With the College Football Championship set in stone, these five players all have to be on the Steelers draft board in this game.
The College Football Championship is now officially set, as Alabama will face off against Georgia. Both teams will have a surplus of prospects that will enter the draft, and the Steelers should have scouts on hand to watch this game. In the first round alone, the team could go a variety of ways by selecting a player from one of these two teams.
Here are five upcoming draft prospects in the championship game that the Steelers have to consider in the draft.
Steelers should consider Metchie
Alabama has become quite the receiver factory in recent years, as the team is constantly churning out quality NFL quality receivers. This year is no different, as the Crimson Tide has a pair of talented receivers that figure to go high in the draft. The lesser of the two is John Metchie, but the junior receiver would be quite an add for a Steelers team that will need to reload at receiver.
What makes Metchie so valuable is his versatility as a receiver. While he has been known to line up on the outside and stretch the field, he played more in the slot this season and was effective there as well. His yards per catch did decrease this season because of it, but it showed that he can play and be effective from multiple spots on the field. Considering the Steelers will likely need a new slot receiver to take over from JuJu Smith-Schuster, Metchie could be penciled in to start right away.
His current draft projection is late first round to early second round right now. A solid combine should boost him up draft boards and make him a top-25 pick. If the Steelers want to give whoever is throwing the ball next season a big threat from the inside, Metchie would be a wise choice. The team rarely drafts a receiver in the first round, but one of the Alabama receivers could change that.
Steelers should target Davis
One of the top defensive lineman prospects in the nation, Georgia defensive lineman Jordan Davis has already captured the heart of some of Steelers nation. Davis is a stout run defender that has been one of the most dominant linemen in college football. For a team that has struggled as they have to stop the run, a big interior plugger like Davis would make some sense for the team.
My issue with Davis is that he plays like a nose tackle but is too tall to be a typical option there. At his size, he would be a natural defensive end for the team, but that isn’t where the defense needs help. Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, and Chris Wormley are all under contract for next season, so landing Davis as another end doesn’t make a lot of sense.
If the Steelers want to get more creative with their front, then a player like Davis makes some sense. He can be moved around and provide this front with some more push in their run defense. His pass rush needs some work, but he has all of the traits to be a great addition to the front seven. His fit with the team isn’t great on paper, but he has all of the traits to be a good lineman in the league.
Steelers should target Williams
While Metchie can play at either the Z spot or in the slot, Jameson Williams is your classic deep threat Z receiver. He had an incredible season as a transfer receiver from Ohio State and was dominant in his lone season at Alabama. He averaged an incredible 20.1 yards per reception while also finding the end zone 15 times.
While Williams is a fine route runner, he excels when going deep. He has the natural speed and burst to beat a cornerback off the line of scrimmage while he is creative enough to trick defensive backs deep to get open. That should be his exact role in the NFL, as he can serve as a dangerous deep threat and big-play threat anytime he gets the ball in his hands.
While Metchie fills a bigger need in the slot, Williams is the better prospect. Drafting him would likely move Chase Claypool to the slot, meaning the Steelers would have a trio of fast receivers to stretch defenses. The team would need a higher pick to obtain him, but if he is available in the first when the Steelers are on the clock, he would be a great pick. The team has been lacking big plays on offense. Williams would bring that element back to this offense.
Steelers should target Dean
Given the investment that the team has made at inside linebacker, one would have hoped that this position wouldn’t be a need in 2022. While Joe Schobert has been fine, Devin Bush has been a liability on defense. If the Steelers look to draft a linebacker early in the draft, Nakobe Dean would make a lot of sense.
Dean won the Butkus Award this season as the best collegiate linebacker in 2021, and he has shown why in every game. While not the biggest defender, Dean excels with his aggressiveness and speed from the linebacker spot. He flies around the Bulldogs’ defense and makes plays all over the field. He is even an effective blitzer, as he posted six sacks for Georgia this past year.
His main issue as a defender is his size. He could really use about five to ten pounds more on his frame, so he isn’t pushed out of the play when blocked by a lineman. As well, he needs the additional strength to be able to shed blocks better. That said, Dean has the makings of a great linebacker at the next level. If the Steelers are ready to move on from Bush or Schobert, Dean would be a logical selection in the first round of the draft.
Steelers should target Neal
One of the freakiest linemen at the college level, Evan Neal is huge. 6’6, 360 pounds and he plays well as a tackle is a rare combination for a lineman. He has side flexibility as well, as he made a successful transition from right tackle to left tackle this season. He is easily one of the top linemen in this draft and if the Steelers have the opportunity to draft him, they need to pounce.
Neal’s immense size makes him a natural run blocker. He uses his size to bully opposing linemen out of the way and open holes for running backs. His pass blocking isn’t as refined, but he still anchors well and is effective during passing sets. He is only a junior as well, meaning that he still has some time to develop more as a blocker. He could easily become a top blocker at the next level.
The only issue with him is his mobility. At his size, he doesn’t do well in space and can struggle when on the move. This may limit him more to right tackle as opposed to left tackle. Even if he can only play on the right side, the Steelers need some more talent along the offensive line. Neal would provide just that, and he would reunite with Najee Harris to improve this running game in 2022.
The Steelers will likely be sending scouts to the championship game and for good reason. Both Georgia and Alabama are filled with draftable talent. While the Steelers won’t necessarily use their first-round pick on a player from one of these teams, these five players would be hard to pass up on if they fell to Pittsburgh’s pick.