hands. 22, turns 23 in June. A good but not great technician with nice footwork and overall athleticism. He played guard until 2023 when he moved inside and did just fine. RAS of 9.64 measured as a guard, and 9.71 as a center. His agility, explosion, and 10-yard split measurements were all elite and the pure strength beyond elite. 39 bench press reps?! Very likely to have a long career, but the majority of it may well be as a backup. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5) noted very little bad outside of a serious need for Limmer to clean up his punch. and made a point of saying that “Limmer was better than expected and played with an OL that had its struggles.” The quickness, mobility, attitude, and basic technique were all listed as solid or better, with “impressive hand strength [that lets him] lock on to defenders and [not] let go.” The flaw comes down to the lack of special size and length. The verdict was, “athletic and mobile but undersized.” The scouting profile by the always-reliable Brandon Thorn (Round 4) had the exact same analysis up and down the line. “In pass protection, Limmer [shows] very good athletic ability and reactionary quickness to get to his spots and recover out of compromising positions. However, his narrow, lean build makes it a chore to consistently anchor against the bull rush and maintain the integrity of the pocket on pick attempts. Overall, Limmer is a very athletic, lean, nimble blocker with wiry strength who can strain to finish blocks… but his narrow frame and minimal girth likely pigeonholes his path… as a center-only in a zone-heavy scheme.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein offers a more lukewarm, average backup grade: “Limmer’s run blocking should create an NFL opportunity at center, but the pass protection must improve [due to]… below average posture and base width in his [] sets [and] feet that get heavy, impacting reactive quickness with his mirror.” |
| 3:24 | G/C Mason McCormick, S. Dak. St. (Senior). 6-4¼, 309 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 10” hands. Turns 24 in May. Round 4 talent on an all-teams board. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ryan Roberts (Round 4 grade of 7.2) describes McCormick as “definitely better as a run blocker than a pass blocker, but a lot of his flaws in pass pro are fixable.” A fine prospect for a team that needs guards – which Pittsburgh does not. There have been rumors that teams are looking at McCormick as a potential center, stoked by no less than OL guru Duke Manyweather. This raises his grade toward full retail value from a Pittsburgh POV. |
| 4:16 | C/G Matt Lee, Miami by way of Cent. Florida (Senior). 6-3⅝, 301 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9¼” hands. 22, turns 23 in June. [Mtg. at Shrine Bowl] The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Alex Kozora and the NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein run in lockstep on this analysis. Matt Lee is an exceptionally bright young man who declined multiple Ivy League and military academy offers to follow his family tradition at UCF. His football ability features a strong anchor despite his limited size and length, but he has trouble moving those same men because he plays with straight legs. Stalemate city. The mobility is just okay on film, but he compiled a very impressive 9.86 RAS based on elite speed and explosion numbers, offset by his lack of special size. |
| 5:01 | C/G Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin (RS Junior). 6-3⅞, 305 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9¾” hands. Age t/b/d. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 7-UDFA) describes an extremely smart, high-character leader who blocks well in a phone booth even if he’s facing a monster NT. Alex saw him as vulnerable to quickness, however, with some issues pulling and climbing, and some of the same issues with inaccurate snaps that drove the fan base so wild when they happened to Mason Cole. It’s a verdict we may need to revisit after Bortolini compiled a perfect 10.00 RAS(!!) when measured as a center, with top 2-5% scores in every speed, mobility, and explosion measurement. He also looked good in all the field drills and was described by retired Pro Bowl center Shaun O’Hara as “super athletic.” Could he be a better fit for Arthur Smith’s preferred outside zone running scheme than he might be for dealing with monster NTs man-on-man? Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile ends with a Round 4 grade based on skills, talent, and toughness, offset significantly by his lack of length. |
| 5:01 | C/G Kingsley Eguakun, Florida (RS Senior). 6-3½, 304 lbs. with 32½” arms and 10½” hands. Age t/b/d. According to the gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 5 grade of 7.0), Eguakun projects as a high character, high floor blocker at the pivot who made for a fine team leader in college, but “lacks high-end athletic traits like power and quickness to handle powerful defensive linemen, making the pro game a bit of a projection as to how he will hold up.” |
| 5:01 | C/G Nick Gargiulo, S. Carolina by way of Yale (Senior). 6-5⅜, 318 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10⅜” hands. 23, turns 24 in July. A center and tackle at Yale, and a C/G for Spencer Rattler in the SEC, the NFL scouting profile by Lance Zierlein sees Gargiulo as a well-balanced, position-flexible prospect whose “body control, patience and core strength show up in pass pro and as a run blocker, and he’s athletic enough to make blocks in space… He’s not a body mover, but he’s also not a basic stalemate blocker.” Very impressive 9.37 RAS. |
ROUND 2 WIDE RECEIVERS (REALISTIC AND POSSIBLE)
Some of these names are going to trigger your, “no way that could happen, he’s too darned good!” button. I have a split opinion on that. The class has really amazing depth, and the prospects listed below could be hurt by that. Plus the fringe-1st types have specific skill sets this year, and could fall further than expected because the teams making the picks are after a different type. In other words, I cannot predict an actual WR bargain at Pick 2:19 (No. 51 overall), but it wouldn’t surprise me, and there is always the trade-up option. Thus, we need to grade those should-be-Round-1 prospects as well as the legitimate Round 2 players. In the event, that would tell us who to pick if weirdness happens (you and I being the GM in this world).
We also need to consider team fit. Arthur Smith’s offenses rely on two outside WRs, with the No. 3 pass catcher being TE Pat Freiermuth and TE Darnell Washington edging out the WR for the next spot. But that isn’t exclusive! The team will want to mix in 11-personnel looks (three WRs, aka the league’s standard formation). I don’t want to argue the point here. For purposes of this post, please assume the team has WR1 in George Pickens and WRs 3, 4, and 5 in the mix of short and speedy types. What’s needed here is a true WR2, a Lynn Swann to pair with Pickens’ John Stallworth. I have my own opinions on the traits that Pittsburgh should look for, but I will save those for the comments since any well-reasoned opinion will be at least as good as my own.
Here are the names with their current grades:
| 1:20 | WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU (Junior). 6-2⅞” 209 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9¾” hands. 21, turns 22 in October. [Mtg. at Combine] Thomas has a skill set that looks a lot like George Pickens when it comes to length, speed, overall athleticism, and a tendency to win combat catches rather than getting open through his route running; the last being due to lack of polish more than physical limitations. He’s particularly deadly in the red zone, with 25% of his 2023 catches going for TDs. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 1 grade of 8.8) describes Thomas as, “an athlete’s athlete… full of upside [with] the frame and athleticism” to deserve a physical comp to Julio Jones. The skills aren’t there yet, particularly when it comes to route running and separation, but the potential is stunning. If you want the downsides, Alex writes that “his game is still raw, working on releases and footwork at the top of his route. And he had just one year of significant production [that] benefitted from having a stud receiver like Nabers opposite of him to draw attention.” And a Heisman-winning QB like Jayden Daniels to throw him the ball, of course. Thomas is Lance Zierlein’s No. 3 receiver over all: “Thomas is unpolished but has projectable talent to become a WR1/2 in time.” Compiled a 9.82 RAS, which includes a 4.33 dash and held back only by the bench press numbers of all things. |
| 2:01 | WR Keon Coleman, Florida St. (Junior). 6-3¼, 213 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9⅜” hands. Turns 21 in May. [Mtg. at Combine] Wins quick; wins medium; wins long; wins with strength; wins with body control; and wins with YAC, burst, and more shiftiness than you’d think. Steven Pavelka’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 1 grade of 9.0) cuts through the flack and makes a direct comparison to George Pickens. Like Pickens, Coleman ran a very limited route tree in college and will take some time to learn the NFL game. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) uses this wonderful summary: “[Coleman is an] above-the-rim artist with circus catches resembling a scene from the tents of Cirque du Soleil… [E]xcellent size and ball skills [but] he’s not sudden and doesn’t have great speed, so beating press and creating breathing room against tight man coverages will depend on his ability to improve as a route-runner.” His 4.62 dash at the Combine held his stock down to a 9.18 RAS (he did have a good 10-yard split FWIW ), and could easily make him a Round 2 pick instead of Round 1. |
| 2:01 | WR Adonai “AD” Mitchell, Texas by way of Georgia (Junior). 6-2¼, 205 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9” hands. 21, turns 22 in October. [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day, Visit] Mitchell is a living 1-2 punch combination: protect against his prodigious straight-line speed, and he’ll run a sharp, deadly slant; protect against the slant, and he’ll leave you in the dust. Plus, he turns 50/50 balls into 70/30s in his favor. Downgraded by a hair for this board because that skill set overlaps so much with George Pickens, but is that really a bad thing? His releases could use work, but that is learnable. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Efram Geller (Round 2 grade of 8.4) could easily agree on George Pickens as the best comp. “Talent that most WRs can only dream of… [but] his routes are sloppy… and teams may take him off their board completely due to effort inconsistencies.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (fringe-1st grade) agrees, saying that Mitchell has the “size, speed, and ball skills to become a very good NFL receiver, but he’s still in the process of bridging those traits… The difference between becoming a WR2 or WR1 could rest on his urgency and willingness to go to work on the unpolished areas of his craft.” In a year of amazing WR athletes, Mitchell compiled a 9.99 RAS that surpassed them all. |
