CBS Sports' Emory Hunt Believes Steelers Rookie Cory Trice Jr. Has Versatility To Switch Positions In Future

Over the past few seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been able to find some gems in the NFL Draft. The scouting department deserves immense credit for the late-round finds and particularly, some studs in the undrafted pool. This year was General Manager Omar Khan's first draft, and it drew plenty of praise from around the league. The Steelers were touted as one of the biggest winners of the 2023 NFL Draft by nearly every draft expert.

They drafted the perfect blend of value, positional need, and overall talent. One of those value picks was cornerback Cory Trice Jr. out of Purdue, whom the team snagged in the seventh round. Despite having already picked a corner in Joey Porter Jr. in the second round, the value of Trice was too good to pass up. CBS Sports analyst Emory Hunt weighed in on the Steelers draft and the selection of Trice.

"I think he has a future as a SAM, strong safety, or one of those box defenders that is a corner, but plays like a linebacker. He's got some positional flexibility in my opinion. I thought that was a really good, savvy pick by Pittsburgh," Hunt said on the College Draft Podcast with host Ross Tucker.

Trice has been tearing things up this summer, as he's been receiving even more buzz than the team's second-round corner, Porter Jr. With the hype, it's important to note that this has been done at OTAs and minicamp, where there aren't pads or contact going on. Essentially, we'll have to wait and see if this translates to training camp and eventually, game environments.

The Purdue product could struggle to earn playing time in his first season, as Porter, Patrick Peterson, and Levi Wallace seem to be the team's top three options. If Trice can prove to provide some value in the slot though, that could open up some more field time for him. At the moment, the slot corner position remains a bit of an unknown in Pittsburgh. While Peterson will seemingly line up all over, the Steelers still need a true slot CB.

Did Steelers land steal of 2023 NFL Draft?

Recently, Pro Football Network's Dallas Robinson suggested the team could look at moving on from Wallace, which would open up more opportunities for the rookie duo. There hasn't been any reports of the Steelers looking into this, but it would make some sense. If the rookie continues to impress through the summer, he will ultimately force Head Coach Mike Tomlin's hand of getting him on the field. 

Trice was seen as one of the biggest steals of the draft, and so far, it seems to be proving true. It's still relatively early in the summer process, but he already seems to be a lock to make the 53-man Week 1 roster. For a seventh-rounder, that's rare to say before the month of July even hits. Over a month ago, he disclosed to Teresa Varley of Steelers.com just how frustrating it was to slip on draft weekend with his family present.

"It was kind of tough because I had plans to go higher than what I did. It was a big relief to get the call from the Steelers. I told [my family] I think I can go on day one, but I might not go on day one. From day one to day three, all the way to the seventh round, my family stayed through the whole thing," Trice said via Varley.

There's no doubt the Steelers are thankful that he fell to them in the seventh round. Now, the team's cornerback room is suddenly loaded with depth with the top four guys. The group presents a nice blend of experience and talent. Only time will tell if the hype is legitimate.

Do you think Trice or Porter will end up being the better cornerback for Pittsburgh? Who will ultimately start at slot CB for the black and gold? Do you agree with Hunt's sentiments on Trice? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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