5 best NFL Draft prospects the Steelers have shown interest in
By Tommy Jaggi
The Steelers seem likely to draft a quarterback when they are on the clock this year, but here are the five best NFL Draft prospects Pittsburgh has shown interest in.
Just because the Pittsburgh Steelers seem likely to select a quarterback in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft doesn’t mean it’s the right decision. Remember, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert have gotten the pick wrong at times in recent years, and I’m worried that his would be the latest example of that.
There is hope, however. The Steelers have shown some interest in a few very good players this year. If they are willing to steer away from selecting a quarterback with their first pick, it could work out in their favor. Here are the five best prospects Pittsburgh has shown interest in during the pre-draft process:
5. DB Daxton Hill, Michigan
After the Artie Burns fiasco, Steelers fans don’t like to hear “defensive back” and “first round” mentioned in the same sentence together. Even their most recent second-round DB, Senquez Golson, never played an NFL snap for the team.
I get the frustration here. Pittsburgh hasn’t been good at drafting defensive backs. However, this is partially due to a lack of effort over the years. The 2022 draft class is actually quite strong in this area, and the safeties or cornerbacks they could get at pick 20 would be miles better than Artie Burns or even Terrell Edmunds as prospects.
Daxton Hill is a perfect example of that. At 6’0 1/4” and 191 pounds, Hill is a bit lean for a safety, but he is a versatile DB who can cover the slot and stick with receivers in man coverage. Hill could be deployed all over the secondary and he has awareness and ball skills that should help him thrive early in his career.
Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert were at Michigan’s Pro Day, so Hill is technically on the table. So is Clemson CB Andrew Booth for the same reason (who barely missed the cut for this list).