File this story away for free agency four years from now. The Pittsburgh Steelers are typically private about their pre-draft rankings. Who they like, who they don’t, and they’re famous for rarely commenting on individual players before each draft. But Mike Tomlin offered up a transparent take to his nickel corner rankings for the 2024 class.
During his latest Mike Tomlin Show that aired Sunday morning, he offered an overview of the New York Giants’ defense and referenced rookie slot corner Andru Phillips.
“That nickel was a third rounder out of Kentucky that we thought arguably was the second best nickel in the draft after the kid from Michigan,” Tomlin told host Bob Pompeani.
Pittsburgh did their homework on the top slot corners of this year’s draft. They brought in Phillips, Rutgers’ Max Melton, and the “kid from Michigan” Tomlin referenced, Mike Sainristil, for pre-draft visits.
Based on what Tomlin said, it sounds like Sainristil was the No. 1 slot on the team’s board followed by Phillips and then possibly Melton. Phillips was a “late riser” in the draft process, someone who received buzz shortly before the draft who would be drafted higher than expected. Not because Phillips truly came out of nowhere but there’s often a lag between who the NFL is high on and the media’s perception of the top prospects in the draft.
Phillips didn’t have a gaudy career at Kentucky, breaking up ten passes and never picking off a pass. But he tested as an A-plus athlete at the Combine and had good tape in coverage and against the run.
Of the top slot corners, Melton was taken first, 43rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals. An outside/inside corner, he’s primarily played on the outside in his rookie year. Sainristil heard his name at pick No. 50 and he’s also played more snaps on the outside (254) than the slot (120). Phillips fell to the third round at No. 70 before the Giants turned in the card with his name, a true slot corner this year. On the season, he’s recorded 29 tackles with six for a loss, second-most of any cornerback in the NFL. Phillips has also chipped in a sack and forced fumble.
Melton and Sainristil were off the board by the time the Steelers were on the clock in the second round. The board still broke well for them and they landed West Virginia C Zach Frazier, who started the season and played well before suffering an ankle injury in Week 6 that will keep him out through the bye. By the time they made their next pick at No. 84, Phillips was long gone and the team drafted WR Roman Wilson.
Missing out on the top names, the Steelers didn’t draft a slot corner, signing West Virginia’s Beanie Bishop Jr. as an undrafted free agent. They’ve rolled the dice on him being the answer inside and while he’s taken his lumps, Bishop is coming off the best game of his career with two interceptions in Week 7’s win over the New York Jets.
Who knows how all their future’s will play out. Obviously, all these players are still on their rookie deals. It’s worth writing this because odds are, Mike Tomlin will still be the Steelers’ head coach when Sainristil and Phillips become free in the 2028 offseason and Pittsburgh loves circling back to players they were high on in the pre-draft process. Those two names were atop the Steelers’ list.
