At least one Pittsburgh Steelers scout is in Stillwater Saturday to check out today’s Utah-Oklahoma State matchup. Per Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Steelers are in attendance for a matchup between a pair of Top-15 teams. Buffalo Bills’ personnel are joining them.
It’s one of college football’s marquee matchups even as unusual as it looks. This is only the second time the Utes and Cowboys have faced each other and first since 1945, a 46-6 win for Oklahoma State. But both teams now reside in the Big 12 as part of college football’s conference realignment where geography doesn’t matter.
Regardless of standings, all that matters is who is on the field. LB Lander Barton is among their top prospects. Younger brother of current NFL LB Cody Barton, he recorded 34 tackles and two interceptions across seven games last year. Through his first two games of 2024, he’s tied fourth on the team with 12 tackles. As a freshman in 2022, he showed pass rush ability with 4.5 sacks. TE/H-Back Brant Kuithe has been in college for an Animal House-esque seven years, derailed by injuries, but he once was an offensive weapon. In 2021, he caught 50 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns and in 2019, he averaged nearly 18 yards per catch. Though he has three touchdowns this season already, health and age will be working against him once he’s finally part of the pre-draft process.
For Oklahoma State, if RB Najee Harris leaves in free agency, the Steelers could become connected with RB Ollie Gordon II. With the size profile Pittsburgh likes at a listed 6-2, 225 pounds, he was one of college football’s most prolific backs last season. His 1,732 rushing yards led the FBS while he found the end zone a total of 22 times. He is Kiper’s fourth-best running back.
Elsewhere, WR Brennan Presley, EDGE Collin Oliver (who had 11.5 sacks in 2021 but has struggled since), and S/LB Kendal Daniels are other names to watch.
Of course, this is all due diligence by the Steelers’ scouts, assigned certain regions of the country to evaluate. It’s not necessarily a sign of individual and targeted interest. That won’t be known until well into the 2025 draft process.
