The Senior Bowl gives us a first look at draft prospects, and these four upcoming rookies just look like future Pittsburgh Steelers players.
The NFL Senior Bowl has provided us with the first round of measurements for some of the top players in the upcoming draft class. While the combine will showcase measurements for a wider variety of prospects, the Senior Bowl allows those numbers to circulate earlier. For teams that are peculiar to a certain size at certain positions (as the Steelers are known to be), this is a big opportunity.
Not only do we get measurements, but we also get the chance to see these players take part in drills and in a game. All of this culminates in an early look for NFL teams at some different players they will want to target in the upcoming draft. Here are four prospects that just look like Steelers players following the Senior Bowl.
Steelers may target a mammoth tackle
The Steelers had a knack for targeting bigger offensive tackles in recent years. Alejandro Villanueva, Zach Banner, and even Mark Gilbert were taller and heavier tackles. That trend seemed to continue last year, as the team had a lot of interest in current Ravens right tackle Daniel Faalele. They missed on him in the draft but could get an even better big guy.
Dawand Jones measured in at the Senior Bowl at a whopping 6’8, 375 pounds, and an insane arm length of 36 and 5/8 inches. Despite being a huge man, he has sneaky athleticism (considering the size) and is a mauling presence on any line. Assuming he stays healthy and tests well, he should squarely be in the conversation for a Steelers target.
Steelers could look for some bloodlines at CB
The Steelers secondary could easily become one of their bigger positions of need if they lose both Cameron Sutton and Terrell Edmunds in free agency. Even if brought back, this team is still lacking a legitimate star cornerback, and this draft seems to have a lot of options. A name already drumming up some interest is Stanford’s Kyu Blu Kelly.
Kelly has the prototypical size teams look for in cornerbacks and he is predominantly a man coverage player. He is a very physical player that will attack the run and hit receivers hard when given the chance. He can also kick inside to the slot, where his style and knack for man coverage would likely excel.
On top of all of this, he is the son of former Buccaneers cornerback Brian Kelly. The Steelers like it when prospects have NFL bloodlines, and Kelly fits the bill. Add in his play style and the need at the position, and Kelly should have placed himself on Pittsburgh’s radar now that the Senior Bowl has wrapped up.
Steelers can finally nab a run stuffer
Keeanu Benton is a name that has already garnered a lot of Steelers buzz this week. From his playstyle to his size to the fact that the team has shown interest in him already, Benton has already tied himself to Pittsburgh. It makes sense though, as the Wisconsin nose tackle looks the part of a modern run plugger.
6’3, 312 pounds is a great size to command the middle of the field. While some prefer the oversized 330+ pound linemen, Benton had little issue stopping the run in college. His lighter frame means he is also more agile and could become a better pass rusher. If not, he could always bulk up a few pounds to garner more traction along the interior.
The Steelers need to get an upgrade at nose tackle, and Benton has everything this team could want in a player. Add in the supposed verbal interest the team has already shown to Benton and this seems like a logical pairing. A lot of mock drafts will include Benton following all of these connections.
The Steelers have a natural fit at guard
While offensive guard isn’t the Steelers biggest position of need, getting an upgrade over Kevin Dotson is certainly on the table. There isn’t a premiere interior lineman in this class as of yet, as a few names are seemingly vying for that top spot. After the Senior Bowl though, it may be O’Cyrus Torrence who creeps into the first-round conversation.
Standing at nearly 6’5, and 337 pounds, Torrence is a big man that can move. Add in his length and he fits the mold of what this team typically looks for in an interior lineman. They tried and failed to utilize an undersized guard in Kendrick Green, and they can amend that by landing a force to be reckoned with in Torrence.
What I’m really happy with is that Torrence actually shed some weight for the Senior Bowl. He can definitely benefit from keeping his weight in the 330 range. His power and strength have been on display and have hopefully caught the eye of this team. Torrence has to be a consideration for this team early in the draft.
The Senior Bowl gave us the first look at some potential Steelers draft prospects. While a lot of these names make sense for the team, these four just look like Steelers players. From their size to their playing style, keep an eye on these prospects moving forward.