Steelers/NFL
Steelers Draft Buzz
The Pittsburgh Steelers will begin hosting draft prospects this week at the team’s Southside complex. A process that will go on for the next three weeks.
Among the headliners in the first week of visits are 1st round defensive prospect Cameron Jordan (6-4, 287) and Texas cornerback Curtis Brown.
Brown (6-0, 185) who the Steelers are expressing a high level of interest in, is scheduled for a two day visit on March 30-31. He is considered a second round draft prospect.
Cameron Jordan out of Cal, is considered a major longshot to be around for when the Steelers select at No. 31 and is widely considered the No. 3 rated defensive end on the board and a top-25 pick.
He’s an excellent 3-4 defensive end prospect.
Steelers/Cornerbacks Buzz
The Steelers are expected to bring in 7-to-8 cornerbacks for visits but the team going with a corner in the first round is no sure thing.
This is such a deep draft and there figures to be better value for the Steelers at other positions of interest for the No. 31 selection.
Buzz around the league is that the Steelers are more likely to grab a corner in the second and third round due to their being good value in both rounds.
Among the corners who could be a fit at No. 31, the team is said to have no interest in Colorado’s Jimmy Smith due to character concerns.
If the Steelers go cornerback at No. 31, the most logical fit is Texas cornerback Aaron Williams (6-0, 204lbs). Williams is viewed as a cover corner but some scouts project him as a better safety down the road due to his lack of speed. Ran a 4.55 at the combine.
With Polamalu’s injury history and Ryan Clark’s age, a versatile player with the ability to play corner that could move to safety in a few years, is not necessarily a bad thing for the Steelers.
The only other cornerback who would have some value at No. 31 is Miami’s Brandon Harris (5-10, 191 lbs).
Harris met with head coach Mike Tomlin a few weeks ago during Miami’s shortended pro-day. I spoke with agent Alonzo Shavers on Friday evening after Harris’ rescheduled pro-day on the 25th and Shavers believes there is a a pretty strong level of interest from Pittsburgh in his client.
However, scouts around the league don’t see the Steelers taking a corner in the first round whose “5-10” on a good day.
The Steelers eye size from their corners and there’s several corners who are expected to be of interest in the second round, who fit what the Steelers are looking for.
Those intriguing 2nd round corner prospects include Texas CB Curtis Brown, New Mexico CB Davon House (6-1 200, 4.44), Utah’s Brandon Burton (6-0 190, 4.50) and Virginia’s Ras-I Dowling (6-1 198, 4.40).
Another thought around the league is that the Steelers need to change their philosophy in what they look for in corners. They eye these corners with good size like Keenan Lewis who end up showing no ability to cover 1-on-1. That’s an ability a good corner can show immediately.
More Draft Tidbits
Other known visits for the Steelers in the upcoming week include Citadel cornerback Cortez Allen, who I’m told will visit the Steelers in the first week of April.
The Steelers have also scheduled visits with Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones and UT-Chattanooga cornerback Buster Skrine, according to the National Football Post.
Baylor DT Phil Taylor, a potential late first round – second round pick, will visit the Steelers on April 12.
Visits sometimes mean nothing and teams just bring in players to bring them in, like for example, the Steelers bringing Dez Bryant in for a visit last year.
