1:01 9.6 CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado (Junior). 6-0⅜, 188 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born May 18, 2003 (21 years old). The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner who also won the Chuck Bednarik Award for best defensive player in CFB, and also the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best WR. It’s never happened before, and may never happen again. Pittsburgh could use young talent at both positions, which makes Hunter the best skill position candidate one can imagine. It’s a dream, and it ain’t gonna happen, but let’s enjoy it while we can. Note that his head coach in college was Deion Sanders, so we can assume the young Mr. Hunter is fairly advanced in his fundamentals as well as his native talent and results. CB Hun 1:01 9.6 CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado (Junior). 6-0⅜, 188 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born May 18, 2003 (21 years old). WR Hun 1:05 9.3 EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State (Junior). 6-3, 250 lbs. with 33” arms and __” hands. Born Jan. 2, 2004 (21 years old). Ain’t gonna happen. I’ve seen him routinely placed as the #1 pick in the draft! Would the Steelers grab him up if he somehow became available? Abso-friggin’-lutely. Edge is nothing like a need at the moment, but it’s also the most important spot on the defense, and one hates to imagine how Pittsburgh’s would change if T.J. Watt got hurt. Abdul Carter has phenomenal, first step burst, which is the asset Pittsburgh looks for most. His background as an ILB has also made him a fine tackler. That said, he’s new to setting the edge, needs to add some sand to his pants, and has very little in the way of actual pass rush moves or skill at hand fighting. Carter is the best longer-term, Edge position play a team could make at the Edge position, but is likely to disappoint if he’s asked to play significant snaps in his rookie year. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report ends in the typical Top-10 grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile has Carter as his #2 talent overall. EDGE Car 1:05 8.5 QB Cam Ward, Miami (Senior). 6-1⅝, 219 lbs. with 9” hands. Born May 25, 2002 (22 years old). Honestly? I might sum up Cam Ward as a poor man’s Justin Fields. There is a very similar 1-in-10 chance to be great, and he will always have his top shelf character, brilliant athleticism, rocket arm, and elite mobility to fall back on. But fans of the team that drafts him need to understand that he’ll come with a multiyear learning curve, and would really benefit from a genuine redshirt year to learn the pro game while working on his mechanics. With that year off, he’s got legitimate Round 1 upside. As an immediate starter? Eek. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report complains bitterly about the large number of bad turnovers, and ends in an early 2nd grade due to that flaw and the underlying mechanics that cause them. QB War 1:10 8.9 CB Will Johnson, Michigan. 6-1¾” 202 lbs. with 30⅛” arms and 30⅛” hands. Born March 29, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] The best of this year’s Avatar CBs, Johnson has the length, speed, build, toughness, and experience you look for. And he could be a bargain, since he missed most of the 2024 season with a turf toe injury. The 2024 film showed an obvious Round 1 talent with typical college problems like being too handsy, and guessing a bit too often. I.e., fixable problems. A good tackler who excels in both man and zone, except when he makes mistakes. Comes from a tough, swarming defense that plays with a Pittsburgh attitude, if not scheme. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report ends in a Top-10 grade, saying that “Johnson’s short-area movement skills are amongst the best in the class. His extremely fluid hips allow him to capitalize on his quick reactions to shift his body constantly.” The only real question marks go to long speed. “He’s fast enough to keep up with most receivers but isn’t a burner like the Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen. Johnson can make up for this with his top-notch acceleration.” Daniel Jeremiah called him a prototypical height/weight/speed CB during the Combine coverage, with very good skills to match. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (strong Round 1 grade) says that Johnson is “instinctive… plays with good body control and change of direction in space… [and] can play man coverage, but [is] at his best when playing with his eyes forward instead of chasing routes downfield.” I’ll take two please. CB Joh 1:10 9.1 DT Mason Graham, Michigan (Junior). 6-3½” 296 lbs. [see below] with 32” arms and small 9⅛” hands. Born Sep. 2, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner?] Graham reportedly played at 323 lbs. and looked awesome. But that’s 25 lbs. heavier than his Combine weight of 296, and 15 pounds heavier than his pro day 306. What is the true number? That quibble aside, he is by far the best DT prospect of the draft from an all-teams perspective. Graham is more of a natural one-gap, 4-3 type than the long, 3/4/5-tech Pittsburgh prefers. And he may be the least body-beautiful Top 5 prospect you’re ever going to see. But come on! This young man dominated top opponents everywhere he went, to the point that a physical marvel like Kenneth Grant was reduced to being the supporting cast. Graham’s combination of strength, leverage, slipperiness, explosion, and mass are downright special already, and he has real room to improve. NFL training will tighten the body up, and NFL coaching will help him develop even better pad level, more sophisticated hand fighting, and a few extra counters. He’s just a tremendous football player, and an even better prospect. The Combine coverage included a snapshot of a note posted by a Graham teammate: “He’s a hero. He’s a hero to many of us.” For that you change the system rather than picking someone who fits it better. Graham earned a Top-10 “Pro Bowl talent” in Efram Geller’s depot scouting report. No one who watches the film will disagree. DL Grah 1:15 8.7 DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon by way of Michigan St. (RS Junior). 