| 2:12 | WR Xavier Legette, S. Car. (RS Senior). 6-1, 212 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turned 23 in January. [Mtg. at Visit] Team captain whose mother died in 2015 when he was 14, and his father in 2019 while he was in college. Legette is a height/weight/speed phenom (RAS of 9.92) who is built like Tarzan, knows how to use that size, and features good hands and contested-catch ability. He and QB Spencer Rattler combined for a lot of big plays in 2023 despite an O-line reduced to shreds by injury. Legette set records as a return man too. TBH, he profiles as an almost perfect big-slot, and one really hopes he will be high on the list of Pittsburgh targets. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (early 3rd grade of 8.0) lists a lot of assets that have to pair with the Steelers’ wish list for a receiver who would complement George Pickens. “High effort blocker… Hands catcher who naturally plucks the ball away from his frame… excellent burst post-catch [for YAC]… impressive top-end straight-line speed… creates separation [deep routes]… versatile… well-rounded route tree… flashes of dominance with the ability to take game over” and maybe best of all, “captain and leader regarded as hard worker with good practice habits.” With all of that, what could possibly lead to a fringe-2nd grade instead of fringe-1st? It comes down to limited COD in short-area movements, fears about “big and linear receivers [who] can’t consistently create space,” and the fact that Legette was a one-year wonder. As Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile put it, “Legette is tight-hipped with a linear release that makes him susceptible to press… His star shines brightest once the ball goes up and he’s able to use his body control, play strength and ball skills to impose his will on the coverage. Add toughness as a runner and run blocker to his profile of competitiveness and he becomes a Day 2 talent with the potential to develop into a starter.” Big. Slot. |
| 2:12 | WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia (Junior). 5-11⅝, 186 lbs. with 30¼” arms and 8⅝” hands. 22, turns 23 in November. [Lots of almost-major injuries] A move-the-chains machine, return man, deep threat, and a primary weapon for one of the best teams in CFB, McConkey offers excellent speed, even better burst and suddenness, very good hands, and YAC potential. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.9) has multiple examples of CBs he flat-out embarrassed in key situations for long first downs. McConkey would be pushing up toward Round 1 consideration if not for the very thin build and the niggling injuries he’s suffered every year. 2023 saw games missed due to back issues and an ankle injury, which is similar to 2002 when his ankles and knees caused the problems. He’s also vulnerable to physicality in his routes. CBs who get the jam in every time, can be controlled with positioning because they cannot fight through an opponent and has size-related limitations on their combat-catch ability. This January scouting profile describes him as a demon getting open and making yards after he’s got the ball, but not someone who will win contested catches or fight his way through a good jam at the LOS. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (late 1st) can be summed up as ‘20 ways to say smart, smart, smart, slippery, and professional.’ |
| 2:12 | WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida (RS Senior). 6-0⅞, 193 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9⅛” hands. 23, turns 24 in September. [Mtg. at Pro Day, Visit] Crafty as they come, Pearsall is a smooth, high-IQ player with sensational hands, sophisticated route-running skills, suddenness in stop/start/COD, and overall toughness. I’ve seen him called, “just a flat-out good football player,” which seems to be pretty apt. He’s the sort of prospect who should be a real asset from Day 1, but may be capped at being a fan-favorite, move-the-chains receiver due to never getting all the YAC one hopes for. Why? Simple: He tries, but he’s just not a power forward, make-you-miss, or pseudo-RB type; and that means he goes down when and where he gets tackled. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.9) balances the “lack [of] top-end athletic traits and long speed” against the basically positive marks for everything else. (NOTE: Pearsall’s super-impressive Combine testing answered a lot of Ross’s questions, with elite, top-few percent results (RAS 9.0 in all) in every category but height and weight). He’s plenty fast, though it may be build-up speed more than sudden, field-stretching burst. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile offers a similar analysis: “Pearsall [is a] dependable slot target with good size and soft hands who might get the stereotypical ‘crafty route runner’ label, but it suits him.” Fair enough. That sounds like an ideal Robin to me, with a promise of early contributions. This good-looking, Giants-oriented profile from mid-March ends in a “solid Day 2 value” grade, while emphasizing that “teams that value receivers as blockers will also likely value Pearsall highly.” Major check mark there. This extensive PFN scouting profile emphasizes that “Pearsall makes his money with truly hyper-elite catching instincts and hands… [which] makes him an asset on money downs.” |
| 2:12 | WR Ja’Lynn (“JAY-lin”) Polk, Washington (RS Junior). 6-1⅜, 203 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9¾” hands. 21, turns 22 in April. Polk has everything you want except elite, bursty COD quickness (9.46 RAS overall), though he is a fine route runner. He doesn’t have elite speed either, though what he has is still better than average, and his acceleration is elite. Polk was a deadly weapon in college, in part because QB Michael Penix routinely hit him in stride even on throws well down the field. But Polk contributed too by getting NFL-open much of the time, and by winning most of his combat catches with a combination of size, body control, and hands of glue. He is also smart enough to beat zones, and obviously knows how to build chemistry with his QB. It adds up to a formidable move-the-chains prospect who will burn defenses deep if they ignore that part of his game. Tough, physical, and so devoted to football that he routinely brought an air mattress to the building so he could sleep over. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade of 8.1) says Polk “possesses good size, but [] plays even bigger at the catchpoint” due to his body control and hands, and “adds subtle route running to the equation.” He ends with a comparison to the Bengals’ Tyler Boyd and this summary: “[Polk] isn’t a freak athlete when it comes to rare burst or quickness, but he’s a reliable receiver who can make the tough catches on possession downs that you want in a WR 2/3.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) complains about a lack of “ideal suddenness getting in and out of his breaks as a route runner.” |
| 2:12 | WR Roman Wilson, Michigan (Senior). 5-10½, 186 lbs. with 30¼” arms and 9⅛” hands. 22, turns 23 in June. [Mtg. at Senior Bowl, Pro Day] A freak athlete with all the speed, explosiveness, and COD you could ever want. Has the potential to be a faster, better Diontae Johnson, but at this point it is only that – potential. Like Johnson, he should start by working in the slot before moving to the outside where longer, physical CB’s might smother him with press coverage techniques. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade of 8.1) adds that Wilson is a very tough kid, and “a tenacious blocker [who] gets after it in the running game…. [who plays] bigger than his listed size.” That would be an important asset for the expected Steelers offense. “[A] technically refined WR who is a true craftsman at the position.” For the warning signs, Jon points to Wilson’s genuine size limitations and “plenty of double catches on his tape” despite “good awareness and strong hands” overall. As expected, Wilson tested as an elite athlete whose RAS is held back by his lack of exceptional size. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (fringe-1st) calls Wilson a “smooth strider with alarming speed once he touches top gear… Driving acceleration… Much more sure-handed and natural as a pass-catcher in 2023… Competitive and focused…” His college potential was never realized in Michigan’s ground-and-pound offense. |
| 2:24 | WR Malachi Corley, W. Kentucky (RS Junior). 5-10⅝, 215 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9⅛” hands. 22, turns 23 in March. [Mtg. at Pro Day, Visit] He’s built like Deebo Samuel and plays like Deebo Samuel, except he’s coming out of Conference USA instead of the SEC. Many profiles include some variation of, “He looks more like an RB than a WR, and turns into a RB when he has the ball in his hands.” Heck, he even calls himself “The YAC King” on social media! One suspects that Corley will be the sort of wild talent who film watchers will adore while seasoned scouts tsk-tsk about the lower LOC). This January Bleacher Report scouting profile calls him, “a ball player more than [] a wide receiver,” and ends with a Round 5 grade (much lower than most others) due to all the many ways his skills need to expand. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (early 3rd grade of 8.0) sees the same similarities to Deebo Samuel as everyone else, but describes him as being less advanced in his WR skills coming out. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (fringe 1st) says, “Like Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel when they were prospects, Corley has had a heavy percentage of his targets schemed around him and he will need to prove he can become more than just a quick-game bully or gadget guy…. Corley’s highlight reel will be full of broken tackles and general carnage left in his wake, [but] he’s an average route-runner with the tools to improve, [and] a disappointing drop rate and contested-catch rate.” I rarely include links to videos, but this one goes to a combination interview and scouting report by Steve Smith Sr., who knows a thing or two about WR play. |
| 2:24 | WR Troy Franklin, Oregon (Junior). 6-1⅞, 176 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 8¾” hands. Turned 21 in February. [Mtg. at Combine] Franklin is a three-year starter whose game is built on elite speed with extra skills to support that asset. The ideal weapon to keep a defense honest, but too slight to be a team’s WR1. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 2 grade of 8.3) could not emphasize the speed aspect more, from explosion to acceleration to the top-end variety. Franklin is a genuine, field-stretching, home run threat from anywhere on the field, including the red zone due to his height, length, and leaping ability. He’s also a decent route runner, and even a willing blocker… except for the limits imposed by a willow-wand build. There have also been some concentration drops that need to be corrected. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile sums it up like this: “Franklin might not get WR1 target volume, but he should be productive with a high yards-per-catch average and the ability to open things up underneath for his teammates.” |
ROUND 3 AND 4 WIDE RECEIVERS
Everyone expects the Steelers to come away from the draft with a WR2. I personally project that as a Round 2 target on the assumption that center will be targeted in Round 1. But that’s just me. The team could also give in to the draft-steal impulse by indulging in a special player at OT or CB. If this happens, center would be pushed to Round 2, and WR down to Round 3. I’m including current Round 4 grades as well because, to be completely honest, I am not entirely comfortable with how I have them graded.
