7 Terrell Edmunds replacement options for Steelers in the 2023 NFL Draft

7. Jordan Battle, 6’1”, 209, Alabama

Jordan Battle is one of my favorite prospects in this entire draft, especially for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Frankly, I expected Battle to be part of last year’s draft class and could have been a top-60 selection then. But Battle recorded another All-SEC 1st-Team season for the Crimson Tide in 2022. He was the senior leader on a defense chock-full of underclassmen talent and still played on special teams.

On the Crimson Tide’s defense, Battle is the de facto strong safety, but Nick Saban and his coaching staff play with two-high shells much more now. Battle is more often tasked with coming downhill into the box to help stop the run. But where he excels the most is in zone coverage in the middle of the field. Battle is great at reading the quarterback and triggering downhill to either break up the pass or wallop the receiver. He is not the best in man coverage against wide receivers, as he is not a superb athlete by any means. 

Battle would be a natural, near-seamless replacement for Terrell Edmunds. He’s not as athletic, but he’s more pro-ready than Edmunds was when the Steelers drafted him. He’s also significantly better at creating turnovers, something Pittsburgh is seemingly fixated on. Both Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin were in attendance at Alabama’s pro day; they also met with Battle at the Combine. Furthermore, Steelers defensive backs coach Grady Brown was one of the principal coaches running the defensive backs through the drills. Of course, the Crimson Tide features a glut of talented prospects, but Battle could be someone the Steelers are taking a closer look at.