The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to show their interest in cornerbacks in the upcoming NFL draft, as the team met with Syracuse cornerback Isaiah Johnson at his Pro Day, Johnson told Justin Melo of the Draft Network.
A transfer from Dartmouth, Johnson has the measurables the Steelers have seemed to look for in their corners under Omar Khan. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he measured in at 6030 and 205 pounds, while running a 4.64 4o-yard dash. He also had a 38.5-inch vertical jump and 10’9″ broad jump at the Combine. At Syracuse in 2023, Johnson had 62 tackles, six pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble and also received an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl.
In 2022, Johnson led Syracuse in special teams tackles, and that special teams ability is something that the Steelers surely have taken note of. Prior to his career at Syracuse, Johnson was playing in the Ivy League at Dartmouth, recording 55 tackles, an interception and six pass breakups during the 2021 season.
According to our tracker, Steelers senior scouting assistant Phil Kriedler was at Syracuse to see Johnson work out, and at his Pro Day he met with the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions in addition to Pittsburgh. He looks like he could be a potential mid- to late-round candidate for the Steelers, and his size combined with his college production makes him an intriguing fit.
The Steelers have a need at cornerback with little depth behind Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson, and it’s likely a position they address early. But if they fail to address it early or decide to double up on the position to add more talent to the room, Johnson looks like a solid potential option. Over the totality of his college career, he had 188 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 14 pass breakups along with three interceptions.
The Steelers continue to bring players in for pre-draft visits, but they’re also still among the most active teams on the Pro Day circuit, which expands their knowledge and lets them get to know guys better. It’s good to see Pittsburgh continuing to travel around the country and scout these guys, and it could lead to someone like Johnson donning the Black and Gold next season.
