Welcome to the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s already here. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft will wrap up with Rounds 4 through 7 followed by the undrafted free agent frenzy. The Steelers typically don’t sign “name” UDFAs and with a pretty fully roster will probably only come away with six to eight such additions. But they hold three more picks, selecting in the fourth round (No. 119) and twice in the sixth (No. 178 and No. 195). All three of the team’s Friday selections were on our main list of 16. We’ll see if we can hit every one again.
Quarterback
Carter Bradley – South Alabama
The chances aren’t high the Steelers will draft a quarterback but if they do, Bradley is the one they’ve shown the most interest in. Son of Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Pittsburgh sent QBs Coach Tom Arth, and front office executive Sheldon White, to South Alabama Pro Day.
I didn’t love Bradley’s tape and game with a long release and RPO-heavy system. But he was productive after transferring from Toledo, throwing 47 touchdowns his last two seasons and helped turn the school’s program around. There are some injury concerns, Bradley tearing his ACL in high school and tearing his labrum while at Toledo.
Jordan Travis – Florida State
Mobile, a winner, and I liked his tape better than most. His severe leg injury ruined his pre-draft process but if it causes his stock to fall — and zero quarterbacks were drafted yesterday — I could see the team using a sixth rounder on him. Omar Khan didn’t rule out drafting someone, acknowledging that the Steelers don’t have a quarterback under contract past this year.
Offensive Line
Steven Jones – Oregon
Brought in for a pre-draft visit after o-line coach Pat Meyer attended Oregon Pro Day, primarily for C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Jones is an interesting prospect in his own right. With tackle/guard experience, he’s a wide body at 342 pounds with quick feet and the ability to pull. Most view him as an undrafted candidate but I gave Jones a draftable grade in my scouting report.
Travis Clayton – United Kingdom
Clayton, like Jones, could also be an undrafted addition. But assistant GM Andy Weidl was in Philadelphia when the Eagles took the chance on rugby star Jordan Mailata, cashing in big-time. The Steelers could do the same with Clayton, a tennis, boxer, and rugby player trying his hand at becoming an NFL offensive tackle.
One of 16 players who are part of this year’s International Pathway Program, Clayton is a moldable lump of clay at 6-7 and 301 pounds with 35-inch arms, running a 4.79 40 at USF’s Pro Day. Pittsburgh brought him in for a pre-draft visit. He’d be an interesting story.
Travis Glover – Georgia State
Projecting the team to draft three offensive linemen in one class is asking a lot. But some of this is about value and talent than drafting for need. Pittsburgh did a ton of homework on a small(er)-school prospect like Glover. Assistant o-line coach Isaac Williams attended his Pro Day and the team brought Glover in for a visit.
Similar to Jones, he’s big with length and can push his weight around. Glover has also played guard and tackle, though I see him as an NFL guard. He could be a sixth-round pick. It’d be better to snag him in the undrafted pool.
Wide Receiver
Cornelius Johnson – Michigan
A name suggested by Dave Bryan, whose mock draft is doing laps around mine, and the Steelers could reasonably double dip at wide receiver. And why not take another Michigan man? Pittsburgh could still use a receiver with size who can play on the outside. Johnson brings it at 6026, 212 pounds, and he ran 4.44 at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 37.5-inch vertical and 10’7″ broad. His agility drills were just as impressive for his frame, highlighted by a 6.93 three-cone.
Johnson’s college production wasn’t overwhelming but consistent, ending his career with over 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Wolverines.
Javon Baker – UCF
A potential fourth-round option, Baker is capable of making spectacular catches. He had a big 2023 season, racking up 1,139 yards, averaging nearly 22 yards per catch, and scoring seven times. Baker, who began his career at Alabama, has size and is an above-average athlete.
Jordan Whittington – Texas
One of my Day 3 guys, Whittington profiles as a big slot and four-down player who can work on special teams. Overshadowed by Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy in Austin, Whittington overcame early-career injuries to become a solid and clutch target in the Longhorns’ system, most notably making a key grab late in their playoff game against Washington. Injured early, productive late is literally Payton Wilson’s profile.
Another slot receiver doesn’t feel like a huge need, but I’d like his odds of making the roster more than Van Jefferson or Quez Watkins. WRs Coach Zach Azzanni attended the Longhorns’ Pro Day.
Defensive Line
Logan Lee – Iowa
Defensive line figures to be addressed sometime on Day 3. Lee is one of those third-day candidates who was brought in for a pre-draft visit. He lacks ideal length but can grow into his 6-5 frame and was moderately productive in college, recording exactly three sacks in each of his three final seasons with the Hawkeyes. He’s also regarded for his motor and effort, traits that will suit him well in Pittsburgh.