Remember that Pittsburgh has three picks in this range: 3:20 (No. 84 overall), 3:35 (a compensatory pick at No. 98 overall), and 4:19 (No. 119 overall). Mid-3rd, fringe-3rd, and mid-4th.
Here are the current names and grades. Please remember that I divide Round 3 prospects into early (3:01), middle (3:12), and late (3:24) grades. Round 4 prospects only have early (4:01) and late (4:16). No one has a grade of 3:24 in the following list but that is one of the options you should feel free to suggest.
| 3:01 | WR Brenden Rice, USC by way of Colorado (Junior). 6-2, 208 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 22 in March. Have you heard of that new Hollywood spectacular coming to your TV in 2024? It’s called, Son Of Godzilla Jerry Meets The NFL! And you thought Marvin Harrison Jr. had big shoes to fill. Put the last name aside, though, and Brenden Rice is still a fine prospect all on his own. He will be seriously considered as a Round 3-4 option for the Big Slot role – especially if interviews show anything like his father’s legendary work ethic. The skill set starts with his size, overall toughness, intensity, and tremendous blocking ability, with a sneaky athleticism (RAS of 7.07) that will outmatch everyone but a genuine CB. One way or another, this is the sort of young man who makes himself a factor for every play he is on the field, regardless of whether he gets the ball. He also understands route trees and the other things that go into football IQ, as you’d expect from someone who grew up in the industry. What’s missing is instant speed, except… he was a very good track athlete, he understands how to stack defenders, he collected a huge number of pass interference penalties, he made the Feldman Freaks list for a reason, his father famously played much faster than he measured, and he has reportedly hit 23 mph according to GPS. As the Maine lobsterman said about his 12-pound newborn, “Ayuh. That’ll do.” The weirdest thing is the way some scouting profiles praise him for the very things that others question. It’s a phenomenon I haven’t really seen before. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 3 grade of 7.8) says he plays like a power forward in basketball, consistently boxing out or fighting through defenders for the football as if their attempt to get in the way is an insult. Excels at fighting for YAC too. |
| 3:01 | WR Malik Washington, Virginia by way of Northwestern (RS Senior). 5-8⅛, 192 lbs. with 30” arms and 9⅛” hands. Turned 23 in January. Team captain. Extremely short but also extremely stocky, so he won’t have any delicacy problems. Virginia’s offense ran through this young man. Lines up anywhere, though in the slot most of all, and does anything the coaches ask. Super quick, with limited long speed. Tremendous hands, and won’t leave an inch on the field unclaimed. But size does matter, he doesn’t have it, and he doesn’t have return skills to fall back on. PFN’s Shrine Bowl Offensive Player of the Week, which the Depot’s contingent on site fully supported. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (early 3rd grade of 8.0) called a “human highlight reel… with no fear of going over the middle and playing in traffic… [who is] going to be a serious matchup nightmare in the right system at the NFL level.” |
| 3:01 | WR Xavier Worthy, Texas (Junior). 5-11, 165 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 8¾” hands. 20, turns 21 in April. [Mtg. at Combine] World. Class. Speed. As in “broke the all-time Combine record” speed. Worthy is a slender jet built of wire and carbon fiber who’s put up great numbers from both the slot and playing outside. Production has never gone down even with poor QB play, which supports his grade a lot. Also an expert punt and kick returner. A powerful NFL weapon if he doesn’t get shattered, but we already have Calvin Austin III on the team. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade of 8.3) ends in a comparison to Tank Dell, also noting that Worthy is a better route runner than Austin. |
| 3:12 | WR Jermaine Burton, Alabama by way of Georgia (Senior). 6-0¼, 196 lbs. with 31” arms and 9⅞” hands. 22, turns 23 in June. If he’s even he’s leavin’, and he also has the suddenness and COD to break those routes off and create separation. Burton has excellent hands, but seems to lack play strength, and it shows in his lackluster YAC ability. A field stretcher who could be more than that after a few years of NFL coaching and strength training. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 3 grade of 7.8) expresses real doubt about Burton’s lack of physicality and wanna, but nevertheless concludes that he “has the juice to be a deep threat in the league and operate in all facets of the game from a solid YAC receiver to a guy that can be a reliable intermediate/red zone threat.” Burton put up an impressive and well-rounded RAS of 9.05. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) concludes that “Burton’s athletic profile and ball skills create confidence that he can become a solid WR2/3 in the league.” |
| 3:12 | WR Jalen McMillan, Washington (RS Junior). 6-1, 197 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and big 10” hands. 22, turns 23 in December. [Mtg. at Combine] Speed to burn with the body control, size, agility, and hands to be a good down-the-field weapon. A versatile player who’s been used in multiple ways. Smooth and efficient as a route runner. Doesn’t play as big as he measures. Has more long speed than quick acceleration. Willing to play slot, block in the running game, and run those physically tough routes over the middle. His 8.55 RAS includes bad 10-yard splits in the dash. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-5 grade) says, ”McMillan is a long-striding field-stretcher… slot target with good size and production.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 3 grade of 7.8) likewise sees a big-slot prospect who “lacks high-end speed or quickness but tends to do everything right as a route runner and a YAC threat who can also make the tough grabs in coverage to move the chains.” |
| 3:12 | WR Devontez “Tez” Walker, N. Car. by way of Kent St. (Junior). 6-1½, 197 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9” hands. 22, turns 23 in June. A home run hitter with good size, tremendous 4.36 speed, the overall athleticism to compile a 9.91 RAS, plus proven ability to get open downfield and to turn ordinary catches into explosive plays with his YAC ability. Drake Maye’s favorite receiver, Walker repeatedly beat CBs deep during Senior Bowl practices and in the game, only to drop the balls when they arrived – a complete departure from his 2023, sure-handed film. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jason Herbst (Round 2 grade of 8.5) focuses on Walker’s set of great releases, sudden burst that forces corners to give him some cushion, and elite speed to be leavin’ once he’s even. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-ish grade) says “Walker is a tale of two receivers. He’s a long strider who will excel running [deep] routes, [but] when he’s asked to get in and out of breaks or make tighter turns, his lack of short-area footwork and route acumen make him substantially easier to cover.” |
| 4:01 | WR Javon Baker, UCF by way of Alabama (Senior). 6-1⅜, 208 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Turned 22 in February. Projects as an excellent move-the-chains receiver with a very high floor and limited ceiling. A good but not great athlete who compiled a 7.70 RAS, Baker has ‘good enough’ route-running skills that aren’t based on COD ability, like most players, but rather on his very stop-start brakes and sudden acceleration. Solid size and good physicality allow for tackle-breaking and extra YAC, though he isn’t agile enough to make tacklers whiff, and he could be a lot more physical than he’s been, particularly as a blocker in the run game. Excellent body control and very good hands. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade of 7.1) sees Baker as an inside/outside receiver who projects as a solid WR3/4 with WR2/3 potential he could reach by building a route tree, learning to block in addition to just being willing, and most of all by sharpening his route-running skill to create more separation. This late January, Bears-oriented scouting profile ends with a much more ambitious comparison to Michael Crabtree. Commenter Max, a UCF fan, reports that Baker suffered from inadequate QB play, which makes the production he did have that much more impressive, but also had too many focus drops. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile Ends in a Round 2 grade for a prospect who “Baker has the traits and skill level of an NFL receiver and should fight for an eventual shot as a WR3/4.” |
