Mike Tomlin doesn’t expect stud DL to be available for Steelers pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers attended Georgia’s Pro Day on March 16th, but here’s why Mike Tomlin thinks Jordan Davis will be long gone before pick 20.

For much of the offseason, NFL Draft analysts have predicted that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be targeting a quarterback with their first selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. While this still seems like a strong possibility, the recent free-agent signings could have altered their draft plans a bit.

Mitchell Trubisky is very unlikely to be a long-term option at quarterback for the Steelers, but he does offer them an opportunity to be flexible this year. With a stop-gap signal-caller in place, Pittsburgh may be able to wait until the 2023 NFL Draft to address the QB position.

If they decide to go this route, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggested that the Steelers could be setting themselves up to draft a stud defensive player. One of the players who should be at the center of their draft radar is Georgia defensive lineman, Jordan Davis.

Pittsburgh remarkably had the worst run defense in the NFL last season in terms of rushing yards allowed and yards per carry surrendered. Much of this had to do with the absence of Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu. Sadly, Alualu might not have much left in the tank at nearly 35 years old and coming off an ankle injury, while Tuitt is not guaranteed to come back at all.

Jordan Davis was a dominating run-stuffer for the Georgia Bulldogs this past season, and his physical traits for a player his size are something we only see once in a generation. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like the Steelers have much chance of landing a player like Davis, and Mike Tomlin knows it.

Pittsburgh had their brass on hand at Georgia’s Pro Day as Tomlin, Kevin Colbert, and Brian Flores all joined the festivities (in addition to a few other positional coaches). When asked whether or not Jordan Davis would make a good Steeler, Tomlin kept his response brief and precise, but admitted that he won’t last that long in the draft:

At least Tomlin is realistic. After Davis blew up the NFL Combine the way he did, I would be floored if he somehow managed to slip past teams like the Ravens, Chargers, and Browns all the way to the 20th overall pick.

Though Davis is becoming a fading dream for the Steelers in the first, there are other Bulldogs they could consider early in the 2022 NFL Draft:

Steelers will still consider Georgia players

This Georgia football team is one of the most talented units we have seen in recent memory, and they could have a record number of defenders being drafted inside the first three rounds. If the Steelers miss out on Davis (and they likely will), they could have an interest in fellow defensive tackle, Devonte Wyatt. Of the two, Wyatt is the better overall pass rusher and more productive player — very much in the mold of former Steeler, Javon Hargrave.

Of course, there’s always the chance that they aren’t eying the DL in round one at all. If this is the case, they could view the 20th pick as a good spot to land a premier linebacker like Nakobe Dean — a player who has an incredible combination of quickness, instincts, and physicality.

In round two, someone like WR George Pickens makes a ton of sense, and the Steelers have shown a great deal of interest in him. I also wouldn’t rule out a surprise first-round pick in a player like safety Lewis Cine if Pittsburgh loses Terrell Edmunds in free agency. Cine checks practically every box the Steelers look for early in the draft.

We knew that every team was going to have representatives on hand for the biggest Pro Day of the offseason, but the Steelers will have some serious interest in many of these players early in the NFL Draft — even if they can’t get a guy like Jordan Davis.