6-5, 310 lbs. with long 34⅜” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Born Oct. 9, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Derrick Harmon is one of those rare prospects who fits the Steelers mold, with good strength, length, and attitude. He flat out looks and plays like a Steeler. His solid (if inconsistent) pad level made him a real force against the run in college, and he’s flashed some decent pass rush moves. The ever-hot motor fits too, as do his high level experience, and the reports that he’s a high character asset in the locker room. Watch film and you’ll see some eye-popping moments when he knifes through an OL in a manner we haven’t seen for quite some time in the Burgh. FWIW, Harmon seems to have had a light bulb moment in 2021-2022, when he suddenly got in shape, dropped 50 lbs. and doubled his measurable strength. Daniel Jeremiah emphasized a set of spectacular interviews during the Combine coverage, and mentioned Harmon’s “quick hands”; a talent that enhances both pass rush and block shedding. His physical lookalike on the numbers was Chris Jones! Harmon comes in at #23 on Jeremiah’s Top 50 list, which is DT behind only Mason Graham. DL HarM 1:15 8.7 Derrick Harmon cont.: Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting profile from January triggers eerie flashbacks to Cam Heyward’s draft profile: A long, strong, power player who backs it up with good athleticism but doesn’t rely on being quicker than OL opponents, with a very high floor, questions about the ceiling, and enough technical gaps to really need 2-3 years of NFL coaching to refine his game. Alex acknowledged the strong Heyward echo, but instead went with Leonard Williams as the comp. Okay, that will do too. Readers should remember that Heyward famously went at the very end of Round 1, and was widely considered a reach back in 2001. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade, #3 of the class) quotes a scout who says the same thing: “the tape… reminds me of a young Cam Heyward but bigger.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile from late November (fringe 1st grade) prefers a DaQuan Jones comp based on all the same assets with perceived limitations on lateral mobility that could limit the ceiling. “Harmon is likely a rotational defender early in his NFL career before developing into a high-volume snap taker by the end of his rookie contract.” The Bleacher Report scouting profile (strong Round 2 grade) says, “Harmon’s ability to take on double teams is a big part of what sets him apart as a run defender,” and projects him “as an impact starter [as a versatile 4-3 IDL] who can contribute on all three downs.” This goes to a nice, gif-supported scouting report from a Steelers POV that came out in February. “Derrick Harmon… was in the backfield a lot. He has a quick first step and good hand usage that led to him consistently darting by his blocker and into the quarterback or running back’s face… [One of] the top college defenders [at any position] in quarterback pressures in 2024.” Many more pressures than sacks, however, which explains why he’s generally viewed as a late-1st talent rather than early. DL HarN 1:15 8.7 G/T/C Will Campbell, LSU (Junior). 6-5⅞, 319 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Born Jan. 6, 2004 (21 years old). His assets include great experience and IQ at LT, tremendous play strength, toughness, balance, overall athleticism, and ridiculous mobility when pulling. I.e., a Round-1 NFL guard for any scheme, but one drawn up in a lab for zone-based rushing attacks like Pittsburgh’s under Arthur Smith. The limitations are a severe lack of length (for a tackle), vulnerability (only as a tackle) to great upfield pass rushes, and setting issues in pass defense (only as a tackle). So take your choice: an arguably viable but limited tackle with pass-protection issues, or an All-Pro with a limitless ceiling at guard? Every reviewer out there has assumed door No. 2, which happens to be a spot where Pittsburgh might want to invest. As always, start your research with the scouting profile by Brandon Thorn, the No. 1 Internet evaluator of offensive linemen. “Overall, Campbell is a prime candidate to move inside as a pro. He has the makeup, movement skills, play strength, and competitive toughness to make a smooth transition to guard or center and be an impact starter with Pro Bowl potential during his rookie contract… Pro Comparison: David DeCastro.” Oh my yes. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (solid Round 1 grade) reaches the same conclusion. “Will Campbell does not have the body type to survive as an OT in pass protection at the next level… [but his] strong IQ, passion to win, amazing play strength in the run game, and explosiveness to pull and climb [make him a great projection at guard].” The 33rd Team scouting profile (solid Round 1 grade) also agrees that Campbell’s limitations in space as a pass-defending tackle “seem more like inconveniences towards a pathway to ideal positional value [at guard where he should be] an impactful NFL starter.” OL Cam 1:15 8.4 G/T Armand Membou, Missouri (Junior). 6-3¾, 332 lbs. with 34” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born March 27, 2004 (21 years old). OL Mem 1:15 9.1 RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise St. (Junior). 5-8½, 211 lbs. with 29¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Dec. 2, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Coach At Pro Day] A player with this level of skill at a “high value” position would be a top-3 lock. He’d be the guaranteed #1 pick if he played QB. And no one, anywhere, would question that. Consider a few Alex Kozora Stats Of The Weird before you assume that I’m exaggerating. Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards in 2024, which is only 27 yards behind Barry Sanders’ hitherto unapproachable record. He would have broken the record if Penn State hadn’t played with 9-10 men in the box for much of the bowl game. Almost 2,000 of those yards came after contact – which is 250 more than the total yards for any other back in the nation. I.N.S.A.N.E. On the way, Jeanty set the all-time NCAA record for broken tackles (164). He also scored 29 touchdowns, including five (5!) that came on runs of 70+ yards (tying a LaDanian Tomlinson record). Jeanty singlehandedly carried his team to the 2024 CFB playoffs. And back in 2023 he led the nation in RB receiving yards, so that is covered too. Beyond all of which, he is by all accounts a wonderful, hard-working, dedicated young man and ideal teammate. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting profile ends with Top-10 grade, saying Jeanty “is truly an amazing athlete [who] treats every play as if he is Marshawn Lynch in prime Beast Quake form.” One could ask for another 10 lbs., but OTOH Jeanty is built like a miniature tank, has never been injured, and runs much harder than his size. It isn’t a problem. Bottom line: this prospect has a perfect balance of assets for the inside/outside zone scheme that Pittsburgh seemingly wants to build: elite vision, quick feet, patience to follow the blocking coupled with sudden burst when he turns up field, historic levels of contact balance, potent receiving chops, and a “willing and competitive” approach to pass protection. The only thing he might be missing is track star speed, but it’s not like anyone caught him from behind on those 70+ yard scoring runs. If you need more testimony, here is Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (“a universal prospect who offers the ability to win between the tackles, outside the numbers, and in the passing game”). Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (“the ultimate yardage creator, with the talent and skill set to succeed independent of the quality of his blocking”). The PFN scouting profile (“Jeanty has an innate ability to make himself untouchable for defenders and is one of the most elusive and slippier backs I have ever scouted”). Why go on? RB Jea 1:20 8.4 CB/DB/SAF Jahdae Barron, Texas (RS Senior). 5-10¾, 194 lbs. with short 29⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Born Dec. 4, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] A Gen-U-Ine Football Player who played all over the secondary for Texas, moving to CB from SAF & STAR in 2024 in order to establish his coverage chops. IMHO, Barron would be in the Top-10 conversation if he happened to be two years younger. He’s a tremendous athlete who posted 4.39 speed at the Combine, earned a 90% RAS held back by average size, and nailed every drill they threw at him. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (clear Round 1 grade) describes him as “highly versatile, … [able to play] cornerback, nickel, and safety, … [and] known for his physicality, high moor, and football intelligence…. Barron excels in zone, [and] his ability to cover a variety of offensive players, including TEs and larger WRs, is a standout trait… Barron is a force in the run game [too].” This early November 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (early Round 2 grade) doubts Barron’s ability to thrive on the outside, but sees him as a high value cross between a SS and nickel CB; i.e., a player “who would shine best as a star defender who serves as a critical bridge between the core and the secondary.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting profile from January also ends with an early-2nd grade. Jon sees a player similar to Adoree’ Jackson (a high end slot CB who can slide outside), but seems to describe a Star DB who’d close the middle of the field with his versatility, ability to disguise, and ability to both blitz and play run support. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile also ends in a fringe-1st grade, describing Barron as a tremendous “big nickel corner [who in 2024] played smothering coverage underneath, fueled by route recognition, footwork and play strength.” Zierlein particularly praises the football IQ (“ran receiver’s routes for them like he knew the play in 2024”), but worries that Barron may be limited because “he lacks recovery speed deep.” CB Bar 1:20 8.4 CB/DB/SAF Jahdae Barron, Texas (Senior). 5-10¾, 194 lbs. with short 29⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Born Dec. 4, 2001 (23 years old).   DB_S Bar 1:20 8.6 SAF/CB/DB Malaki Starks, Georgia (Junior). 6-0⅞, 197 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Born Nov. 13, 2003 (21 years old). I think the world of Minkah Fitzpatrick, and I think DeShon Elliott earned every penny of his new 2-year contract, so I agree the Steelers’ Safety room is full. But Malaki Starks… Well, I’d be sorely tempted. Follow the bouncing ball: Brian Branch, Kyle Hamilton, Cooper DeJean, and now Malaki Starks. That is a pattern, not an exaggeration. Starks had an okay but not special day with the normal Combine testing. The dashes, leaps, and cone drills added up to a pedestrian 55% RAS, with particularly awful agility tests. That would be called a terrible Combine for a Round 1 prospect unless you watched the rest of the drills, and paid attention to the advanced GPS data. Starks’ field workout was straight out of legend. He looked as smooth as butter in every possible way – including the drills requiring agility – and outshined his peers in almost every measurable part of the drills. “Georgia safety Malaki Starks recorded the fastest top speed among safeties in five different drills – Gauntlet Drill (18.39 mph), Line Drill (18.66 mph), W Drill (17.92 mph), the Teryl Austin Drill (18.74 mph), and the short shuttle (15.24 mph).” Trust. The. Film! From a Steelers POV, Starks profiles as an edge-of-the-box, playmaking Strong/Cover-2 talent who would tighten every hole in the secondary net. A ‘big nickel’ defense with Fitzpatrick deep, Elliott at SS, Starks in the slot/midfield, and Queen/Wilson as the ILBs would terrify QBs across the league. The Depot scouting report by Steven Pavelka (mid-1st grade because of “a slight drop-off in production in 2024”) puts it this way: “Starks shows consistency in every aspect of his game. He’s good in coverage and has great ball skills to make some improbable catches. As a run defender, he is safe and reliable. [And] I think the part drawing me most toward his game is how much of a vocal leader he appears to be on the field along with everything else.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (mid-1st grade) emphasizes the remarkable football IQ and character, while pointing out fixable inconsistencies in his game like room for improved play strength “he’s not a true force player near the line” and “connection to the route is inconsistent in man and he’s baited out of position by misdirection, but better discipline and anticipation should clean that up.” DB_S Sta 1:20 8.6 NT Kenneth Grant, Michigan (Junior). 