While most of Steeler Nation keeps their eyes on the developing situation with defensive tackle Jalen Carter and the storylines surrounding cornerback Joey Porter Jr, one Pittsburgh Steelers insider is at the combine thinking about the team's needs at another position and whether they will address it early in the upcoming draft.
Photo Credit: Penn State Athletics
Steelers fans would love to see Joey Porter Jr lining up in black and gold at Acrisure Stadium next year if he falls to Pittsburgh in the draft.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, after spending the day watching prospects in Indianapolis, chatted everything draft combine with host Andrew Filliponi on the PM Team W/Poni & Mueller on Thursday. While Fittipaldo has a pulse on the big stories happening, he's trying to get a look at some potential targets for the Steelers with a focus on who they will target with their first two picks at 17th and 32nd overall.
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Steelers linebacker, Robert Spillane (#41) stretches prior to a 2022 contest at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. |
The Steelers' depth chart at inside linebacker is a little thin heading into free agency with Devin Bush Jr likely on his way out the door. They have Myles Jack who played well enough that he shouldn't be considered a cap casualty in the summer and Robert Spillane as the most experienced options. Mark Robinson had increased playing time down the stretch and certainly remains an option but it feels like a position the team will try to address, but it won't be with the first-round pick.
"At 17 I almost do," Fittipaldo said in reference to the team avoiding drafting a linebacker early. "Coming off of Devin Bush, I don't think the Steelers would do it. It's defintely a position of need but there's not a lot of depth in this class."
Fittipaldo wondered if the Steelers could go after Arkansas’ Drew Sanders who seems to be the best of the off-ball linebackers this year. But If the ghosts of drafts past haunt a new regime with Omar Khan leading the way instead of Kevin Colbert, or for whatever they decide to address their needs at the position in a different way, the Steelers should circle back to a different positional need according to the team insider.
Steelers' Need At Cornerback Well Suited To Draft
If the team decides to draft with a focus on plugging their team needs, they're more than likely to target a defensive back and FittIpaldo thinks it would be a wise decision.
"It's a very interesting class. There are some very good defensive backs in this class," he said about the position group this year. "You have the three outside corners everyone talks about Porter, Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon. Then you have these hybrid guys, like Brian Branch who can play slot and safety. Antonio Johnson and Jaire Brown. These guys play all over the place. I don't know that there's first-round value, there might be for Branch he's a terrific player, but it's about when do these guys get drafted."
AP Photo/Vasha Hunt
Alabama's Brian Branch lines up
He thinks that the Steelers are likely to come away with one defensive back, if not two from the 2023 NFL Draft. Fittipoldo said he won't be surprised if the Steelers went for it on either Carter or Porter Jr should they fall the team's way. But he is keeping a close eye on other prospects the team might be interested in come April with those early selections in the draft.
So Steeler Nation, who do you think the Steelers should take with their high draft picks? Would you rule out linebacker because it seems like a weak class? Let us know in the comment or on social media.
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