| 4:01 | WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Georgia (Senior). 6-1⅛, 195 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Turned 22 in January. [Mtg. at Pro Day, Zoom Visit] A physical slot receiver with a very good release package, MRJ also wins a lot of jump balls but doesn’t have the next-level speed or shiftiness to make him different. In the end he will need to win with craft, and his odds are pretty good. It helps that he’s a good blocker and a smooth mover who is hard for corners to read. I have seen comparisons to Green Bay’s Dontayvion Wicks. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ross McCorkle (Round 4 grade of 7.5) says that “MRJ is a high-effort player who does a lot of things well. He has sure hands, he blocks well, and he is physical while catching the ball. He doesn’t have top-end athleticism and his production in college was low overall… He projects as an impact special teamer.” Ross compares Rosemy-Jacksaint’s game to Allen Robinson II. Lance Zierlein is not a fan. His scouting profile ends with a UDFA grade, saying “MRJ doesn’t have the speed to separate, and his routes are way too labored and sloppy at this stage. While he has the ball skills to compete at the catch point, he will really need to add polish to his game in order to find himself in consideration as a productive pass catcher.” |
| 4:16 | WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona (Senior). 5-8½, 165 lbs. with 29¼” arms and 9” hands. Turned 23 in February. A sudden, shifty slot receiver with good long speed as well as quickness. Gets open and moves the chains. Lacking in size and strength. Has also suffered from the dropsies. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 8.0) uses Tank Dell as a comp for the just-right team. In Pittsburgh, he would need to replace Calvin Austin III. |
| 4:16 | WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice by way of Nebraska (RS Junior). 6-1¾, 202 lbs. with short 29⅞” arms and 9 ½” hands. 22, turns 23 in April. [Mtg. at Visit] Team captain and one of my secret draft crushes, Luke McCaffrey is the son of Ed, the longtime Giants/Broncos WR, and the brother of some guy who supposedly plays for the 49ers. Christian’s little brother played quarterback from 2019-2021, then moved over to WR for 2022 and 2023 where he did pretty well. Fits the big-slot prototype with good burst, speed, YAC ability, reliable hands, and the ability to make “jaw-dropping one-handed catches with coverage draped over him.” That’s from Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile, which adds some other nuggets like, “Fearless into the teeth of the defense,” and “Focus drops do not exist in his dojo.” Zierlein tamps the enthusiasm down by pointing to McCaffrey’s need for “additional time to learn the position and fine-tune his route running.” McCaffrey has the benefit of an extremely high football IQ, with a QB’s understanding of route concepts and the “why” behind the “what.” This 2022 article on McCaffrey’s transition from QB to WR deserves a long quote: “…But one trivialized element of playing wide receiver, especially in Rice’s ‘pound the rock, control the clock’-style offense, is the ability to work as a blocker on the majority of snaps. When asked about adding this skill to his repertoire, McCaffrey’s eyes lit up as if blocking was his calling card from birth. ‘It’s a lot of fun. You get to let out some of that anger that you have,’ he said. ‘At quarterback you probably just have to put your hands in a fist and get mad, whereas at receiver, you can get into that action a bit more. It’s fun.’” Preach! McCaffrey compiled an impressive 9.40 RAS based on good grades in every department and elite grades for the agility tests that most other WRs prefer to spurn. Make sure to go through the comments section too when you read Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 7 grade of 6.1) because it identifies two camps who agree on the characteristics but differ on the conclusion. The first group, including your humble author, adds up the assets and issues in a way that equals a Round 4 grade from a Steelers POV, while the second group does the same addition and sees a developmental practice squad prospect. Where do you come out? |
| 4:16 | WR Ainias Smith, Texas A&M (RS Senior). 5-9⅜, 190 lbs. with 29¼” arms and 8½” hands. Turns 23 in May. Team captain. Ainias Smith plays like an unusually short but very solid punt returner who studied Hines Ward for inspiration when it comes to blocking, fiery demeanor, and doing all the little extras to help his team win. He ended his college career with a pass caught in 36 consecutive games. His style is built on very good agility, power, and speed. The weaknesses amount to merely professional speed, limited size (which shows in play strength), and the fact that he isn’t an acrobat in the air or the next Barry Sanders on the ground. Yin and yang. Toughness… the toughness and team-first attitudes are off the charts. The new kickoff rules require two return men for each play, and Smith would make a great No. 2 across from Cordarrelle Patterson. This late-January scouting profile has a good summary: “Ainias Smith is an electric playmaker [and return man] with the versatility to align all over the formation… A nightmare to cover in man… a mature and nuanced route-runner but lacking the hips to snap off routes and explosion to threaten more experienced corners. Natural hands… and isn’t afraid to go over the middle.” This PFN scouting profile is the one that got me excited: “A coach’s dream (does ALL the dirty work… Willing run blocker against LARGE humans… Experience at both WR and RB… [and even a] very willing pass protector.” Oh yes. Please, yes. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-5 grade) says Smith is “a possession slot… with a somewhat unusual blend of elusiveness and power… who can run more complicated routes underneath while also offering the courage to work successfully into the middle of the field.” In the weaknesses section, Zierlein notes that Smith “appeared to be missing his second gear in 2023 after recovering from a fractured leg suffered in 2022… but started looking more like himself later in the season.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade of 7.4) ends with player cops to the likes of Christian Kirk and Skyy Moore “as a route runner, plus the general toughness he displays… players who have clearly defined roles in the NFL but could contribute right away in multiple ways to a team.” Including the locker- and WR-rooms, which really does matter. |
| 4:16 | WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville (RS Junior). 5-11¾, 188 lbs. with 31” arms and 8¾” hands. 23, turns 24 in December. A craftsman who understands the art of being a receiver, but does so without the quick acceleration, long speed, or physicality that may be required for the next level. That said, he has a knack for getting on top of the coverage and keeping the DB stacked behind him. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein ends in a Day 3 grade, saying “Thrash makes up with speed what he gives away with… a lack of hand strength and frame size [that] create too many drops and losses on contested catches.” The speed, particularly the quick speed, is top 10%, but the size and other testing numbers were only good enough for a 6.63 RAS. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade of 7.5) describes Thrash as a quality option with good speed and route-running skills who’d “make for a good value pick in the later rounds.” |
ROUND 3-4 INSIDE LINEBACKERS
The Steelers now have Patrick Queen as the starting Mack ILB, and Elandon Roberts as the starting Buck ILB. That’s a very solid room, but I expect the team to look for depth with one of the three mid-round picks. The most likely target is a Mack No. 2. Cole Holcomb would be fabulous in that role, but everything we’ve heard suggests that he may not return at all in 2024, and certainly won’t in the first half of the season. The new kickoff rules also enhance the value of players with a Mack ILB profile because they tend to be core special teamers.
The other option would be a run-stuffing Buck ILB to compete with Mark Robinson. That would make Elandon Roberts the Mack No. 2, with the new guy as a security blanket Buck No. 3. Again, don’t forget the special teams value.
No ILBs have been excluded from Round 3 except Edgerrin Cooper and Payton Wilson. You tell me if any of the following prospects are simply too good to fall that far. Or if they should be bumped up, of course.
