There are plenty of mid to late round prospects that the Steelers will be keeping a close eye on in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Another year of All-star games to watch NFL hopefuls show coaches what they have to offer. The East-West Shrine bowl is one of the top games during the pre-draft process to have some future NFL players show what they got. This game will be played on Thursday at 8:30 P.M. EST.
The Steelers should be paying close attention to some of these players as they only have a couple of picks at the tail end of the draft. They need to utilize these selections wisely to try and make this roster as competitive as possible. Many of these players should intrigue the black and gold as they prove their worth through practice and during the game itself.
Center could be an interesting addition for the Steelers during the draft
Center might not seem like the biggest need for Pittsburgh heading into the draft, but it is a position they cannot ignore. Mason Cole was signed as a free agent last year and had a decent season during his first year with the Steelers. He should not be held high above the mantle as he caused issues across the offensive line as well.
Enter Ricky Stromberg as a mid-round draft pick and it would be solid value for the black and gold. They get a guy that has a ton of experience at center and could always shift to guard at the next level. Having Stromberg and Cole battle for the starting spot only causes iron to sharpen iron and could shift the loser to the left guard position. The interior of the offensive line needs an upgrade so adding Stormberg and shifting Cole to guard could be a great situation.
Mekhi Garner could be an interesting cornerback option later in the draft
Cornerback is one of the biggest needs for the Steelers this offseason, but they might have to wait to pick someone up in the draft. The hope is that Cam Sutton will be re-signed before free agency begins. That would take away the urgency for addressing the position as there are capable corners that could still handle the workload.
If Sutton does not re-sign then this position might be a top three need heading into free agency and the draft. Many have called for a cornerback to be taken by Pittsburgh in the first round of many mock drafts, but that is not safe to assume. They will likely look into the trenches to try and upgrade on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Looking at the secondary later in the draft process seems like more of a possibility if you assume Sutton and Terrell Edmunds re-sign with the team. The mid to late rounds could be a good possibility and that is where a prospect like Mekhi Garner comes into play. He is a big physical corner coming out of one of the toughest conferences in college football.
He has ideal size that every NFL team is looking for in their cornerbacks. Garner is better in man coverage than in zone because of the way he plays. He needs to get into the face of receivers to try and combat their start after the snap.
Luke Schoonmaker could replace Zach Gentry late in the draft
Tight end is another quiet position of need for the Steelers during the offseason. Connor Heyward is back and so is Pat Freiermuth, but Zach Gentry is currently scheduled to become a free agent soon. Pittsburgh would like to re-sign Gentry as their best blocking tight end, but there might not be enough money to go around.
Oddly enough, Gentry and Jake Schoonmaker have comparable stats coming out of Michigan. They both had low production at the collegiate level as a receiver and could not accomplish an all-around game. One of the biggest things that Schoonmaker will need to show in the East-West Shrine Bowl event is his blocking ability.
The Steelers could look to replace a Gentry type with someone that reminds them of him in Schoonmaker. He is a big guy that needs work to develop at the next level. He could become a solid addition to the run blocking department as long as he gets the proper coaching in Pittsburgh.
Right now, this prospect is projected to be a mid to late round selection, and this would not be the worst way for the black and gold to use one of their day three selections. Getting a developmental tight end to come in and stay at your third spot on your depth chart is good value. That will give Heyward more responsibilities in year two.
P.J. Mustipher could help stop the Steelers run defense by adding a Nose tackle
Defensive line needs an overhaul for Pittsburgh as they try and find a stable future for the group. Cam Heyward will be back, and he has not shown signs of regression with his game. Larry Ogunjobi is scheduled to become a free agent, which the Steelers would like to stop by re-signing him if possible. The rest of the group is in question regarding potential starters and depth.
DeMarvin Leal will be back for his second year as the black and gold hold onto hope that he can take a step forward in year two. Montravius Adams had a bad season in 2022, and Tyson Alualu needs to hang up his cleats for good. Addressing the defensive tackle and nose tackle positions in the trenches must happen.
P.J. Mustipher could be a player of interest for the Steelers as the East-West Shrine Bowl has allowed this nose tackle to star. He is mostly a pure nose tackle heading into the next phase of his football career. Run defense is the name of the game for this player and he could be had in the later portions of the draft.
You are not going to get a lot of pass rush from this long time Penn State starter. He is good at stopping the run and has continued to show that during the East-West practices leading up to the game. The Steelers would be taking Mustipher by using one of their day three selections with the thought of directly combatting their defensive issues against the run.
Charlie Thomas could be a developmental selection by the Steelers in 2023
Inside linebacker needs to be addressed either in free agency or the early rounds of the draft. Looking at different prospects in the later rounds should also be considered as not only will starters be gone this offseason, but depth will be depleted too. There are some interesting prospects at the East-West Shrine Bowl that could interest the Steelers.
Devin Bush and Robert Spillane continued to be the weakest links on the roster for the black and gold. Both are scheduled to become free agents and Bush seems like a sure bet to be leaving the franchise that drafted him. Spillane could always return, but that marriage should be over if you ask most fans.
Perhaps addressing the need at inside linebacker both via free agency and the draft would be the best idea. Charlie Thomas is an interesting player as he is too lean to be a true inside linebacker at the next level, but his flexibility could interest the Steelers. Marcus Allen has a similar build to Thomas, but this player is much more experienced at the linebacker position entering his NFL career.
Thomas is weighing around 211 pounds currently as he stands at 6’2. He is going to struggle to get off blocks at the next level, but a late-round pick on this player could provide a defense some options on coverage downs. This linebacker out of Georgia Tech put up monster numbers in his final year at college, including over 100 tackles and two interceptions.
The Steelers will keep a close eye on the East-West Shrine Bowl as it kicks off this Thursday. The week full of practices that have led up to this game has given Pittsburgh a lot of opportunities to monitor these prospects.