Steelers Show Legitimate Interest In Alabama CBs During Pro Day Visits

The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely select a cornerback somewhere during the 2024 NFL Draft. Currently, they're relying mostly on second-year player Joey Porter Jr., and newly acquired Donte Jackson entering the 2024 season. The team released Patrick Peterson and is allowing Levi Wallace to fully explore free agency. Cory Trice Jr. is an unknown commodity, even if he proves to be fully recovered from his season-ending injury in training camp of 2023. 

Pittsburgh is fortunate to have their former cornerback, Ike Taylor, on its scouting staff. Taylor has been traveling to various colleges to watch their Pro Days with the other scouts and coaches, including Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Omar Khan. All of this is to be prepared for the draft at the end of April. 

Taylor now co-hosts a podcast called Bleav In Steelers with reporter Mark Bergin. In a recent episode, the two discussed some of Taylor's Pro Day visits. Bergin was very curious about the University of Alabama, particularly after hearing they went to dinner with cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ga'Quincy "Kool-Aid" McKinstry, and linebacker, Dallas Turner. 

"That night before, that was my best moment. So we wound up doing dinner. We was doing dinner with Terrion [Arnold], Dallas [Turner], and Kool-Aid [Ga'Quincy McKinstry] and a couple more other teammates. So we was doing dinner with Coach T [Mike Tomlin], and Coach T was just holding court. With Terrion, you're talking about a guy who needs a microphone in front of his face and a camera in front of his face 24/7; that's him all day, every day. He ain't even trying. Kool-Aid is very laid back, like the uncle personality. Terrion is the uncle you always wanna be around because he's got stories for days. That was the most fun I've had in a long time, just between them three, just chop it up," laughed Taylor.

Those Pro Day dinners have become critical to the Steelers' pre-draft process. They help Tomlin and the other staff determine if a young player will be a good fit not only in his position room, but for the team as a whole. This casual environment allows Tomlin to get to know the player and build rapport. 

Taylor said that as for the actual workout, he was on the field putting the players through drills himself. Thanks to his 12 years in the NFL, Taylor believes he knows how to get the best out of these young men. He said that whatever the coach, scout, or general manager wants to see, Taylor knows how to make it happen. He said he's "been waiting all my life for this moment right here." He was particularly excited to run drills with McKinstry and Arnold. He added that a team could draft them together in a perfect world. He said they complement each other well and are joined at the hip. He realizes this is unlikely, particularly for the Steelers, however. 

"Kool-Aid, when it come down to technique, he's right now ready. If you look at Terrion, he might be slightly more of an athlete than Kool-Aid, but Kool-Aid, you wanna talk about a technician? Don't forget this is T's first year really starting the whole season. He's raw in a lot of ways, but super athletic. Kool-Aid a savvy veteran. He's what you put on a coach's clinic tape when it comes to bump coverage, not panicking."

He added that when people are critical of the stats or say they have a down game, Taylor would call it respect, not poor performance. Taylor said that opponents learned to avoid throwing near either corner.  

Steelers Have A Shot At One Alabama Cornerback

While Taylor's dream of a team taking both McKinstry and Arnold might be a stretch, Pittsburgh could set its sights on one of them. The most likely corner to land within the Steelers' reach is McKinstry. While he has been projected to go as high as the mid-teens, most mocks have him going somewhere in the mid-20s, being called a potential first-rounder. 

On the other hand, Arnold has seen his draft stock soar and is referred to as a sure-fire first-round selection. The two corners consider themselves like brothers. While they might compete in the same position in the same sport, there is no jealousy. They are known to push each other. Taylor commented on how they consistently give each other honest feedback and support. No one gets offended or hurt; they want the other to improve. 

As for Turner, who apparently could not get a word in between Tomlin and Arnold, he is also a highly sought-after member of the Crimson Tide. Turner has been named as a possible top-10 pick, which is a little too rich for the Steelers' blood in this draft at this point. 

Do you think the Steelers will go after any of these players in the draft? Click to comment below!

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