| 3:01 | ILB Junior Colson, Michigan (Senior). 6-2¼, 238 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9⅜” hands. 21, turns 22 in December. [Mtg. at Combine] A big thumper who does a fine job in zone, and can stay close when asked to cover average pass catchers in man. Very much the glue guy in the middle and leader of men for the defense as a whole. The film is full of him organizing and directing Michigan’s championship 2023 unit. Colson makes a lot of tackles, often with very good technique, but can be guilty of sins like arm tackling and/or going high. Played WR (!) before shifting to ILB. As the TDN scouting profile puts it, “Junior Colson is a smooth-moving linebacker who operates with intelligent violence.” He could do better in lots of little ways, but is fundamentally sound and has a high floor. Came in at No. 45 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50: “a big, physical linebacker with excellent instincts… a knack for diagnosing routes and… speed/agility to mirror tight ends underneath and down the seam.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Stephen Pavelka (Round 3 grade) says, “[Colson’s] best trait is his athleticism which is above average but not game-changing,” and concludes he is a “high-floor, low-ceiling prospect that can instantly improve any defense’s run defending if his tackling becomes more consistent… [H]e is better suited as a backup who has to prove himself.” |
| 3:01 | Mack ILB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson (Junior). 6-0, 280 lbs. with 31½” arms and 9¼” hands. 21, turns 22 in December. [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day] Son of ILB Jeremiah Sr., a regular pro bowler in the early 2000’s and a member of the Eagles team HOF. The son is going to understand the position and the NFL lifestyle requirements. Trotter Jr. has all the physical assets you want except size, including the coveted suddenness and pop, but he isn’t a genius-level athlete. A high energy player who understands the game and “gets it,” but the stock comes down because the limited number of starts (26 in all) shows in occasional whiffs on tackling, pursuit angles, and other experience-related factors. Good blitzer but not a pass rusher. Lost nine games to a broken arm in 2023. Can get swallowed by o-linemen. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) ends with a reassurance. Trotter may have Devin Bush’s size, but “[he] is a much more physical player who has shown he can win against blockers and could be that young, impactful player Pittsburgh [could use].” |
| 3:24 | ILB Cedric Gray, N. Car. (Senior). 6-1½, 234 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9” hands. 21, turns 22 in October. Team captain and 3-year starter. A good but not great athlete (8.02 RAS) who thrives in the box. Loves run support, good blitzer, good tackler, sideline-to-sideline range, and good enough in space to cover anyone who moves through his zone. Has room to get stronger and to develop in all the little ways. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.8) identifies processing speed as the main issue, and difficulty disengaging from blocks. “His role was more of a Buck ILB, but I feel he would be better as a Mack… He has the potential to be a 3-down ILB but right now the mental processing was not at the level you really need.” |
| 4:01 | ILB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio St. (RS Senior). 6-2, 233 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9¼” hands. 22, turns 23 in November. [Mtg. at Combine] Two-year team captain. Brother Liam is a backup T/G for the Dolphins. Tommy Eichenberg is a well-tested, extremely smart, multiyear starter whose game might be compared to Elandon Roberts in the sense that he excels as a downhill thumper, and holds up in coverage duties because his football IQ helps him to read the play earlier than many others. He isn’t a bad athlete by any means, just someone who is clearly better suited for run support. Indeed, his elite agility scores and overall 7.81 RAS. Discounted a bit because the Steelers could use a Mack ILB more than another Buck. Josh Carney’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade of 6.7) sees a very high floor as a “two-down linebacker [and] great leader” but agrees that “he will likely have to come off the field in sub-package football due to his struggles in coverage.” Ditto for Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. I find myself wondering about the parallels to Tyler Matakevich in a year when special teams value has suddenly gone up a notch. |
| 4:01 | ILB Jaylan Ford, Texas (Senior). 6-2, 240 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9½” hands. 22, turns 23 in November. Ross McCorkle’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.6) says that Ford “projects to be a solid NFL starter after a year or two of development.” He has a 3-down ILB build with very good length, the explosive acceleration and range to make sideline-to-sideline plays, and enough native athleticism to excel in coverage. The issues come down to “play recognition and inconsistent hand usage,” which need to be solved or he will perpetually start a half-beat late, and have trouble beating the blockers who catch up to him because of that. A good tackler who wraps up well. The NFL scouting profile by Lance Zierlein sounds a more critical, Round 5-7 note, describing Ford as a “two-year starting linebacker with good size and athleticism but average speed and below-average instincts.” |
| 4:01 | ILB Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri by way of Florida (RS Senior). 6-1¾, 231 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 8¾” hands. Turns 23 on draft Friday. Team captain. Ty’Ron Hopper is a rangy, sideline-to-sideline Mack ILB with good coverage chops, a nonstop motor, and an overwhelming desire to deliver hits. Got your attention yet? Those assets lead to his flaws as well. He needs to add some play strength, because offensive linemen who get in the way will stay in his way, and he needs to build professional levels of discipline to stop missing the tackles his assets put in his path. The problems one sees all seem to involve the same scenario: Ty’Ron Hopper he flies across the field. Ty’Ron Hopper throws his entire being into making the play. And then Ty’Ron Hopper sometimes misses because he flew right by, or failed to get past a blocker in the way. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonas Wedlich (Round 5 grade of 6.7) identifies tackling as by far the biggest problem in Hopper’s profile. Note that Hopper should be a fine special teams player no matter what, since he won’t have to deal with those OLs, and Danny Smith is the sort of drillmaster Hopper probably needs. . The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein sees Hopper as a Round 4-6 prospect “with length, speed and agility, [but lacking in field vision and instincts… There are holes in his game that can be exploited, but he has traits and should get a chance as an NFL backup with special teams value.” This goes to a brief but decent, Raiders-oriented scouting profile. Testing showed a good overall athlete (RAS of 7.36) who excels when it comes to explosiveness but has some issues with agility. |
| 4:01 | ILB Trevin Wallace, Kentucky (Junior). 6-1⅛, 237 lbs. (244 at the Senior Bowl) with 33” arms and 9¼” hands. Turned 21 in February. Team captain. Wallace can be a sideline-to-sideline menace against opposing running games when he’s kept clean, despite his youth and lack of starts. Good straight-line speed and overall athletic talent (9.34 RAS with elite speed and explosion numbers, held back by moderate size). The problem seems to be play strength. He has a rocked-up body but plays with NFL-average physicality that shows up when he has to avoid, stuff, or battle with blockers that match or exceed his size. A high-energy team leader with surprising movement skills for a bigger ILB. He literally played all over the field in H.S., WR, RB, QB, every conceivable LB spot, and as a return man. Excels on special teams, which he played in college. |
| 4:16 | ILB Curtis Jacobs, Penn St. (RS Junior). 6-1⅜, 241 lbs. with 31½” arms and big 10¼” hands. Turned 22 in February. A wonderful athlete (9.09 RAS held back by moderate size) with a nonstop motor and good ability to handle coverage duties. His tape looks a little weaker in run support due to problems getting off blocks and questionable instincts, though he is solid enough as a sideline-to-sideline, run-and-chase tackler when he’s clean. Adding play strength would help. Projects as a solid Day 3 bet on a special teams demon with the youth and talent to someday become a 3-down ILB. Had a good week at the Shrine Bowl. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Curtis Jacobs (Round 4 grade of 7.1) describes an interesting football history. He “flash[ed] as a wide receiver and defensive back in college, but his frame led to him being recruited to play ILB… [a move which] proved to be a good one.” The athleticism shows up in games as a playmaking gene. The issues go to ILB instincts and processing speed, which are always a problem for this most intellectually demanding of all the defensive positions. Interviews could easily move his stock up or down by 50 spots on the board. |
| 4:16 | ILB Tyrice Knight, UTEP (RS Senior). 6-0½, 233 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9⅜” hands. Age t/b/d. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ryan Roberts (Round 3-4 grade of 7.6) describes Knight as a solid, all-around ILB who is equally comfortable in both run support and coverage duties. “He puts out a lot of Dre Greenlaw vibes, having the requisite athleticism, instincts, and physicality.” He just needs to get better across the board at all the little things, and then prove he can be as effective against NFL-caliber talent as he was in college. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile is much less kind, ending in a fringe-UDFA grade: “While he racks up tackles, he fails to play within defensive structure full-time and will lose run fits… [and] has average speed and below-average man cover talent. His size and production will be looked upon favorably, but he might not play with the instincts needed to handle what he will see from NFL offenses.” Knight measured as a good athlete who compiled a 7.44 RAS held down significantly by size. |
| 4:16 | SAF/Mack ILB James Williams, Miami (RS Soph). 6-4¼, 231 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Turned 21 in February. In college he played at 220-225 as a 50% strong safety, 50% cover ILB, and was considered an elite athlete whose only limitation is long speed from the SAF point of view. A significant limitation to judge by his 4.65 dash at the Combine, with poor explosion numbers too. By the Senior Bowl he was up to 230, and spent almost all his time as a cover-capable linebacker. That’s where he’s projected for this board. James Williams could also grow into being a really great ILB if he can build his football IQ and instincts. It’s even a reasonable thing to hope for in light of his constant, steady improvement in college. His stock falls to Day 3 because moving to ILB full-time is going to add a year to that process. Whoever picks him needs to expect nothing from his rookie year except serious special teams ability and the occasional learning snaps to get his feet wet. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade of 6.6) sees Williams’ versatility as more of a drawback. “The Steelers have a need at safety and at linebacker. They don’t need a player who could be one of those. They need players who know their role, not a project.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile starts with this telling summary: “While it’s fun watching him run and strike from high safety, it is much less fun watching his coverage confusion. He doesn’t see the game as clearly as teams might like right now, but he has the athleticism and cover skills to [improve]… Size and speed could make him an imposing cover man on tight ends.” |
