The Pittsburgh Steelers filled their need at wide receiver by trading for DK Metcalf. While that likely means they won’t select a receiver high in the draft, anything is possible. Isaiah Bond of the University of Texas is one name they could target. Bond isn’t viewed as one of the top receivers in the draft, but he could sneak into the backend of the first round. Teams might place a lot of value on his top-line speed. It sounds like Bond wouldn’t mind playing in Pittsburgh, with Mike Tomlin being the coach he was most excited to meet in this process.
“I’ll probably say definitely Mike Tomlin,” Bond said Tuesday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams. “He’s a, like I said, my parents are from the north, so I grew up watching them a little bit.
“So, seeing him in real life was definitely, I wouldn’t say, a shock because I’ve been at Pro Days before, and these coaches are there. But like I said, it’s a little different when they’re there just for you, when it’s a sit-down. He was a great guy.”
While fans might not have the best opinion of Tomlin, he still has a high reputation among players. NFL players often talk about how much they want to play for Tomlin. He’s a big draw for the Steelers, which seems to include draft prospects.
Bond spent the first two years of his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. He really started to break out in 2023, posting 48 catches for 668 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately, he couldn’t improve upon that in 2024. In his lone season at Texas, Bond recorded 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns.
Despite that, he still has many traits that NFL teams might like. His greatest asset is his speed. Bond ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, one of the fastest times recorded by a receiver. However, he isn’t just a one-trick pony.
ARCH MANNING RESPONDS AFTER HIS INT 🔥
A 56-yard DIME right to the hands of Isaiah Bond 😤 pic.twitter.com/mZ1aDgpLzT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 22, 2024
The Steelers probably won’t land Bond unless they trade George Pickens, which doesn’t seem likely. If they do trade Pickens, they’ll have a need at receiver again. However, if that doesn’t happen, the have far bigger needs that should be addressed early in the draft. Without a second-round pick, the Steelers’ selection on Day 1 becomes even more critical. Taking a receiver there seems unwise.
Bond likely won’t fall to the Steelers’ third-round pick, either. That doesn’t mean he’ll never be a Steeler, though. If he succeeds in the NFL, maybe he’ll land in Pittsburgh as a free agent one day. This just goes to show how Tomlin is still a positive asset for the Steelers. It doesn’t take away from his lack of playoff success, but it’s a point in his favor.
