It seems like each fan wants the Steelers to invest more in the offense going forward. They have one of the highest-paid defenses in the NFL, but the league is more geared toward high-scoring offenses. The Steelers might be starting to change their idea of how to succeed in the modern-day NFL. Even though they need plenty of help on offense, they do have some holes to fill on defense.
An aging core of stars on defense brings a potential investment in a plan for the future. Cam Heyward isn't getting any younger, and there remain concerns in the secondary. It makes logical sense for Pittsburgh to remain invested in defense as that group finds different ways to keep the club in games. The offense is the way of the league, but the defense has plenty of issues to fix in the draft.
Darius Robinson might have been the best EDGE rusher at the Senior Bowl
One name that wasn't really on many evaluators' radar heading into the Senior Bowl was Darius Robinson. The Missouri product was well graded, but many saw different names circled higher on their boards heading into the Senior Bowl. He had a tremendous week of practices and should be able to find himself into a high day two pick.
The Steelers don't need to take an edge rusher high in the upcoming NFL Draft. They still have T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, but they also have Nick Herbig waiting in the wings. Taking an edge rusher early in the draft makes little sense for Pittsburgh. Someone like Robinson could be tempted if he remains available with either of their day two selections.
One way he could make sense for the black and gold is if they envision him sliding inside to play defensive tackle in their defense. Maybe they see him as a potential DeMarvin Leal type of build with a higher upside. Robinson is a great prospect who is coming off his strongest season of production yet. He has a high ceiling and his time at the Senior Bowl only did him favors.
Jarvis Brownlee is a cornerback that could interest the Steelers
One of the biggest risers from the Senior Bowl was none other than Jarvis Brownlee Jr. He is a fifth-year Senior coming out of Louisville. He started off his collegiate career at Florida State. He spent three seasons there with limited production before deciding to transfer. He moved on to play for the Louisville Cardinals.
He had a breakout season in 2022 and had his most productive season in terms of pass deflections and interceptions. He fell off some in terms of production this past year, but his ability was still on full display. The Senior Bowl was the perfect opportunity for him to show NFL scouts in attendance that he can hang with top prospects in this class.
He is a feisty player who is not afraid to play in the dirty areas of football. The Steelers will fall in love with that aspect of his game. He is undersized so that could be an issue for him to remain as an outside corner. Brownlee might be better off moving into the slot cornerback position at the pro level. He is a talented player who should see his draft stock remain on the rise.
If the draft were held tomorrow, Brownlee would likely end up being a day-two selection. He could become a second-round lock if he remains on this track or even gets into the late first-round conversation. The Steelers need another outside cornerback to start opposite Joey Porter Jr. and Brownlee fits the bill for what Pittsburgh wants from their starting corners.
T'Vondre Sweat seemed to secure a top round slot in the NFL Draft
A couple of defensive linemen stood out amongst the crowd down at the Senior Bowl this past week. The Steelers have an aging group in the trenches on the defensive side of things. Cam Heyward will be back, but the black and gold need to iron out a plan. Larry Ogunjobi had a down year and could become a cap casualty if the Steelers decide his cap hit isn't worth it.
Keeanu Benton was tremendous for a rookie last year and seems to be ready to have a strong NFL career. They used a second-round pick on the defensive tackle position in last year's draft, but they might need to do it again. Pittsburgh needs to remain consistent in investing intoOne the trenches on both sides of the ball. That is where T'Vondre Sweat comes in.
Unless a top defensive tackle drops to the Steelers in the first round, they should be targeting one on day two of the draft. Sweat could be a perfect option for the black and gold in the second round. He fits the mold of what the Steelers look for in their defensive line. He is a tough guy who plays the position with the right mindset that just fits the team's identity.
Sweat has little pass rush production at the college level and that should drop his draft stock some. His potential is there, and he could remind many of Benton when he was coming out of college last year. He will need to work on his pass-rushing technique at the next level, but he is a good defender against the run. Sweat has a great week at the Senior Bowl in one-on-one drills.
Tykee Smith got a lot of interest from the Steelers at the Senior Bowl
One of the players spotted talking to Mike Tomlin during practice was Tykee Smith. He is an interesting prospect that brings flexibility to his game. It would be up to whichever team drafts him to figure out the best way to deploy him. Smith has played at plenty of spots throughout the secondary during his time in college.
Tomlin should have some familiarity with Smith as he started off his college career at West Virginia. He eventually transferred over to Georgia to become a Bulldog. That is where he took his game to the next level. That decision likely shoved his name into the day two prospect conversation more than if he remained at West Virginia. He is a talented player that can do a lot for your defense.
He played in the "star" position for both West Virginia and Georgia. That means that he was deployed all over the field based on what was called on defense. He lined up at safety, slot cornerback, and linebacker in different situations. That flexibility will only strengthen his draft stock moving forward. The Steelers would love to add someone like that to their roster.
Smith had a strong week down at the Senior Bowl and him communicating with Tomlin will surely strengthen his connection to the black and gold. His position flexibility will be something they have to entertain in the second round if he is still available. They wanted Patrick Peterson to have some position flexibility, but Smith is younger and could give you plenty of more options with the amount of experience he has doing it.
Quinyon Mitchell might have had the best week at the Senior Bowl
Already a strong candidate to be taken on day two of the draft, Quinyon Mitchell will be soaring to the first-round conversation. His Senior Bowl week might have been one of the most dominant out of any prospects in attendance last week. The cornerback coming out of Toledo is someone that many scouts are enthralled by.
He does not possess the perfect size for an ideal NFL cornerback, but he plays aggressively and with good technique. Tomlin was in his ear to go up against the best receiver at the Senior Bowl, Roman Wilson out of Michigan. Mitchell did a tremendous job in coverage all week and might have gotten himself in the first-round conversation because of it.
He still has a long way to go before he could potentially hear his name called on night one of the draft. If he can test well at the combine, then expect a strong possibility for the Toledo product to get plenty of first-round buzz. The Steelers might see him as too rich of a pick at 20, but he has started to show that he could be a strong outside corner option in the NFL.
Pittsburgh needs an upgrade opposite of Porter, so maybe taking Mitchell in the first round wouldn't be too crazy. It would be a better value pick in the second round, but it is unlikely that he will still be available by the time the Steelers pick. Mitchell might not have the ideal frame of a cornerback, but his play has been tremendous thus far.