| 5:01 | Mack ILB Michael Barrett, Michigan (RS Senior). 5-11⅜, 233 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 8½” hands. 24, turns 25 in December. A three-year starter and five-year contributor to a perennial CFB playoff team, and the 2023 championship squad that won with a suffocating defense. Barrett was a H.S. QB who only dedicated himself to the defensive side in college. Has good range when kept free, but is only average getting off blocks. Enough overall athleticism to hold up in coverage duties, with acceptable coverage skills. It would be nice to see some added physicality to his game, and better instincts. Barrett reads his keys well but has trouble seeing through misdirection, which is a little troubling for someone with his age and experience. The grade could be two rounds higher if he was three years younger. Excellent motor. Should make someone’s team and at least be an asset on special teams. |
| 5:01 | ILB JD Bertrand, Notre Dame (RS Senior). 6-0⅞, 235 lbs. with 30⅝” arms and 9¾” hands. Turns 24 in May. Team captain. A good, instinctive athlete with excellent see-do, play recognition, decisiveness, and the explosiveness to make that significant. Also has good bend for blitzing & etc., though he is too small and lacks the strength to really succeed as a regular edge rusher. A good communicator in the middle. Has enough speed to play the Tampa-2 LB who drops deep, but his success in coverage comes mostly from understanding where he needs to be and why. The issue is pure athleticism. Can he grow to be better than what he was in college? |
| 5:01 | ILB Aaron Casey, Indiana (RS Senior). 6-0⅞, 231 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9⅜” hands. 23, turns 24 in June. Team captain and leader. Casey is an intense, downhill ILB with good closing speed and tackling technique, fast see-do, and a knack for picking his way through the trash and creating a lot of fumbles. The Combine athletic testing did him no favors, resulting in a dead average RAS of 4.78, though he did show excellent acceleration with a top-15% 10-yard split, and was dragged down in part by height and weight. He’s as big a lock as it gets to excel on special teams. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile questions the pure football IQ as well: “Casey looks like and hits like an NFL inside linebacker but doesn’t always seem to see the game like one. The instincts and play recognition fall below par, but the production still stands out… He’s not the best fit for pass coverage, but he’s an instant “yes” for special teams.” Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade of 6.6) sees Vince Williams as one obvious player comp. |
| 5:01 | ILB Marist Liufau, Notre Dame (RS Senior). 6-2⅛, 234 lbs. with exceptionally long 34¼” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 23 in February. A smart, experienced player with NFL-average athleticism. Handles coverage duties well inside the box, and has enough straight-line speed to keep up with most TEs down the seam. Liufau has a seriously rocked-up frame but nevertheless lacks play strength for fighting off blockers , though he does tackle well when he arrives, and he has an excellent motor that gets him there in the end. Excels on special teams. Ryan Roberts’ gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade of 6.6) calls Liufau “a gifted athlete with the physicality to be a difference maker… [but unfortunately] he is a slow processor and often has his eyes in the wrong spot.” |
| 5:01 | ILB Jackson Sirmon, Cal. by way of Washington (RS Senior). 6-2¼, 235 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9” hands. 23, turns 24 in April. Team captain. [Season-ending bicep injury in week 6] The injury that ended his year has also prevented his stock from rising during the predraft process, which it may well have done. Sirmon impressed at the Senior Bowl as a 3-down ILB who can be stout against the run, reliable when tackling in the open field, and quite solid in coverage. The limits seem to come from being an NFL-average athlete. |
ROUND 3 SLOT CORNERS
First, I personally believe the team should be looking for another JPJ condor-type in addition to a starting Slot CB, but it’s become apparent that the front office disagrees. All the visits have been slot-capable players, so that is the assumption I’m going with.
Second, I’m actually pretty comfortable with the grades below, and include the group here only because we should look in more depth at such a likely pick.
Third, we should more properly call this the “Slot DB” position, since it’s manned just as often by cover-safeties as it is by corners. In college they call it the “Star” position, or some equivalent term. I’m focusing only on the corners here because Mike Tomlin recently told us, “The coverage [requirements are] so significant in the NFL that most of the time [Slot DBs need to be] a corner-like guy.”
Finally, remember that Slot CB may have become a vital position, but it is still a sub-package role that requires the player to sit when the offense goes into certain formations. That equates to fewer snaps, which in turn requires the team to spend higher draft capital on potential full-time starters. Talking about Round 2 Slot CBs is sort of like discussing a Round 1 guard; he better be either a potential HOF prospect as a specialist, or have the flexibility to slide outside as a boundary corner. That last is the value offered by the Cam Sutton’s of the world.
| 2:01 | CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri (RS Junior). 5-11⅜, 183 lbs. with 32” arms and 8½” hands. 22, turns 23 in June. Long, sticky, high energy, press-man corner who can function in both the slot and outside due to good, sound technique in both man and zone coverage schemes. Excellent COD skills with NFL-average long speed. He’s also an excellent special teams gunner, and a more than willing tackler (though his technique can improve). On the cautionary side, Rakestraw’s overall RAS was a surprisingly mediocre 5.74, and play strength has been an issue against bigger WR’s. He’s been a full-time starter since his freshman year, except for the back of 2022 when he tore an ACL. ********** ********** This article on Rakestraw’s ACL recovery has some nice personal background material on his family situation as the much loved son of a 16-year old mother. Came in at No. 24 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50. DJ writes: “He’s a fluid athlete [with] enough speed… [and] is very competitive as a tackler, especially from the nickel position.” The excellent gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead (early Round 2 grade of 8.3) illustrates football talent that would fit Pittsburgh’s desires to perfection because Rakestraw and Joey Porter Jr. have complementary strengths that will allow each one to compensate in those areas where the other player has a tougher time. Tom describes Rakestraw as a scheme-diverse, inside/outside CB who excels in both press coverage and zone but could really use some added muscle to compensate for a wiry frame. The biggest issue comes down to demeanor. Rakestraw is a chest-thumper who likes to point, taunt, and vaunt himself at the opponent after almost every play. I’m an old fart who sees red flags in that, but I have to admit that it’s much more common in modern athletes, and so it is hard to say that my raised hackles are fair. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein acknowledges the lack of CB1 size, speed and interception numbers. After that, however, everything looks awfully good. “Good physicality and a competitive tilt that DB coaches will enjoy… hard-nosed in press… to play a stick brand of man coverage over the first two levels… Quicker than fast and does a nice job of breaking quickly on throws in front of him… Toughness in run support… A good backup with eventual [plus] starter potential.” |
| 2:24 | CB Jarrian Jones, Florida St. (RS Senior). 5-11⅞, 190 lbs. with 30” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turns 23 in May. A multiyear starter who got abused as a true freshman, eaten like a bag of wasabi peas as a sophomore and junior, suddenly “got it” as a 4th-year player in 2022, and then looked tremendous in 2023. How many CBs get through an entire without earning any penalty of any kind? Jones did just that in 2023. No holding; no interference; no nothing. The current version can be described as a top-level cover corner (in college) who wins (in college) on savvy in both man and zone coverage due to his quick reflexes, balance, reliability at getting his head around after the ball is in the air, and knack for contested-catch breakups. Good but improvable ball skills. Capable of playing both in the slot and on the boundary. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein ends with something like a Round 5 grade due to questions about Jones’ athletic ceiling. “[He is an] urgent cornerback with good size [who is] all gas from snap to whistle, [but] can be clunky matching a receiver’s release and has a hard time transitioning through sharp break points… [Jones is] unable to mirror and match release with consistency, [and] struggles to make up vertical separation when beaten.” Interestingly enough, Jones compiled the best RAS (9.86) of any 2024 corner, which suggests some untapped potential that didn’t show up on film. Jim Hester’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 8.0) sums Jarrian Jones up as, “a CB who is able to play all types of coverages and doesn’t have elite traits in any particular facet…, but does just about everything well… He’s athletic, intelligent, physical, [competitive], and willing to do whatever he can to help a defense.” |
| 2:24 | CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia (Junior). 5-11¼, 186 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 8⅞” hands. Turned 21 in January. [Mtg. at Combine] A tough kid who has overcome a lot in real life, Lassiter plays bigger than he measures, especially when it comes to tackling, but his physical limitations mean he can get big-boyed by exceptional strength, outraced by special speed, and beaten by exceptional quickness. Thing is, he won’t be beat unless his opponent has that superpower, and uses it well. “Just moving around he looks like a Top 50 pick,” said Daniel Jeremiah during the Combine coverage. Lassiter has done well against the best competition out there, very quick footed, understands team defense, and is actually good at tackling for a CB. Very high football IQ. Could be a Cam Sutton type with the ability to play at any CB spot at a solid but not high level – if he can clean up the grabbiness. He’s handsy even for college. Came in at No. 42 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50: “Mitchell is a feisty competitor with outstanding speed and a history of ball production.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jacob Herbst (Round 3 grade of 8.0) has more critique, noting the “limited athletic upside” in particular. There is a high floor, however, because Lassiter has “extremely quick feet that, when paired with his instincts, allows him to almost run the route for the receiver.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein sums it all up neatly: “Lassiter has the athleticism and dog to live in press-man coverage and can play in all forms of zone. His instincts and play recognition are getting better… [but he is] more of a route-guarder than a playmaker… Wired correctly for NFL run-support duties… He’s physical and well-coached, [and] has the goods to play inside or outside as a solid future starter.” |
