Heading into the home stretch of the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round board feels wide open. As unclear as ever, really. For the PPG’s Gerry Dulac, the pick at No. 21, or elsewhere in the first round, should there be a trade, could go in four directions. Wide receiver is obvious. If not a pass catcher, Dulac outlined three other areas the Steelers will consider.
“If the Steelers elect to wait until Day 2 to take a receiver, they will likely look at three positions — cornerback, safety and guard — when deciding which player to choose with the 21st overall selection.”
Notably, Dulac does not mention tight end despite teasing Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq over the past month. A freakishly athletic player, he could be considered a wide receiver or offensive weapon just like the draft’s top true wideouts, but Dulac seems more apt to mention Sadiq in his chats instead of his articles.
Pittsburgh’s shown plenty of interest in the positions Dulac’s named. The team brought in four cornerbacks for pre-draft visits. San Diego State’s Chris Johnson is the most notable name, a potential first-round pick, while Texas’ Malik Muhammad could be a Top 75 selection. The Steelers also hosted Washington’s pair of long-limbed defenders, Tacario “Bobo” Davis and Ephesians Prysock.
Three safeties came in, too. Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is on Pittsburgh’s shortlist of first-round candidates, while Arizona’s versatile Treydan Stukes, capable of playing nickel or safety, is a Day Two selection. Miami (FL)’s Jakobe Thomas sits as a late-round option.
At guard, three names visited: Penn State’s Vega Ioane, Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge, and Iowa’s Beau Stephens. Ioane is among the favorites to be Pittsburgh’s pick. That is, if he falls to No. 21.
A veteran roster and active free agency have left Pittsburgh without major roster holes. That leaves the franchise flexible to go in any direction, a desirable place to be at the top of the draft. An array of prospects is worth considering, but Dulac is correct that the pick is likely one of the four positions above. Narrowing it down from there is the hard part.