With the NFL combine upon us, here are six prospects the Steelers have to be all over once they get to Indiana.
The yearly NFL combine will go a long way in determining what players are and aren’t on the Steelers’ radar. As well, given the team likes their prospects to test as plus athletes, a bad day in Indiana could take some guys off the team’s board entirely.
While there will be plenty of time to scout after the combine, this is the second big domino to fall after the collegiate bowl games. Here are six prospects the Steelers have to be all over at the combine.
Steelers need to watch Watson
A name that significantly boosted his stock at the Senior Bowl, Christian Watson is a freaky looking athlete at receiver. Despite being listed at 6’5, he comes in at a lanky 208 pounds but can fly down the field. His deep catching ability was on display in Mobile as well as while at North Dakota St. Now it’s time to see if his testing numbers match the film.
For starters, one has to wonder if he will measure in close to what he was listed at. College teams are known to fudge those numbers consistently (Kendrick Green was listed as 6’4 at Illinois). That said, Watson will still likely be a taller name at the receiver position. As well, his athletic numbers should be intriguing. He appears fast on tape, and if he tests as such, he could cement himself as a day two pick.
The Steelers have an obvious need at receiver and Watson could be a mid-draft target to fill that need. They talked with him at the Senior Bowl, so the interest is clearly there. It’ll be interesting to see if they take some time to formally meet with him in Indiana as well. A solid day of testing and some more interest from the team could lead to him being a target in the third round to replenish this room.
Steelers need to watch Beavers
One of my early favorites in the draft, Darrian Beavers would be a good fit for what this team needs at inside linebacker moving forward. While Devin Bush will likely get one last chance to prove himself, the team will need a new face to take over from the likely departing Joe Schobert. Beavers is an oversized linebacker that is a throwback to some of the names from the 90s, but he appears to be athletic enough to keep up at the NFL level.
He has the body of an edge defender but plays like an off-ball linebacker. As a former safety, he should be quite the athletic specimen as well. If he doesn’t test as at least a good athlete though, his stock could tumble. The second day of this off-ball linebacker group is extremely close. Some bad numbers from Beavers could lead to him tumbling to day three of the draft.
As for the Steelers, Beavers can be that throwback run stuffer that they lost when Vince Williams retired. Beavers is aggressive, can fill gaps, and is an explosive pass rusher from the inside. If he tests well, circle him as a second-round target that could start right away while he develops his coverage skills.
Steelers need to watch Burks
While receiver isn’t the biggest need for the Steelers, Treylon Burks has to be on the team’s first-round radar given just how talented he is. The Arkansas receiver is a bigger body guy who excels at making the physical catch and fighting for yards. As well, he has that running back build for a receiver that Deebo Samuel possesses. He could be used in a similar role if he were taken, and that kind of weapon has proven to be invaluable for the 49ers.
As for his athleticism, there is a real chance that Burks will run in the 4.3s despite being a heavier 225 pounds. That rare blend of athleticism and ability to get the ball in his hands in a variety of ways will make him a dynamic weapon. It won’t matter who is throwing passes for the team because they will have a bevy of options to choose from.
While the Steelers taking a receiver at pick 20 would be a little rich, it can’t be counted out given how dynamic Burks could be. Just as likely a good showing at the combine may put him right out of the team’s range. As of now, the Draft Network has him listed as the 24th best prospect, but that could quickly change if he lights up the combine. Again, taking a receiver so early is a stretch, but Burks may be too good to pass up if he is there at pick 20.
Steelers need to watch Willis
It came as a minor shock that the Steelers were so interested in Malik Willis out of all of the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl. While the athletic option has a lot of positive traits, he also has some obvious warts that would have to be developed long term. Now the focus will be on how the team treats Willis at the combine, as further interest could continue linking the two together.
Willis doesn’t have much to gain at the combine, unfortunately, as almost everyone expects him to test extremely well as an athlete. If he doesn’t, don’t be surprised to see him drop a few spots on most draft boards. That said, I’m more curious about how much interest the team carries over to him at the combine. If they are drooling over him as they did at the Senior Bowl, then one has to consider him a front runner for their first-round pick.
Another element worth noting is what he actually measures size-wise. No, he won’t be the prototypical size for a quarterback, but he could end up being built similarly to fellow top quarterback Sam Howell. That said, the team’s interactions and his actual athletic testing will be the more important information here. Another heavy dose of interest could cause him to become a favorite to land with the team in the draft.
Steelers need to watch Gardner
In all honestly, all three of the top cornerbacks could have claimed this spot. Ahmad Gardner lands here due to him being the most likely one to fall to pick 20, but there is so much jockeying for position between him, Derek Stingley, and Andrew Booth. If any of the three make it to pick 20, the Steelers should be all over them.
Gardner has been one of the most prolific coverage corners since starting for the Bearcats. He has the size and athleticism to hold up in man coverage while also having the physicality at the line to play more press-man. The Steelers had to step away from this last season due to worse cornerback play, but Gardner could help them get back there.
While cornerback won’t be a top need like a receiver (assuming the team signs a cornerback to start), Gardner would be impossible to pass on if he fell that far. As well, it will be interesting to see how many defensive backs the Steelers meet with in general. While free agency will likely land them a starter, they could still draft someone to develop. Gardner would be a huge get if he was available, but the team will have to show interest there first.
Steelers need to watch Linderbaum
As is well documented and discussed, there are a lot of Steelers fans that want this team to draft Tyler Linderbaum. Arguably one of the best center prospects in the past ten years on film, he has all of the makings of an elite player. He plays with a lot of aggressiveness and great technique overall. Linderbaum could be the solution this team needs along the line.
Unfortunately, the reason the Steelers need to be watching him at the combine isn’t for a great reason. While he should test well as an athlete and his blocking tape is impressive, he isn’t a big prospect. Iowa lists him at 6’3 290 pounds, which is about as small as you would want in a center. As stated before, it isn’t uncommon for college teams to list their players bigger than they actually are, so there is a real chance Linderbaum comes in significantly smaller than anticipated.
This could really hurt his draft stock if he does. That said, coming in smaller would be a double-edged sword. Being smaller would push him down into the realm of possibility at pick 20, but the team may not want another undersized center. How he measures in will be key to what happens to his draft stock. It should be one of the bigger storylines for the Steelers considering their need along the offensive line.
The Steelers will be as present as ever at the combine as they seek to fill a roster full of holes. While they will talk with a slew of prospects, these six, in particular, deserve some special attention. Each would be fits for the team, but they need to show up and perform well at the combine. That said, a solid showing could land them atop of the Steelers draft list.