6-4, 331 lbs. with 33½” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Born Oct. 27, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Coordinator at Pro Day, Pro Day Dinner?] Grant projects as an obvious Round 1 target for a 4-3 team in search of a line collapsing DT, but he will not fit the Pittsburgh system anywhere near as well unless he can play the same 70-80% of snaps that we see from a star DE like Cam Heyward. The Steelers spend around 75% of their time in sub package looks that call for two DTs who can stuff the run and rush the passer. They’ve traditionally been the two starting DEs (Heyward & Tuitt, e.g.) but there is no rule that says one of the two can’t be a base NT with the ability to slide outside. Jalen Carter, e.g., might well be aligned as a base NT in the Steelers system. It all comes down to pass rush ability, which Grant has flashed but never reliably produced. It worries me even more because Grant played next to Mason Graham, who sucked up the lion’s share of attention from Michigan’s opponents. On the NT position per se, Omar Khan has acknowledged that Benton can also play DE. But will he be as good at that position? If so, that would free up room for an extra promising NT like Kenneth Grant… if Grant can be trusted as a pass rusher. On the specifics, Grant looks ideal for the 0- and 1-tech role; a little shorter than Benton, but bigger and better as a run stuffer. His athletic testing numbers were just okay (71st percentile RAS), but the film showed much more athleticism than drills. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting profile describes Grant as “a dominant two-down DT with the potential to be a three-down impactful player as a pass rusher… His closest NFL player comparison to me is Dontari Poe… He’s a fast mover, strong as an ox, and plays with good effort.” There it is again: pass rush “potential.” Aargh. Grant came in at #18 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list, with notes that he played a very inconsistent game in 2024 that varied wildly from astonishing to thoroughly meh depending on the game and opponent. He dropped to #20 for Jeremiah’s 2.0 list, #30 in early April, and at the Combine DJ said Grant is one of those potential supermen whose tape says one thing, with flashes that suggest a great deal more. He used Haloti Ngata and Dexter Lawrence as similar examples if you want to know about the ceiling here. Uhm… wow. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) emphasizes the way “[Grant’s] tape can run hot and cold depending on the game and the types of blocks he’s facing. He struggles to anchor when hit with down blocks due to his narrow base and tall pads, but he uses his power and length to beat single blocks and split double teams when he finds the crease. He had some sack production in college, but it might not translate to the league.” The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 2 grade) has Grant as DT4 of the class, behind Graham, Harmon, and Nolen. The grade is that high because of all the reasons cited above, but held back because Grant is seen as a “hit or miss as a pass-rusher [with] games where he’s disruptive and consistently getting pressure, and others where he struggles to win… sub-par pad level… [inconsistent] hand placement as a run defender… [and] struggles to stay in his gap against outside zone runs, he has sub-par agility and will occasionally get reached.” DL Gran 1:20 8.8 WR Mathew Golden, Texas (Junior). 5-11, 191 lbs. with 30⅝” arms and 9½” hands. Born Aug. 1, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Killer 4.29 speed combined with suddenness, COD skills, body control, excellent hands, return skills, route running ability, and wonderful stop/start ability all add up to a Round 1 target. Yes, he’s had far too many focus drops, but that’s often something professional discipline can help to solve. Interestingly, people expected Golden to have good speed, as in 4.4-something, so the 4.29 came as a shock. The change from excellent up to [wow!] has raised his grade a notch. My personal comp is Santonio Holmes. This goes to a fun Combine interview with Steeler Depot’s Jonathan Heitritter. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (WR3 overall, clear Round 1 grade) ends with a player comp to Chris Olave. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report uses Greg Jennings as the comp. Either would do, right? Jim concludes, “Golden can play all receiver positions due to his versatility, ability to win downfield, route running, and explosiveness. He is truly a weapon on offense, dependable, and can be relied upon to get open in any area of the field… He can come in and be a high-impact starter right away.” What he’s not is physical. We’d have to expect Matthew Golden to be basically useless as a run blocker, and prone to getting bullied by NFL CBs until he refines his craft. OTOH, he has been good in contested catch situations and would be a big play threat for every play he’s out there. WR Gol 1:20 8.6 WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona by way of Oregon (Junior). 6-4⅛, 219 lbs. with 31½” arms and big 10” hands. Born April 5, 2003 (22 years old). A big, tough, strong, multisport athlete with great hands, who’s also an anti-diva? My kind of target! Yes, he has a long way to go when it comes to route running. And no, he isn’t going to run a 4.3 flat. [It turned out to be a 4.48 at his pro day, faster than Tee Higgins’ 4.59 and about what Drake London was estimated at]. And yes, his ceiling would be Tee Higgins but not a super explosive guy like Pickens or Chase. But that style of player would be more than welcome here in the Burgh, especially if Pickens departs. McMillan came to the process with some buzz that he could end up in the Top-10, but his stock has dropped since then. The good work shown by Round 2 WR Jay Higgins, who has a very similar profile, has put a particular drag on McMillan’s early-1st dreams. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting profile (Round 1 grade) prefers a comp to Drake London rather than Tee Higgins, saying McMillan is “a solid receiver with… excellent hands, a big catch radius, good athleticism, high production, and reportedly excellent character. I’m just not quite sure if he’s dynamic and elite… Still, he’ll be a quality add to any offense and should be no worse than a No. 2 receiver for any team.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (WR4 overall, Round 1 grade) agrees completely on the Drake London comp and the overall description. With one important note. Zierlein quotes an AFC scouting director as saying, “[McMillan] got hurt in the spring and I don’t know that he ever made it back to 100 percent. The 2023 tape gives you a better idea of who he is.” WR McM 1:21   STEELERS’ ROUND 1 PICK A0 AAA 1:25 8.0 SAF (Nickel DB) Nick Emmanwori, S. Car. (Junior). 