The Pittsburgh Steelers have five picks left in the NFL Draft, set to conclude on Saturday. They’ve made some solid moves already, drafting an offensive tackle, wide receiver, quarterback, cornerback, and guard. Now, they still need to focus on safety, linebacker, and tight end. They might also want to add another young receiver to their lineup.
Here’s how the Steelers’ picks break down: one in the fourth round (No. 121), one in the fifth (No. 161), and three in the seventh (Nos. 224, 230, and 249). They traded away two picks from Day 3 to move up in previous rounds.
At safety, they have new free agent Jaquan Brisker and veteran DeShon Elliott returning from injury, but there’s not much depth beyond them. Luckily, this year’s draft has a strong pool of safeties. Four of them are among the top 22 prospects left, according to ESPN. Some potential targets include Jalon Kilgore from South Carolina, Zakee Wheatley from Penn State, and Genesis Smith from Arizona, all of whom met with the Steelers at the NFL Combine.
In the linebacker category, Kyle Louis from Pitt is considered the best available and is ranked 15th overall. Another name to keep an eye on is Deontae Lawson from Alabama, who also has a chance of being picked early on Day 3.
The tight end spot needs attention as well. Last season, the Steelers had four tight ends, but now Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward have moved on. Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington are still around, but adding another tight end seems essential. Justin Joly from N.C. State, Jack Endries from Texas, and Joe Royer from Cincinnati are the best available, according to ESPN. Unfortunately, two players they had visited with, Marlin Klein and Will Kacmarek, have already been drafted.
Among wide receivers, Skyler Bell from UConn, a consensus All-American, had a pre-draft visit with the Steelers. He’s joined by other top receivers like Elijah Sarratt from Indiana and Deion Burks from Oklahoma on the draft board.
Interestingly, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is the best remaining player overall. Originally seen as a first-round pick, he missed last season due to a torn ACL, which seems to have opened the door for other teams to hesitate. Other solid options include Keionte Scott from Miami, Zxavian Harris from Ole Miss, Malik Muhammad from Texas, and running back Mike Washington Jr. from Arkansas.
The fourth round kicks off at pick 101, with a total of 257 players expected to be drafted this year. The Steelers have a chance to strengthen their roster depth and add exciting new talent.
