Steelers visit with top CB prospect Christian Gonzalez and three others

The Pittsburgh Steelers are using up their 30 visits fast. As of yesterday, 22 names were already on the list. Now three more were added as four total visits were confirmed on Thursday. Some of the names come as a bit of a surprise.

With just three weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers recently had confirmed visits with TCU guard Steve Avila, South Carolina cornerback Darius Rush, Georgia Tech edge defender Keion White, and Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Of the four names who visited with the Steelers, Steve Avila was the only one we knew about prior to today. After already signing two guards in free agency with Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, Pittsburgh clearly still has an interest in beefing up the offensive line.

The other three names are all new to us -- bring the pre-draft visit list up to 25 out of 30 possible visits used. Darius Rush is a long, athletic cornerback who could be targeted late on day two, while some have talked about pass rusher Keion White going as early as the end of the first round.

However, by far the most interesting name on the list is Christian Gonzalez, as many believe he's one of the best overall prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Could Steelers draft Christian Gonzalez?

If it seems like a pipe dream, that's probably because it is. Since the NFL Combine, Gonzalez has frequently been mocked inside the top ten picks. In fact, it's a surprise to see him fall any lower than that at this point.

At 6'1 3/8'' and 197 pounds with 4.38 speed, Gonzalez pairs elite athletic traits with remarkably smooth hips and change of direction ability. Combine that with plus ball skills, and you have the makings of a premier cornerback prospect.

Because of this, Gonzalez is projected to go much higher than the 17th overall pick -- which makes this visit interesting, to say the least. Would the Steelers be willing to trade up for him? That might be the only way they can land a player like Gonzalez where they are picking.

Of course, stranger things have happened in the NFL Draft, and maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers just wanted to be sure in case he slips a bit. Either way, this is a potential prospect that should have fans excited if Omar Khan can figure out a way to land him later this month.