The steal that Purdue CB Cory Trice Jr. seemed to be for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft almost didn’t happen. As teams made their final picks of the year, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan weren’t the only ones willing to roll the dice on a high-upside but oft-injured cornerback. When they called Trice to let him know they were going to draft him, the line was getting busy.
Appearing on LS Christian Kuntz’s podcast that aired Thursday, Trice says another team was preparing to draft him at the same time Pittsburgh was.
“I was on the phone [with the Steelers] and I was getting a call from another team, I forgot who it was,” Trice told the show. “And I was telling them, such and such is calling me. They were like, ‘Don’t even answer that. We’re [about] to put this slip in. We’re drafting you.’ I was like, bet, let’s go.”
Pittsburgh double-dipped at cornerback taking Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. in the second round followed by Trice in the seventh. A pair of “Avatar” corners and the type the Steelers covet. Big, long, and physical in coverage.
Who could’ve been the mystery team? Even with only a handful of picks behind him, it’s impossible to say with confidence. But shortly after the Steelers landed Trice at No. 241, two teams took corners. The New England Patriots at No. 245 selected Isaiah Bolden and Cincinnati Bengals at No. 246 picked D.J. Ivey. Bolden brought a similar profile as Trice, suggesting the Pats were in line to take him.
While Trice and his family were thrilled to finally get the call from an NFL team, he was disappointed to fall so far in the draft.
“I thought I was going top. Not gonna lie,” he said. “At least second through fourth, fifth [round].”
Projections had Trice as a mid-round player. But a long line of medical concerns, including a torn ACL at Purdue, caused him to fall into the draft’s final selections. Unfortunately, injuries have followed him to the NFL. He tore his ACL as a rookie and missed half of his sophomore season with a hamstring injury.
“I’m always happy for everybody but of course it’s going to put a chip on your shoulder,” Trice said. “Basically they’re saying they’re better than you. That’s always the mindset I’m going in with. I gotta prove myself.”
Trice has flashed the talent that got him drafted despite the health issues. He notched his first interception this season, a great read and snag in the end zone to help the Steelers beat the Denver Broncos in Week 2. And he’s shown the ability to be physical and have a short-term memory, battling top WR Ja’Marr Chase in the regular-season finale. With a host of veteran Steelers corners possibly hitting free agency in Donte Jackson, James Pierre, and Cam Sutton, the door could open for Trice in 2025. He’s ready to knock it down.