| 2:24 | Slot CB Mike Sainristil, Michigan (RS Senior). 5-9⅜, 182 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 8½” hands. 23, turns 24 in October. [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day] Born in Haiti. An experienced, multipurpose DB on a championship defense, who lacks the desired size but has an endless motor, excellent quickness, good speed, and a deep understanding of team defense. A tremendous team leader renowned for his intelligence, toughness, and production in addition to a big piece of Michigan’s championship culture. Played WR until 2022, and it shows in his good hands and ability to make the most out of interceptions. Scrappy as heck, though his moderate size gets in the way. He stood out at the Combine for his movement skills and overall athleticism; everything looked smooth, easy, and natural even as others struggled. The RAS came in at 8.48 with huge debits for size, which won’t matter so much for a slot corner. Has said he sees Mike Hilton as an on-field role model. ********** ********** As Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile puts it, even though Sainristl “has spent just two years as a cornerback and requires more seasoning… [he is] reliable and tough with the athleticism and upside to keep getting better as a nickel corner.” Projects as an excellent special teams player no matter what. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.7) extols his position flexibility with experience as an outside corner, inside corner, and versatile, do it all safety. You’ve got to love his conclusion: “When coming up [with] a pro comparison for Sainristil, former Steelers CB Mike Hilton quickly stood out as a player with similar size, athleticism, and skill set.” Note that Sainristil’s grade on this board has gone up from there as his special level of ‘hearts and smarts’ became more clear. This January Bleacher Report scouting profile adds that Sainristil deserves a bump for being an excellent gunner on coverage teams. |
| 3:01 | CB Renardo Green, Florida St. (RS Senior). 5-11⅞, 186 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 9⅛” hands. Age t/b/d. “That is a tough young man right there,” said Daniel Jeremiah during the Combine coverage, where Green also stood out in the field drills for exceptional movement skills. He does not have the length we normally look for in a press-man CB, but he has rock-solid technique, and the stats are extraordinary even though he played against top-level competition. Compiled a very respectable 8.86 RAS at the Combine. He’s been described as more sticky than big and physical, though he certainly played like a tough guy during the Shrine Bowl practices. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Josh Carney (Round 3 grade of 7.7) calls Green, “one of the most underrated CBs in the class… with a ton of starting experience and great success in press-man. [] He has good length, mirrors easily, [] changes directions in the blink of an eye… [and[ recovers quite well too.” Josh’s only complaint is the lack of interceptions, but “of course, teams weren’t exactly throwing his way all that often.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein, though a little worried about Green’s limited top speed, makes special note that his “inspired coverage against LSU’s talented receiving corps [Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.] should carry weight in his evaluation,” and ends with an “eventual plus starter” grade. |
| 3:01 | Slot CB Max Melton, Rutgers (RS Junior). 5-11⅛, 187 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9⅛” hands. 21, turns 22 in April. His brother Bo plays WR for the Packers. Max Melton is a physical defender equally comfortable in the slot and on the boundary. He’s quite solid in press coverage, but the list of assets and issues suggests he could grow to be even better in off-and-zone coverages, where he also has good experience. Decent hands. An honest to god, safety-level tackler in run support, who takes pride in playing special teams. The issues go to his long speed (answered completely by his 4.39 at the Combine), and to some technical issues like losing COD when he lets his center of gravity rise. The overall RAS was 9.58, held back significantly by height and weight. There is a lot of inconsistency to coach up. Alex Kozora’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.6) uses the word “feisty,” which seems to catch the essence. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile calls Melton, a “versatile inside/outside cornerback who displayed improvement every year,” who is “adequate from press… [but is] at his best [] when playing with his eyes forward from zone and searching for clues to jump in and make plays on the football. The ball skills can flip the field, and he’s very aggressive in collapsing the catch point.” |
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Slot CB Andru Phillips, Kentucky (RS Soph.). 5-10¾, 190 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 8¾” hands. Age t/b/d. [Mtg. at Visit] Phillips is an excellent overall athlete (9.30 RAS) who rose to be the nation’s No. 1 H.S. expert in the triple jump, and it shows in his very good speed, agility, burst, and ball skills. Scheme flexible, but he particularly excels as a slot corner with the ability to nullify TEs and big WRs; a skill set that translates well to off man and zone coverage outside. Not as advanced in press man, but that is at least partly because Kentucky didn’t ask him to do it. Phillips fights for the ball every single time on combat catches, but would have more success if he added some play strength. He’s also a core special teams demon. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein says he is “an ardent run supporter with excellent toughness but needs to finish tackles at a higher rate… Phillips’ tape features a high number of both completions and drops that should have been completions, but that could change in a different scheme and with additional experience. He’s still green, with just two years of real game experience, and often played too loose in Kentucky’s zone cover schemes.” Tackling is more than willing but can descend into ‘blow you up or whiff’ syndrome. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jim Hester (Round 3 grade of 7.8) calls Phillips “the prototypical slot CB that’s so important in today’s NFL with the versatility all areas between the numbers, hover in the flat, blitz, and be a stout presence in run defense.” |
| 3:12 | Slot CB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri (Junior). 5-11⅜, 179 lbs. with 31” arms and 8⅝” hands. 22, turns 23 in October. Featuring fantastic COD combined with instant burst, good speed, ferocity, top-tier football IQ, and the playmaker gene, Abrams-Draine embodies the Jack Russell Terrier meets CB stereotype that wins every contest until the big dogs find a way to impose their size. Had a mixed RAS score of 6.74. He’s very likely to excel in off-coverage and zone but has a tougher time in press-man schemes. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 3 grade of 7.8) emphasizes KAD’s background as a former WR, and concludes “he has shown that he can hold his own on the outside but may be best suited for slot duties to at least start his NFL career. He has also only been a defensive back for three seasons and is still growing into the player he can be.” The NFL.com scouting report by Lance Zierlein notes the size limitations but ends with a Round 2-3 grade anyway because of the ball skills and the versatility to play so many roles and varieties in coverage. |
| 3:12 | CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest (RS Junior). 5-11⅞, 199 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 8¼” hands. Turned 22 in March. The assets include great short-area reactions, quickness, burst, ball skills, and COD, with click-and-close reactions as good as it gets, but his long speed is only good enough. Capable in both the slot and outside as a press-man or zone defender, but gives away far too much room when playing in off-man. The tackling shows good intensity but his technique could improve. PFN gave him a fringe-1st grade, though this scouting profile by Daniel Kelly raises doubts about his “wanna” – which is odd because everyone else says the opposite. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Ryan Roberts (Round 3 grade of 7.6) admires the “nice blend of all-around athleticism and competitiveness,” particularly when it comes to toughness in both coverage and run support. The NFL.com scouting report by Lance Zierlein worries that his lost playing time in 2021 and 2022 (minor but niggling injuries) has set his development behind by a bit. “Overall, the physical traits are ahead of the positional skills, but there is enough in place to project him as an eventual CB3.” |
| 3:24 | CB M.J. Devonshire, Pitt (Senior). 5-10¾, 186 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 8¾” hands. 23, turns 24 in September. [Mtg. at Local Visit] He isn’t tall and he certainly isn’t big, but Devonshire plays like he has arms like a condor, with a knack for staying in a WR’s hip pocket long enough to simply reach up and bat the ball away – when he doesn’t make the INT, which is always possible. Smooth and fluid, but only has average speed for really long throws. Good football IQ and understanding of route combinations. He is physical in run support but not a particularly good tackler, and his lack of measurable inches can show up on pure jump balls in the red zone. His RAS of 7.27 is a study of extremes, with elite speed and explosion results, substandard height and weight, and 35th-percentile agility tests. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade of 7.4) compares him to no less than Big Play Willie Gay, of fond memory here in Steelers Nation. Gay was a Round 5 pick back in 2007 and took several years to develop. Jon worries about the lack of long speed and college grabbiness. |
| 3:24 | Slot CB D.J. James, Auburn by way of Oregon (RS Senior). 5-11⅝, 175 lbs. with 31” arms and small 8⅜” hands. Turned 23 in March. Experienced in both press-man and off coverage, but built like a willow wand and vulnerable to being big-boyed – though you can also point to the counterargument that he’s played without injury for several full seasons as a starter. Excellent speed, COD, and ball skills. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonas Wedlich (Round 3-4 grade of 7.6) describes a cover corner whose “game is full of great coverage skills, likes to shadow opponents and stays with them for the whole play rather than aggressively playing the ball.” Jonas also admires James’ football IQ when it comes to play recognition, with cautions that the size limitations are real, inhibit his ability in press coverage, and make him basically a nonfactor in run support. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes James as one of the rare prospects who can reliably mirror and match even the quickest WRs, but acknowledges that he may be limited to shutting down that kind of receiver due to the size limitations. Dare I say it? ‘A Diontae Johnson eraser who’d be helpless against George Pickens.’ Usually it goes in reverse. |
