Steelers Insider Suggests A Trade Up In The First-Round Of The 2023 NFL Draft Is Possible, But Not For Jalen Carter

The Pittsburgh Steelers have remained uncharacteristically aggressive this offseason with signing free agents. General Manager, Omar Khan, has completely flipped entire positional groups, such as inside linebacker, and brought in players who have the capabilities of helping the team win immediately, not a few years down the road.

In terms of the Steelers' strategy for the 2023 NFL Draft, it is safe to assume that Khan may maintain his aggressiveness and seriously consider trading up in the first-round. While many believe the team would only do so if Georgia star defensive tackle, Jalen Carter, falls, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's, Gerry Dulac, thinks the Steelers may have their eye on a different group of players. 

During a chat transcript posted on 04/19/2023, Dulac took the time to answer a wide variety of questions from fans, most of them having to do with the upcoming NFL Draft. One of the questions asked had to do with whether or not the Steelers are more likely to trade up or down during the first-round, to which Dulac had a bit of a surprising answer. 

"To me, if they trade up, it's to get a top CB. Yeah, like the one [Christian Gonzalez] you mentioned. That guy. I think a decision on Carter is made only if he drops to 17, which I doubt," answered Dulac. 

Would The Steelers Actually Consider Moving Up To Grab A Top Cornerback? 

The Steelers have struggled to find a top-tier, shutdown cornerback for what seems like an eternity. While the team has had Pro Bowl-caliber players at virtually every other defensive position, the team has struggled to find a corner who can lock up a team's best wide receiver without problem since Rod Woodson in the 1990's. Ike Taylor was perhaps the team's closest thing to a shutdown corner during the 2000's, but was never selected to a Pro Bowl. 

Most NFL Draft experts have either Oregon's, Christian Gonzalez, or Devon Witherspoon from Illinois as the best corner in this year's class. Both had tremendous collegiate careers and have made a serious name for themselves during the months leading up to the draft. Gonzalez is typically graded just slightly higher due to his impressive size at 6'1", 197 pounds. 

However, there is no doubt that Omar Khan would be absolutely thrilled to land either of these ball hawks if the opportunity presented itself. In all likelihood, neither of these players will go outside the top ten during the first-round. Therefore, if the Steelers do indeed covet either Gonzalez or Witherspoon, they would have to find a willing team to trade with them. Fortunately for the Steelers, there have already been multiple reports of the Chicago Bears possibly being interested in doing business with the Steelers.

Take Your Pick: Gonzalez Or Witherspoon

Both players had at least one representative from the Steelers' organization present at their respective Pro Days, which puts both of them as actual possibilities for the Steelers' first-round selection. However, only Gonzalez held an official Top-30 Visit with the team, which perhaps makes him more of a candidate to play in Pittsburgh next season compared to Witherspoon. 

Both players are the consensus highest rated corner in the 2023 NFL Draft for good reason. They possess incredible athletic ability and the ability to play in a variety of different defenses. Interestingly enough, the player comparison for Witherspoon, according to NFL.com, is current Steelers' CB, Levi Wallace due to his instinctive ball skills and toughness against the run. If the Illinois product somehow finds his way to Pittsburgh, he may serve as a possible replacement for Wallace. 

Gonzalez, on the other hand, possesses the ideal body type for a cornerback in 2023. His long arms and impressive speed give him the ability to cover any type of pass catcher, including tight end. He will need to improve his route recognition at the next level and may struggle at first during the preseason, but there is no denying that he has the highest ceiling of any corner in this year's class. At only 20 years old, he has only scratched the surface of his potential. He may be the most intriguing prospect, regardless of position, in the 2023 NFL Draft class. 

Thoughts, Steeler Nation?

Would you like to see the Steelers trade up for a corner? if so, who do you prefer between Gonzalez and Witherspoon? Do you believe the team could land a starting-quality corner at pick 17? Let us know in the comments! 

#SteelerNation