The Pittsburgh Steelers have done an excellent job mining the undrafted free agent pool over the years and last year it landed them Jaylen Warren who has proved to be a perfect partner for Najee Harris in the backfield. With the NFL Draft only weeks away, there's been lots of chatter about what the Steelers could do with its first-round pick, but here's a look at some players who might not have their names called that the team could look to target.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren, seen here at Acrisure Stadium in action against the New York Jets, had a successful first season with the team.
Five UDFA Targets The Steelers Could Go After
Using projections based on rankings from NFL Draft Buzz, these five players seem like candidates for the team to target after the draft festivities end on April 29th. With the Steelers needing more depth at multiple positions, here are some potential additions on the offensive line, edge rusher, and one receiver.
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LSU guard Anthony Bradford played a mix of positions across the line while with the Tigers.
At 6'4" and 232 lbs, Anthony Bradford of the LSU Tigers already has the size to play at the NFL level. He started five games in 2021 playing guard in one and left tackle for the four others. In his final year at the collegiate level, he started in 12 games, playing right guard for 11 games and moving outside to left tackle for one. He's also impressively athletic for his frame scoring the 4th highest score of the guards in the NFL Next Gen combine athleticism metric. His versatility on the line and size should make him an attractive option for Omar Khan as he continues to try to bring in more monsters on the offensive line. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein sees the potential for Bradford to become a starter someday.
Another name to keep in mind on the line is TJ Bass of the Oregon Ducks. Like Bradford, he also showed versatility in college playing guard and tackle which could help make them useful backups. Bass was a three-year starter at Oregon and got a First Team All-Conference nod in 2021. At 6'4"and 317lbs, he fits the mold of guys brought in along the line this offseason and could be a capable backup in the future.
Photo Credit: Rick Scuteri/ AP Photo
TJ Bass of the Oregon Ducks was one of the top offensive linemen in the Pac-12 in 2021.
The Steelers are going to need some backup for TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith and even if the team addresses the edge rusher spot earlier in the draft, it might not hurt to bring in some more help on top. Dylan Horton pilled up the sacks notching 10.5 for the TCU Horned Frogs on their run to the National Championship game. He also added a forced fumble and 15 tackles for a loss. Zierlein had this to say:
"Explosive take-off and power to play through a blocker’s edge are both translatable rush traits, but improvement across the board is still needed for the pro level."
While Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been stealing headlines as one of the top cornerbacks of the class, Oregon State's Alex Austin could be a decent pickup for some extra depth at the position. He's a smart player with good size, but could be limited in what he can provide at the pro level which is why he projects as more of a backup or a project.
Finally, the Steelers still have a need for more depth at the wide receiver position. The team loves taking a chance on players with speed at the position like Calvin Austin III. One potential option to fulfill that need would be to pick up TCU wideout Derius Davis. The speedster ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine which was good enough to tie for seventh overall. He had back-to-back 500-plus yard seasons to close out his college career and added a rushing touchdown in each. He also adds another potential option in the return game having taken two to the house in 2022.
What do you think of these options for possible UDFA's? Are there any players on your radar who you think could be available? Comment below!
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