With the draft upon us, the Steelers have seemingly a slew of potential directions that they can go from their top pick to their final one. While their options are a lot more open than they typically are, there seem to still be quite a few players that you can rule out for the team in the draft process.
Personally, these are six players who I would love to see in a Steelers uniform even if it isn’t likely to happen this year. From players whose value is too high to players that don’t fill an immediate need, I find it hard to imagine that any of these players ultimately end up as selections for the team. That said, I’d irrationally love it if these six players ended up in Pittsburgh.
6. Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
The first of three receivers on this list, Jonathan Mingo was a later find for me than some of the other names you will see on this list. A unique build, Mingo is built like a running back but plays receiver. He has a stout frame that makes it hard to bring him down as well as the necessary moves to make defenders miss in space.
Mingo’s stock has seemingly risen as of late, and the team would likely have to use their third-round pick on the position. With the trade for Allen Robinson and the return of Miles Boykin, I doubt the team goes receiver that early. I think Mingo is going to be a valuable slot receiver in the league, but it doesn’t seem like he will land with the Steelers.
5. Kyu Blue Kelly, CB, Stanford
A name I gravitated to early because of his natural connections to the Steelers, but the team hasn’t seemed as interested. Kyu Blue Kelly is the son of former NFL cornerback Brian Kelly, who had a long career in the league and notably was coached by Mike Tomlin for a spell. This is the type of prospect Pittsburgh normally adores, but his lack of premium tape and being a Western prospect seemingly kept the team away.
Kelly lacks the elite frame or athleticism that the top names in this class have, and his production was fine but not to the level that some of his counterparts produced while in school. That said, he is an accomplished man coverage cornerback, and while his speed isn’t off the chart, he tested well enough and plays faster than his tested number projects.
Kelly doesn’t have the potential of a lock-down cornerback, but if given the time I think he could be a more than capable second option. A deep cornerback class will likely push him into day three, but the Steelers lull in selections from the fourth to seventh round will likely mean he goes elsewhere.
He isn’t pro-ready enough to warrant being the top cornerback for this team’s draft class. Likewise, double dipping with him as the second cornerback in the fourth round seems rich. I like Kelly a lot, and I think he would fit what this defense wants to do, but all of the indicators are working against him and I doubt he ends up with the Steelers.
4. Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia
Of all of the names on this list, I believe that Bryce Ford-Wheaton has the best shot of landing with the Steelers. Even though this team has filled out the receiver roster already, Ford-Wheaton is likely a day-three pick, and the team could warrant taking him.
While his college production wasn’t flashy, his pre-draft process was. He was a huge winner at the combine with his size, length, and athletic testing. Teams will likely look past his lacking production and will salivate at his metrics. He has the makings of a unique deep threat at the next level.
The Steelers have shown their interest in him, as he came in for a pre-draft visit (although he counts as a local visit). Again, it comes down to this big lull between picks on day three, and while a potential trade on draft day could alleviate that, as of now he would have to be the fourth-round pick for this team.
I don’t have a fourth-round grade on Ford-Wheaton and add in the lack of positional need and him being the pick there seems rich. I’m not saying it won’t for sure happen, but it seems like more of a luxury right now. I’m guessing he lands elsewhere once the draft wraps up.
3. Siaki Ika, NT, Baylor
Siaki Ika is a hard prospect to judge during this draft cycle. He is a mauler as a run defender and can take up a lot of space allowing other players’ lanes to make an impact, but he also has no real pass-rush plan and lacks the athleticism to be much more than what he currently is. There is value there, but how much?
For a Steelers team that has lacked a great fit at nose tackle, there is reason to believe that Ika would be an instant upgrade. He is pro-ready given his experience and profile, and I would think that he would easily beat out the current nose tackle candidates on the roster. He would be a limited player, likely only playing 30-40 percent of the defensive snaps, but that role is there.
The issue is, do you use one of your first-round picks on a player with a limited role and a low ceiling? Given the needs of this team, I would argue no, as there can be much better value had at that range. The third round is a different story, but his value seems earlier than that.
While I think it would be fun to see such a run-focused defender back along this defensive line, his perceived value will likely be too high to be worth it. He won’t become an every-down defender for this team, and that isn’t a sound investment in the second round. That said, it would be fun to see a player like Ika in the black and gold nonetheless.
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
The only slam-dunk first-round pick on this list, if you haven’t watched Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s tape from 2021, do yourself a favor and put it on. You’ll find a natural route runner with good hands and the ability to make big plays. Had he put up film similar to that last year, he would likely be a top-ten pick.
Despite struggling with injuries last season, Smith-Njigba is still the best receiver in this class and would be a huge upgrade for the Steelers as a slot receiver. While he can play outside as well, and likely will in the NFL, he is best in the slot given his ability to get open and gain yards after the catch.
While it looked like the Steelers would be adding a receiver to this room during the draft, that seems less likely now. The Robinson trade gives this team four secure receivers and the inherent need isn’t there. Even before that trade, the team wasn’t going to take a receiver in the first round, which is where Smith-Njigba will end up going.
He would have been a fun addition to this offense regardless though, as he would have provided a capable slot receiver with the potential to become an elite player in the league. The lack of a need keeps him off the team, but he would have been a fun fit regardless.
1. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Will Darnell Washington end up being the Steelers pick? Despite a late visit with the team, I find it unlikely. Despite being a unique build and a potential top name at tight end, Pittsburgh has a lot of needs in this draft and has a secure starter in Pat Freiermuth. Add in the desire to trade the 32nd overall pick and Washington’s odds of becoming a pick are slim.
That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be fun to have him here. Washington cut his cloth in college as a blocker, using his frame and strength to serve as essentially a sixth offensive tackle. He isn’t a bad receiver though, as he is a sneaky good athlete and has good hands. There is a lot of development that needs to be done with his route running, but Washington could become a unique threat.
For a Steelers team that has shown the desire to get more physical up front and focus on the run game, Washington would make sense. It would lead to more two tight ends sets and heavier personnel, but it would also give Kenny Pickett another big receiving threat to utilize.
Again, given the desire to get bigger and more physical up front, Washington makes sense for this offense on paper. Given his draft value and the likelihood of a trade at pick 32 though and it seems unlikely that he ends up with the team. It would be a lot of fun to have him land with the Steelers in the draft though.
While there is more mystery than usual surrounding the Steelers draft this year, these six prospects seem like pretty safe bets to not end up on the team’s roster this year. That said, I think each of these players would be a fun addition to the roster, and while it would be impractical, a small part of me irrationally hopes they draft these players.