Steelers draft grades: Pittsburgh steals the show in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
Round 7 (pick 241): CB Cory Trice
In terms of value, this one rivals Darnell Washington for my favorite pick in the class. Cory Trice was an outstanding cover cornerback at Purdue. You just don't see players his size move the way he does.
At 6'3'' and 206 pounds, Trice blew up the NFL Combine with 4.47 speed, an 11' broad jump, a 4.06 20-yard shuttle, and a 6.7 3-cone. The collection of his size and numbers helped him test as a 96th-percentile athlete, according to RAS.
Trice's tape is really good as well. He shows excellent hip flexibility for a player his size and can mirror even smaller, twitchier receivers. Trice also put good ball skills on display with 5 interceptions during his college career.
The biggest question mark here comes with injuries. Trice was only able to finish one season in five years at Purdue -- playing all 13 games in 2022. The talented cornerback has a history that includes an ACL tear and ankle surgery. If he can stay healthy, this has a chance to be the steal of the draft. He was PFF's 77th player on the consensus board, and Omar Khan stole him with pick 241 in the NFL Draft.