5 draft prospects for Steelers that no one is talking about

Elerson Smith

The Steelers have two starters at edge on the roster in T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. The issue is what is behind them, as the team is currently relying on Cassius Marsh to be the top backup and rotational defender. The team needs to add a better player here, and more than likely that will occur in the draft. A prospect that the team had an early interest in was Elerson Smith out of Northern Iowa, and frankly, he makes a lot of sense for the team.

Smith is a big athletic specimen as a pass rusher. He is a little taller than the team likes (he stands at 6’6) but he has decent bend and tested as an explosive athlete. Like most college players, he will need to add some bulk at the next level, but he has the potential to be a rotational pass rusher eventually. At the bare minimum, he would be an upgrade over Marsh as a depth piece.

The Steelers had a few bodies on hand for the Northern Iowa pro day and they had a meeting with Smith afterward. His stock has him somewhere on day three due to his small school status, but considering the team drafted a small school edge rusher last year, it shouldn’t deter them from taking one this year. Smith is athletic (a huge plus for edge rushers) and has plenty of team interest. Don’t be surprised to hear his name for the team in the fourth.