The NFL Combine is this week, and tons of prospects will be in attendance. From the perceived top ten picks to the players who are fighting to get selected in the draft. Each player will attempt to raise their draft stock this week through a series of workouts and different tests. It will bring mixed results for each player.
Some will shine and others will fall short. This is not the end-all-be-all for these prospects as they have a bunch of other things in the future that could allow them to get better. One thing that the combine brings is interviews. Teams will be allowed to talk to the prospects in attendance and see what their personalities are like. The Steelers have some top targets in the upcoming draft that will be participating.
The Steelers will keep an eye on Kris Jenkins during the NFL Combine
One area where the Steelers want to get younger is defensive tackle. Cam Heyward is getting older and coming off an injury-riddled season. He should be able to bounce back, but it's not fair to expect him to return at the level he was playing at a year prior. Pittsburgh seems ready to invest another high-value pick into the defensive trenches for a second year in a row.
Kris Jenkins is a name to watch. He didn't have great production at Michigan, but he has a lot of good qualities that should help him become a quality player at the next level. His week at the NFL Combine should be a strong one. Jenkins is a strong athlete for his size and will be turning 23 years old a little after the start of his rookie season.
He is just a part of the chunk of talent departing Michigan and entering the NFL during this year's draft. Jenkins is a player that should test well and start to get some attention on draft boards. His lack of production in college is going to remain a concern. The Steelers would need to coach him up, but you can't teach the physical tools that he will bring with him.
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger could raise his Draft stock at the event
From one side of the trenches to the other. The Steelers seem prepared to add to both sides of the ball. They want defensive linemen, but they also want to upgrade their offensive line. They just cut Mason Cole in a surprising move. It makes sense as they opened up cap space and Cole has been disappointing since becoming the starting center in Pittsburgh.
It was shocking since they could have released someone like Nate Herbig for similar savings and kept Cole who has plenty of starting experience at both guard and center. They decided to move on, and center is now one of their top needs heading into this offseason. Both free agency and the draft are strong at the position, so the black and gold should find an upgrade.
Most of the top centers in the draft have already seen interest from the Steelers. Jackson Powers-Johnson and Zach Frazier have had their names connected to Pittsburgh through plenty of mock drafts. One name that has to be in the conversation moving forward that has fallen off a little bit since the end of the college football season is Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.
He did not participate in the Senior Bowl, which put him behind the eight ball. He is still considered the third-best center in this class, but the NFL Combine should help his cause. Van Pran-Granger should be able to apply quality testing numbers to his profile. If he can do that then he might be able to carry that into a second-round draft pick.
An athletic linebacker like Trevin Wallace will entice many in Pittsburgh
If the black and gold decide to go outside the box with one of their top picks, they could use it on a linebacker. Some of these players will have terrific numbers at the NFL Combine, and Trevin Wallace should be one of them. He has to score well down in Indianapolis as his game relies on his physical abilities to be a strong prospect in this draft.
You can see his athleticism when you watch the film that he put out of Kentucky. The Steelers will see that and put him into consideration with one of their top picks. We know that they like Edgerrin Cooper, so they might be investigating their options at middle linebacker. They have plenty of pressing issues across their roster, and linebacker has become an increasing one.
With the return of Cole Holcomb still unknown, linebacker could become a major concern moving into this offseason. Kwon Alexander is a pending free agent and is coming off of a season-ending injury of his own. Pittsburgh needs stability and a long-term future in the position to help this defense. The Steelers could see Wallace as someone who could become that long-term option.
He is only 21 years old coming out of the draft and could be a great piece to mold. Wallace could have returned to school, but he opted to enter the draft instead. He is coming off his best statistical season yet. He has a lot of athleticism to work with, which is a strong trait to have. The Steelers have shown in the past that they want athletes that they can mold into certain position players.
Many have the Steelers interested in Amarius Mims in most mock drafts
Perhaps one of the favorites right now to be the Steeler's top pick in the draft is at right tackle. Amarius Mims out of Georgia specifically has become a hot commodity in most of the mock drafts that have come out recently. He is similar to Broderick Jones coming out of last year's draft based on a couple of traits.
Both Jones and Mims are on the younger side coming out of college, and both could be considered raw. They have high upsides, but it will take proper coaching to get that out of the player. It should also be noted that both are quality athletes for their respective sizes. Those are different things that the Steelers look for in their top draft picks.
With Jones being their top pick last year, it isn't hard to make the connection with Mims this time around. Pittsburgh watched so much film on Jones that they were bound to learn about Mims. That could have tipped them off. Keep those different things in mind during the NFL Combine this week as Mims will reportedly work out at the event.
He has high upside and should be able to slide into the starting right tackle spot at some point in his rookie year. He might be seen as rawer than Jones was coming out of Georgia. He just needs some extra seasoning, and the Steelers have starting options if they want him to sit on the bench for a while to learn. Mims is a top name for Pittsburgh right now, and the combine should help his first-round chase.
Khyree Jackson should have a good week at the NFL Combine
Cornerback is another sore spot on the Steeler's roster as they head into the offseason. They might make some moves between now and the start of free agency. Levi Wallace is a pending free agent, and the future of Patrick Peterson is currently unknown. It seems like Wallace will leave and Peterson will stick around in another role, but nothing has been finalized.
Pittsburgh likes their corners to have some swagger and physicality with their game. Joey Porter Jr. is the perfect example as he is not afraid to cover someone one-on-one and play some press coverage. He was tremendous but the opposite side is empty, and the slot role remains a need. Cornerback could be a position the Steelers have to double-dip at.
There will be plenty of quality cornerbacks at the event, and this position is one affected by their combine results. They could still redeem themselves at their Pro Days, but the combine is where a lot of their draft stock goes. These players need to show agility and speed. They have to keep up with the elite receivers in the NFL.
Khyree Jackson is a raw cornerback coming out of Oregon who has limited starting experience at a big college program. He has a tremendous size that many NFL evaluators will love to see. If he can show that his speed will only complement that size, then Jackson will be rising draft boards. The Steelers will surely show interest in a player like him after a strong showing at the combine.