Khristian Boyd – Northern Iowa
Boyd was brought in for a visit, always notable when it’s someone from the FCS level. But he feels more like an interior guy without height or length and his testing was terrible, though he was impacted by an injury in the pre-draft process. But since he did come in for a visit, likely for the team to check him out medically (he wasn’t invited to the Combine), he should be on this list.
Jaden Crumedy – Mississippi State
It feels like the Steelers will draft one of either Lee or Crumedy. Crumedy fits more into the traditional Steelers d-line model, a more filled-out frame at 6037, 301 pounds with 33-inch arms. He ran a sub-5.00 40 at the Combine. Production was average but this feels like one of the team’s sixth-round picks.
Justin Eboigbe – Alabama
Some Isaiah Buggs vibes, Eboigbe has size but just one year of serious production, recording 11 TFL and seven sacks in 2023. Sub-par athlete but with pedigree, he could be in the mix in the sixth round.
Gabe Hall – Baylor
A tall – probably too tall – prospect at 6-6, Hall has to fight his pad level and play lower. A developmental prospect, he flashes but isn’t consistent enough. His foot speed is good and he runs to the ball and could use a year playing sparingly behind Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi.
Cornerback
Khyree Jackson – Oregon
Built similar to Joey Porter Jr., tall, lean, and long, Jackson goes 6036, 194 pounds and has 32 3/4-inch arms. Not quite the extreme length of Porter but a good figure overall. Pittsburgh hasn’t shown much visible interest in him, but he fits the type of outside corner the Steelers have been drafting lately. An Alabama transfer, he picked off three passes for the Ducks in 2023. Notre Dame’s Cam Hart is also an option if they trust his medicals — he has been plagued by shoulder injuries — but the Steelers don’t seem to have any issue betting on injury concerns. A potential fourth-round option.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr. – Louisville
I wanted to put Brownlee in my final mock draft, but his average to below average testing made him hard to justify. Pittsburgh’s been drafting more athletic corners than him. But Brownlee is physical and high energy with good production and can play inside/out (337 wide snaps, 97 slot snaps in 2023. Pittsburgh still has nothing at slot corner. He could be the guy in the fourth round.
Daequan Hardy – Penn State
A local native from Penn Hills, Hardy was brought in for a visit although it didn’t count against the team’s allotted 30. He lacks size at under 5-10 but shows plus ball skills and is a willing – though inconsistent – tackler. He’s played inside and outside and could contribute on special teams, though his punt return background probably wouldn’t be given a chance in Pittsburgh.
Shon Stephens – Ferris State
More likely from the UDFA pool, Stephens is Porter’s cousin. Pittsburgh asked him to attend Michigan State’s Pro Day and aside from being legitimately four inches shorter than how his school listed him (6-0 vs. 5-8), he crushed the workout with a 4.41 40, 36.5-inch vertical, 6.97 three-cone, and 19 reps on the bar. He’s a slot corner at the next level but would have a chance to compete for a roster spot considering there is a black hole inside. The Steelers haven’t drafted a D-II player since Ricardo Colclough in 2004, the NFL’s second-longest streak and only ahead of the Washington Commanders, who haven’t done so since 1991.
Safety
Josh Proctor – Ohio State
Could put a bunch of safeties here. The Steelers still could stand to get younger and more athletic on the back end of their defense. Proctor doesn’t top the charts with his testing but it’s serviceable, he’s versatile, and comes from the Power Five. He’s also played a bunch on special teams. Still, I wasn’t impressed by his tape.
Below are a smattering of potential UDFA additions. I’ll be happy if I can get one right.
UDFA Options
Rocky Lombardi/QB Northern Illinois
Tanner Mordecai/QB Wisconsin
Carson Steele/RB UCLA
Derryk Snell/FB Montana State
Earnest Crownover/FB Texas A&M
Devron Harper/WR Mercer
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint/WR Georgia
Doug Nester/OL West Virginia
Will Putnam/C Clemson
Kyler Baugh/DL Minnesota
Jonah Laulu/DL Oklahoma
Leonard Payne Jr./DL Colorado
Malik Langham/DL Purdue
Tyler Bentley/DL Pitt
Joe Evans/EDGE Iowa
Joe Andreessen/LB Buffalo
Ryan Cooper/CB Oregon State
Te’Cory Couch/CB Miami (FL)
Beanie Bishop/CB West Virginia
Andre Sam/S LSU
Patrick McMorris/S Cal
George Caratan/P UConn
Brady Weeks/LS Minnesota