| 3:24 | Slot SAF/CB Jaylin Simpson, Auburn (RS Senior). 6-0, 179 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9⅞” hands. Turned 23 in March. In the old days, Jaylin Simpson would have been called a tweener who lacked the size and strength to be a classic safety, and the smooth COD to succeed as a cover corner, but might have a chance nevertheless because he’s a football player down to his core, with the ballhawk gene built-in, and enough click-and-close savvy to succeed in a zone-based secondary. Dick LeBeau would have really liked him. The modern, sub-package game has given men like Simpson a more defined home: Slot-DB, where his combination of speed and explosiveness (top 15% RAS of 8.6) make up for his deficits in pure size, strength, and boundary-corner fluidity. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein identifies the tweener debate as Simpson’s main challenge in building a professional career: “He doesn’t support the run well enough to instill confidence as a last line of defense and he can be a little tardy to get his hips flipped in one-on-one transitions as a corner.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 3 grade of 7.6) calls Simpson, “a long, angular defender that has a knack for locating the football in coverage and making plays in the secondary.” The young man has all the desire and aggressiveness to be a good tackler; just very little of the size. He will take down a Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren from the knees on down, or he won’t do it at all. |
| 4:01 | CB Josh Newton, TCU by way of LA-Monroe (RS Senior). 5-10⅝, 190 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 9¼” hands. 23, turns 24 in September. Team captain. An absurd amount of college experience (more than 4,000 snaps!), Newton should be an early contributor. He is scheme versatile for press-man, off-man, and zone, with the savvy and quickness to play any kind of coverage. The issue? All his physical assets are right on the edge of what the game requires, and he has little in the way of ball production. Long speed is solid, but he couldn’t keep up with speedsters; size and physicality are solid, but not special; etc. RAS of 7.07. He does excel at getting his head around for contestable catches. His stock also goes up, in an odd way, because he has a few bad but fixable habits, which suggests that he may be even better as a pro than he was in college. Up another half notch because HOF WR Chris Carter singled him out for approval during the Combine coverage: “Newton will be a real good player.” A willing and able tackler in run support. This good looking Bleacher Report scouting profile ends in a Round 5 grade based on concerns that Newton’s lack of top end speed may restrict him to zone-heavy defensive schemes and/or work in the slot. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein offers a similar grade, calling Newton “A well-built cornerback with inside/outside versatility, [who is] capable in press and is made for old-fashioned Cover 2 looks where he can redirect the release and sink into zone coverage.” Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade of 7.2) calls Newton “a throwback, physical coverage defender” who plays a game one could compare to a larger version of Arthur Maulet. |
| 4:01 | CB Chau Smith-Wade, Wash. St. (RS Junior). 5-10, 187 lbs. with 29¾” arms and 9⅛” hands. Age t/b/d. Not the biggest player, but sticky in coverage, extremely competitive, and very athletic. Slot and sub-packages only? Exceptionally quick feet give him very good COD (subject to lapses when he gets tangled up). Smith-Wade also has the football IQ to play various types of coverage. His hands are flat-out awesome. He made some astounding interceptions during the Senior Bowl game and also in the practice sessions, with film from other games to show these weren’t flukes. He’s also supposed to be reliably good in run support. So why would he fall this far? In a word: size. As Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile puts it, “Smith-Wade is a capable defender in zone or man coverages [with] with plus athleticism and speed, [but] he’s below the desired NFL mark on height and weight for an outside cornerback.” |
| 4:16 | CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Louisville by way of FSU (RS Senior). 5-10⅜, 194 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 9” hands. Age t/b/d. Versatile (snaps from safety to slot to outside), physical, and experienced. An obvious contributor on special teams. The main issue people complain about is long speed. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein sums Brownlee up as follows: “Aggressive press cornerback with average size but above-average competitive fire… [He has] quick hip-flip transitions from press or off-man coverage, [but is] just average as the route expands in man and could be prone to penalties and allowing explosive plays down the field.” Plus this note, which I don’t remember seeing in quite this way: “Quick hip-flip transitions from press or off-man coverage.” Ooooh. Tom Mead’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade of 7.0) describes Brownlee as a physical CB who excels in run support and should be a special teams ace, but has length limitations and some technical inconsistencies that reduce his ceiling. |
| 4:16 | CB Johnny Dixon, Penn St. by way of S. Car. (RS Senior). 5-10¾, 188 lbs. with short 29½” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turned 23 in January. His combination of limited size, speed, and fluidity are offset by very good skills, press-coverage savvy, and overall football IQ. It adds up to… what? The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein questions his ability to move inside due to how much of his success came from using the boundary as an added defender, tackling limitations, and overall lack of juice. But skill beats talent a great deal of the time, right? There are some technical issues to clean up, particularly going to stop-start transitions. Dixon also has a surprising knack for getting home on blitzes. The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Steven Pavelka (Round 4 grade of 7.2) concludes that “Johnny Dixon is a guy who brings a very unique skill set to the table for any NFL franchise. he can more than likely play both corner and safety at the next level due to his great communication and zone ability. But regardless of where he plays, his ability to blitz off the edge is bound to show up… At a minimum, I think he is able to make a roster… but lacks that ceiling you want to see out of a 23-year-old prospect.” |
| 4:16 | Slot CB Myles Harden, South Dakota (Senior). 5-10⅝” 195 lbs. with 29¼” arms and 9½” hands. Age t/b/d. Team captain. [Lost all but four games of 2021 to injury, and all but six games of 2022, but stayed healthy throughout 2023.] Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile describes Harden as a big, ultra-physical CB who would be an ideal role player in particular sub-packages and zone-coverage schemes “Harden’s game is filled with competitiveness and aggression but missing any semblance of finesse. He stands out with his field awareness in zone… physicality at the catch point and against the run… capable as a man defender but [vulnerable to] above-average speed… He’s an A+ tackler whose blend of toughness and field vision could see teams push him into a role as a big nickel or safety.” The gif-supported Depot scouting report by Tom Mead (Round 5 grade of 6.9) has a lower grade than the description would warrant, based on Harden’s injury history and the amount of projection required from his college team’s zone-heavy system in which he was an outside corner. Moving in to play slot with heavy man coverage duties could be a big ask. That said, Harden exemplifies slot-CB toughness, is good at run support, has what it takes to be a man corner, and has proven to be a smart player who understands the complexities of playing in zone. |
| 4:16 | CB Kalen King, Penn St. (Junior). 5-10, 189 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 8⅝” hands. Turned 21 in late January. Joey Porter’s 2022 running mate may even be better when it comes to pure quickness, but he lacks the length and reliability that makes JPJ so special in man coverage. King had Round 1 buzz coming out of 2022, but 2023 was less impressive. Smart, savvy, and has good ball skills, but needs to work on his play strength. A willing tackler who sticks his nose in, but isn’t more than acceptable getting it done. Jonathan Heitritter’s gif-supported Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade of 7.6) emphasizes King’s inside/outside versatility, but notes a variety of small technical flaws that lower his stock, such as feet that “stall” and lapses in his suddenness and transitions. Lack of balance in his backpedal was a significant concern. A fairly miserable Senior Bowl contributes to his grade being much lower than expected. Looked extremely meh at the Combine, ending up with a 5.12 RAS based on unacceptable 4.61 speed. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 5-6 grade, based on poor everything in 2023, with glimmers of hope based on how much better he was in 2022. |
| 4:16 | CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn (RS Senior). 6-0⅛, 190 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 8½” hands. Turned 23 in February. A wiry outside CB with four years of starting experience, who has make-up speed to burn, and the quick feet that tend to translate to the NFL. Put up a very impressive 9.41 RAS that’s probably even higher because of a weird outlier with poor jumps. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile says that Pritchett is a “long, slender outside corner who might have improved enough in off-man coverage for consideration in most coverage schemes.” Zone teams will like him most of all his click-and-close burst is so good, and that scheme tends to hide the occasional stickiness in Pritchett’s hips. He tries when it comes to tackling, but isn’t built to be good at it against NFL athletes, seems to understand that, and has trouble getting off WR blocks in any event. Needs to add play strength, to the point where one worries that he will get big-boyed against grown NFL men until he does. Questions have been raised about his football IQ in various forms, such as “instincts,” “recognition,” etc. The fluidity and quickness suggest he would be particularly effective in the slot. Tom Mead’s typically thorough, gif-supported Depot Scouting report (Round 5 grade of 6.8) points to a shocking number of high-level traits for a Day 3 pick, including “experience playing on both sides of the field in multiple coverages,… good size and very good speed,… solid feet, hips, [] agility,… good spacing, awareness, [size,] and mental processing. He is willing to try to be the force player in the running game.” So why not a Round 3 grade? It comes down to a severe lack of physicality, which impacts his ability to stay close to WRs at the break, do a good job in run support, etc. Tom suggests solving this by limiting Pritchett to a zone-defense team. The more obvious alternative would be some intensive time in a professional weight room. Either way, Pritchett is a not quite there project with a ton of upside and some intense asterisks to allow for. |
CONCLUSION
Have at it, folks. Please. Pretty please. With all the sugar you care to apply.
