One of the Pittsburgh Steelers' biggest needs of the off-season is to address the cornerback position and the draft might not be a bad way to go. The team has a rough history when it comes to the evaluation of cornerbacks, but the latest mock draft from The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner has the team selecting Kelee Ringo from the University of Georgia.
Potential Pittsburgh fan favorite, Joey Porter Jr. is the first corner off the board in this potential version of events with the Philadelphia Eagles nabbing the Penn State product with the 10th pick in the draft they have from the New Orleans Saints. The Steelers also miss out on high-profile corners Christian Gonzalez of the University of Oregon and Devon Witherspoon of the University of Illinois, but Ringo has a chance to not be the forgotten one of the fab four in this year's cornerback class.
Why the Steelers Should Add Ringo to the Band
Credit: Curtis Compton
The corner has already earned his spot in Bulldogs history with his pick-six to seal the 2022 National Championship, but his playmaking ability drew some criticism in 2023. Though he only produced four interceptions and one forced fumble in two collegiate seasons, Ringo is young and Baumgardner thinks Pittsburgh would be wise to bet on his upside:
"The Georgia product’s talent is clear, but there are questions to be answered," he wrote. "Ringo is so young, though — he’ll be just 20 on draft day. While we saw some of his struggles in big spots for Georgia last season, he also made a ton of really impressive man-coverage plays that nobody else in this class matched against similar competition."
Steelers defensive backs, Arthur Maulet (35) and Levi Wallace (29) celebrate against the New Orleans Saints. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter JSKO_PHOTO)
The mix at cornerback for the Steelers next year likely figures to feature Levi Wallace as the biggest returning face. The former Buffalo Bills undrafted free agent signing set career highs in interceptions (4) and passes defended (13) despite starting in only nine of 15 games according to Pro Football Reference and should be primed to take a larger role next season.
Cameron Sutton is a pending free agent, but should be a priority to retain in the off-season. The 27-year-old led the team in passes defended per Pro Football Reference in his second season in a starting job. While he was largely used as a slot corner earlier in his career, his role has expanded as he's matured in the league and the organization should be looking for him to be a big contributor next year.
William Jackson III is looking like he'll be a cap casualty before ever playing a game for the Steelers and likely joining him is the often-injured Ahkello Witherspoon. While some of the others in the cornerback room have shown some bits of splash like Arthur Maulet with his pick on Derek Carr during the game on Christmas Eve, most figure to be either special teamers or practice squad guys.
With Wallace and Sutton potentially taking starting roles, Ringo could be allowed some time to grow into a spot on the team in his rookie season. If the man-coverage ability can translate to the NFL, Ringo could be a favorite for Mike Tomlin in years to come. Again, he's only going to be 20 on draft day, so if Pittsburgh does decide to go with him, it's a big bet on the upside he's shown.
So, Steeler Nation, do you like the idea of the Steelers trying to make a big star out of Ringo? If they're going to draft a corner, where would he fall on your board? As always let us know in the comments, or on our social media.
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