6-3⅛, 220 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9” hands. Born Feb. 7, 2004 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] The young man who scored a perfect, 100th percentile RAS at the Combine when measured as a SS, FS, or CB, (and a 98.4% as an ILB and 99.9% as a WR for good measure). The Combine coverage called him a “DNA twin” to Derwin James, except bigger and faster. Holy Four Letter Word Batman! On top of that, he is an impressive young man, team captain, and honor student who began his college career as a true Freshman ILB before sliding back to play Safety/Star; a fascinating skill set to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick. The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile emphasizes that Emmanwori has a “freakish size-speed combination… exceptional ball skills,… a controlled aggression that sets a physical tone,… [and] is a nasty striker [and good tackler] in run support,… [and] a quick mental processor… Think a more explosive version of Kam Chancellor with better man coverage skills.” The weaknesses go to a need for coaches to say “whoa” from time to time. This late January scouting profile (Round 1 grade) calls him “one of the best pure athletes in the entire 2025 NFL Draft,” but warns that he “will have some growing pains.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 2 grade) sees Emmanwori as a tremendous Strong Safety prospect who can be a TE eraser but will have COD trouble if matched up against a shifty Slot WR. This goes to a typically solid Draft Network scouting profile from December. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (strong Round 2 grade) agrees with the others: “Nick Emmanwori projects as an early-round pick with the potential to become a highly versatile defender, particularly in run-heavy defensive schemes or as a hybrid safety-linebacker.” The Depot scouting report by Nate Kosko (Round 3 grade) is noticeably cooler than most even if it does end in a player comp to Terrell Edmunds. In a nutshell, Nate says “I do not fully trust him in man coverage, and although he plays with good technique and good physicality, his speed down the field worries me… I believe he will live as a strong safety who will be in zone a lot while guarding tight ends and slower receivers when needed.” DB_S Ema 1:25 8.8 DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss by way of Texas A&M (Junior). 6-4, 296 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9½” hands. Born Oct. 14, 2003 (21 years old). The #1 or #2 high school recruit of 2022 (the other was Travis Hunter), Nolen profiles physically as a clear Round 1 prospect for 4-3 teams who will use him as a 3-tech who can rotate further inside to 1-tech. According to this January interview with The Draft Network, Nolen models his game on Aaron Donald. Pittsburgh usually prefers other types of DL, but Ogunjobi fit in that category too so that doesn’t rule the pick out. Jim Hester’s enthusiastic Depot scouting report has a player comp to Fletcher Cox(!), who may well end up in the HOF. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (strong Round 1 grade) has Nolen as the #1 DT of the class, saying “Nolen’s blend of explosiveness and playmaking talent create high upside as a three-down interior lineman…” as a bursty, penetrating 3-tech with tremendous first step explosion. Zierlein wants to see better handwork and extension, but those can be learned. The PFN scouting profile (Round 1-2 grade) says that Nolen “is an athletic 3-tech defensive tackle… [who] has shown improvement as a technician over the years, which has helped him make better use of his freakish combination of speed and power. He still has some more development to do, but he has shown that he’s coachable… His 2023 tape screamed ‘Day 2 pick you spend on a raw player with upside,’ but his 2024 tape made him look like a future high-end contributor at the NFL level.” This goes to a good looking if Cowboys-oriented scouting profile (late 1st grade). DL Nol 1:25 8.7 T/G Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas (Junior). 6-5¼, 315 lbs. with 33½” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Born March 10, 2004 (21 years old). OL Ban 1:25 8.7 T/G Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas (Junior). 6-5¼, 315 lbs. with 33½” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Born March 10, 2004 (21 years old). The 2024 winner of Outland Trophy as the nation’s best OL is fundamentally sound in all the major ways: high-level athleticism, good footwork, good length, good strength, a solid anchor, and a better-than-average understanding of hand fighting. The problems all seem to go back to matters of balance, like leaning over his feet, getting jolted back, or falling off blocks. Those tend to be fixable problems that derive from some single issue, such as conditioning or discomfort with a lower stance. Good assets, good skills, a high ceiling, and fixable problems add up to a very solid prospect. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (Round 1 grade) identifies several areas for improvement, but all are fixable and Efram concludes that Banks is “a future NFL tackle… [who] doesn’t have All-Pro potential but can slide in as a starter.” Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list lists Banks at No. 19 overall, saying that his problems all go to fixable technique issues. “In pass protection, he launches out of his stance and shows the ability to sink and bend his knees. He keeps his hands inside and is patient with his punch. When he struggles, it’s because he sets up too deep or his feet settle too early…Some teams see him as more of a guard, but I believe he can hold up at tackle. Overall, Banks has some things to clean up, but I like his core foundation of strength/agility.” This goes to Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile from December. Here is the NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile (he is their OT1). OT Ban 1:25 8.4 T/G Armand Membou, Missouri (Junior). 6-3¾, 332 lbs. with 34” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born March 27, 2004 (21 years old). Bias alert. I have a thing for undersized college OTs good enough to make a run at the position in the NFL, and almost certain to become stars if they move inside. That makes Armand Membou is one of my favorites in this year’s class. He came in at No. 17 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list, with an intriguing comparison to Alijah Vera-Tucker, who was also used as a comp for Troy Fautanu. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile prefers a comp to Icky Ekwonu, saying Membou’s “physical tools, pass protection skills and demeanor signal a year one starter with the runway to become an impact player at tackle or guard.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile could have been recycled from the one for Troy Fautanu: “Young, talented prospect whose lack of NFL-tackle size will test teams’ willingness to make exceptions to their standards…Membou’s potential impact at a premium position should keep him at tackle, but he has outstanding potential regardless.” Same for Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (strong Round 2 grade), except he views Membou as having a lesser anchor: “As a pass blocker, Membou is very raw. He shows great flashes of being able to anchor down and control a defender but also can be seen getting pushed back quickly by powerful edge rushers… He is rarely seen being beaten by a skillful rusher, as he uses his athleticism to put him in a successful position to win. If he does get beat by a half step, his quick feet allow him to recover swiftly.” OT Mem 1:25 8.8 TE Tyler Warren, Penn State (Senior). 6-5½, 256 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 9½” hands. Born May 24, 2002 (22 years old). This is an absurdly low grade for someone usually described as a Top-10 talent, but TE is probably the deepest position group on the team. There’s just no room. So why even a fringe-1st grade? Because (a) you never ignore a potential steal, (b) combination of Freiermuth, Washington, and Warren could be the best 13-personnel package in NFL history, (c) Arthur Smith would be one of the best OCs around to use that package, and (d) this would be a sideway method to fill the WR hole we’ve worried about so much. See also Colston Loveland and Elijah Arroyo. This goes to Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report, which ends in an obvious Round 1 grade. Warren came in at #5 (!) overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50, with a comparison to Rob Gronkowski. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade and a comp to Jeremy Shockey) quotes an AFC director of scouting for a perfect summary: “When you ask about the different prospects in their building, Penn State spends about two sentences on Warren because not much needs to be said. Elite player, elite character.” TE War 1:25 8.5 WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State (Junior). 6-0⅞, 202 lbs. with 31½”arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Oct. 14, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day] Ohio State used Egbuka primarily as a big slot receiver, but there is no reason to think he’s limited to that role. He runs good, professional routes already, and he does it with the same natural grace that appears when he’s used as a punt returner. His football IQ and character are off the charts good. His athletic talents are just short of superb (97th percentile RAS). It all adds up to a mid- to late-1st, already professional receiver who scores A and A+ grades in several areas, and nothing less than a B+ anywhere. The issue? Emeka Egbuka has always played with great, Round 1 talents, and has always been the supporting cast behind them. CFB’s best WR2 for the past several years; which begs the question, can he be more than an excellent WR2 in the NFL? Egbuka isn’t a true burner, but he’s fast enough to threaten all parts of the field, and his skills will allow him to move the chains over and over again. The hands are just as good (N.B. I wish he’d the gauntlet drill at the Combine). Plus, he’s a fantastic blocker for someone at this position. The drawbacks? Playing so much in the slot means he hasn’t had to deal with long, physical press corners, and he lacks that one, God given trait to fall back on. The comp would be players like Puka Nacua, A.J. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, who have to win on professionalism and toughness. The fact that all four have done just that explains why Egbuka looks so much lake a mid- to late-1st pick in the making. Josh Carney’s Depot scouting report adds that Egbuka is an anti-diva: “He’s not a guy who will demand the football, isn’t going to pout when asked to block, and brings a great team-first attitude to the field every time out.” Josh’s comp is Amon-Ra St. Brown. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) uses Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the comp, saying that “Egbuka projects as an early starter at slot for teams running heavy amounts of three-wideout sets.” WR Egb 2:01 8.2 CB Azareye’h (“uh-ZAR-ee-a”) Thomas, Florida St. (Junior). 6-1½, 197 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and big 10” hands. Born July 6, 2004 (20 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day, Visit] An avatar corner with endless upside and very high character, held back by all the issues arising from a single year of college experience, and the fact that opponents never threw anywhere close to his direction. Want a stat to remember? Azareye’h Thomas “allowed just 94 yards in coverage all season long.” But there are holes, and they are big enough to drop him down to a Round 2 grade. Put bluntly: Thomas makes mistakes with his fundamentals, can be pushed into mistakes by smart WRs and QBs, and his tackling needs to seriously improve. But he’s 20 years old! One can easily argue that he’s way ahead of the developmental curve for his age, especially given his aggressive attitude toward both run support and WRs who think they can push him around. On the physical front, he isn’t a burner but he is on the edge of fast enough (81st percentile RAS with a 4.58 dash), and he loves to play the tough, physical coverage game that Pittsburgh prefers. The Depot scouting report by Alex Kozora says the team that drafts him, “[should not] throw him into the starting lineup Day 1 but by his sophomore year, he could take a leap. He certainly has the profile Pittsburgh looks for.” Started slow at the Senior Bowl but improved with every practice. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (Round 1 grade, and CB3 of the class) loves the coverage despite a few questions about Thomas’ top-end recovery speed, and more about his tackling. There were questions about his hands, but those were answered with a strong performance in the Combine field drills. The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs ends in a Round 3 grade, that can be summed up as ‘fringe-1st discounted by the need for coaching and a specific scheme.’ Thomas also fits right in with what Pittsburgh likes to do. As ESPN’s Jordan Reid said, “[Thomas is] an ideal scheme fit for the Steelers.” CB Tho 2:01 7.9 DT Darius Alexander, Toledo (RS Senior). 6-3⅞, 305 lbs. with 34” arms and 10” hands. Born August 26, 2000 (24 years old). [Mtg. at Senior Bowl, Visit] Subtract three years off his age and add an inch or two of height, and you’d have the perfect model of a Round 1 Steelers DE. And with arms that long, who cares about the height? Especially for a certified Feldman Freak (91st percentile RAS) who is already a dominant run stuffer, a good pass rusher, and oozes untapped potential? The age does earn a discount on this Board, but only a minor one because defensive linemen with his build and style will regularly play into their mid-30’s. Alexander would be a two-contract pick. Darius Alexander dominated throughout the Senior Bowl practices (where the Steelers showed great interest) to such an extent that Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) came out as soon as the practices wrapped up; a grade based on fringe-1st tape and potential offset by a significant discount for turning 25 this coming August. Alex reports that Alexander has excellent play strength, uses his length well and “is stout at the point of attack. Explosive off the snap, he creates power on his punch and is always in control of the block… His bull rush is money as a pass rusher… [but he’s] also able to swim and rip… He’s not just a power guy… Toledo even asked him to drop into coverage several times.” One could add that he carries his 300+ pounds extremely well, and moves almost like an oversized ILB. This goes to a Vikings oriented scouting profile from January, which calls Alexander “a bona fide run defender and one of the best in the 2025 NFL Draft class.” The Draft Network scouting profile catches an image that older fans have indelibly set in the brain: Alexander looks and plays like a Dick LeBeau 5-tech. Remember 2-gappers like Aaron Smith, who stood his ground, bench pressed two OLs, and then shed them to make the tackle? That’s Alexander. The drawback is pass rush. “He’s strong as a quick, lateral mover, which allows him to [use a few techniques very well]… but what I don’t see consistently from Alexander is a motor in the passing game. His profile—athletic ability and power—suggests he should be a more tenacious pass rusher and more disruptive on a regular basis. This theme of taking plays off showed up too often for my liking.” This goes to a solid, Giants-oriented scouting profile that extols the ability to shed blocks, and this to a similar, Chiefs-oriented scouting profile. DL Ale 2:01 8.8 NT Tyleik Williams, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-3, 334 lbs. with 32” arms and big 10¼” hands. Born Feb. 24, 2003 (21 years old). Williams is an extremely solid DT who wins with a power game supported by surprisingly good movement skills. His ability as a top level run stuffer can’t be doubted. The pass rush, however, has shown many pressures, but little in the way of actual sacks. Can he improve on that at the next level? Williams’ technique is very good for college, but he will learn a lot more once he’s a pro, and may have room to improve through physical training alone. He carries some unproductive weight, and dropping it could add the required pop. It all adds up to a solid floor with a lot of room to improve, and a cartoon summary along these lines: Definitely what you want in a two-down run stuffer, and he won’t embarrass himself on checks into a passing play, but can he ever be more? Character wise, Williams put on 40 lbs. of ugly weight during Covid, which ruined his 2021 season. He lost that extra weight for 2022, and began to produce. Some of it is still there in 2025. That story says something, but it’s up to you to decide what. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (mid- to late 1st grade) sums Williams up as “an impressive prospect [who is] great against the run, athletic for his frame, and has consistent and solid tape. He’s unlikely to be a high-end pass rusher and best on early downs, but he’s certainly capable of playing in sub-packages.” The 33rd Team scouting report from Kyle Crabbs (Round 2ish grade) has some good analysis worth a full read. “Williams is a player who, in the right environment, could see everything snap into place and become a draft steal… [but who] never really made “the leap” at Ohio State… Williams is a disruptive run defender who offers a squatty build, effective length, and active hands… History of impressive explosiveness within the Ohio State S&C program… Williams has some upside as a pass rusher thanks to pleasant quickness for his stature, but he’s likely a rotational player early on run downs with a chance to further develop a pass rush prowess to command snaps down the line.” This goes to the late January PFN scouting profile, which offers an opinion that “Beyond his all-around, alignment-diverse run utility, Williams is also an exciting pass rusher. He can be used as a battering ram on stunts with his explosiveness, mass, and power, but he also has the active hands to win 1-on-1 and pry his way through gaps.” The flashes are real. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) describes Williams as “Drain-clogging run defender with violent first contact and nimble feet for impressive tackle production; [but who is] hit-or-miss holding his ground against double-teams… and should pressure the pocket from time to time but might not win on his own enough to see many third-down reps.” DL Wil 2:01 8.4 EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M by way of Purdue (Junior). 6-2¾, 257 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Born Aug. 25, 2004 (20 years old). A player who is better than his 2024 tape, when Texas A&M sapped his movement skills by insisting he add 25 lbs. to his frame. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (strong Round 2 grade) describes Scourton as an Edge prospect with elite upside, especially for a 4-3 team, but also a need to develop his craft. “[He has] obvious length and range as a run defender… generates force with ease [to produce a] disruptive speed-to-power-rush… showcases hustle and relentlessness… and the mobility to drop into coverage.” Efram acknowledges the disappointing 2024 run, but relies on the traits to give a healthy Round 2 grade. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) describes Scourton as an extremely smart pass rusher who “utilizes tempo alterations and a bag full of moves and counters,” and was constantly chipped and double-teamed out of pure respect. The best part may be this quote from an NFL scout: “He plays his tail off and he’s always in the middle of everything. He’s a force player like George Karlaftis was coming out, but Scourton has a little more rush.” EDGE Sco 2:01 9.0 OG Tyler Booker, Alabama (Junior). 6-4⅝, 321 lbs. with exceptional 34½” arms and huge 11” hands. Born April 12, 2004 (21 years old). A colossal specimen of humanity with a surprising amount of agility and technique. Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 had him at No. 14 overall, based in part on awesome reports about his leadership. Booker will occasionally lose to pure quickness, though it isn’t common. Bull rushers may as well fall back and hope to get a hand in the passing lane. They aren’t going to compress the pocket, that’s for sure. In the run game he has good pad level and decent burst, which combine to make him a phone booth menace. And he won’t hit legal drinking age until a week before the draft. One shudders to imagine the future if this isn’t his grown-man strength already. Booker obviously has tremendous talent for gap/power running schemes, but does he have the mobility to play in an outside zone as well? The process will tell. Brandon Thorn’s expert scouting profile ends with a Round 2 grade based on massive power and “adequate [but not great] athletic ability, [offset by] mediocre foot quickness and redirect skills can create soft edges against counter moves.” The Depot scouting report by Nate Kosko ends in a strong Round 1 grade that might be Top 15 if he was a tackle instead of a guard. “As a pass protector, Booker is plug-and-play and can handle any type of rush… [He] has amazing play strength that will make him an immediate starter for any team he gets drafted to. He wins with calmness and confidence all the time, and his vice grip hands control defenders immediately. While he does not have the fastest movement skills, the power he possesses makes him a great addition to a heavy gap scheme or inside zone offense.” OL Boo 2:01 8.9 T/G Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon (Junior). 6-4⅛, 313 lbs. with 34” arms and 10⅜” hands. Born Nov. 5, 2003 (21 years old). OL Con 2:01 8.9 T/G Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon (Junior). 6-4⅛, 313 lbs. with 34” arms and 10⅜” hands. Born Nov. 5, 2003 (21 years old). A high school running back who converted to OL, Conerly is a marvelous athlete with great movement skills but limitations when it comes to size and strength. Brandon Thorn had him with a Round 3 grade going into 2024 based on “rudimentary footwork in the run game and lapses in pass protection technique.” Coming out, Thorn awarded a fringe-first grade, calling Conerly “a much more refined and consistent player… [particularly] in his play strength, timing, and ability to establish first meaningful contact.” Someone with this profile won’t get by the team in Round 2. Conerly would be worth that investment even if he was only high-value depth/competition at OT, an ideal OL6 right away and possibly a depth piece at guard who’d fit best in the outside-zone system that Arthur Smith prefers. Indeed, the Steelers might be an ideal landing spot for Conerly given how much he could learn from a similar body type like Troy Fautanu. “Fautanu Lite” wouldn’t be a bad summary. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report agrees with the Round 1 grade. “Josh Conerly Jr. is a great athlete who shines in run blocking and is effective in pass protection. His technique is great overall, with some [coachable] tweaks that need to happen.” The only worry is his anchor against good power rushes. OT Con 2:01 8.8 OT Josh Simmons, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-5, 310 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Born Dec. 26, 2002 (22 years old). [October knee injury] Some argued that Josh Simmons should be considered the No. 1 OT of the class until his season-ending knee injury in October. The Depot scouting report by Efram Geller supports that argument. It describes Simmons as a natural pass protector with NFL size and length who already uses his hands at an NFL level and who plays with both patience and sound technique. The flaws would be his run blocking (he gets sloppy in space and will lunge) and the fact that he’s an NFL-level athlete but not a wunderkind. Gets a slight discount on this board due to the Jones and Fautanu picks in 2023 and 2024 combined with Simmons’ inability to move inside to guard. I don’t like to use October reviews, but scouting profiles by Brandon Thorn deserve an exception. This one ends in a Round 2 grade. This goes to a video scouting report conversation between Simmons and Thorn from the end of January. OT Sim 2:01 8.3 QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (Senior). 6-1½, 212 lbs. with 9¾” hands. Born Feb. 7, 2002 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Don’t take this in a bad way, but Shedeur Sanders’ draft profile rings a lot of Kenny Pickett bells for me, with a soupçon of Prime Time Sideshow. Both were high level winners in college, who brought moribund programs to new heights. Both set some impressive records. Both have NFL-average arm strength, with good timing and accuracy, Sanders being a little better in this area. Neither is especially fast, big, or athletic, but both are good enough even for the NFL. Pickett was a better prospect in that regard. Both were well known for their chemistry with high quality receiving targets. Neither has any significant red flags. Both played a noticeably smart game in college. And both have healthy floors as career backups if they fail to make the big leap. At any other “high value” position (EDGE, DT, CB, OT, WR), both would be very sound Day 2 picks, with good odds of going in the Top 50 or higher if they interviewed well. Add in the QB premium, however, in a year where that kind of floor is vanishingly rare, and most people project a pick in the Top 20. IMHO, Pickett would be viewed as a successful Round 2 or 3 pick, and it’s hard to blame him for getting overdrafted in the middle of the 1st. Sanders may be looking at the same fate. Non-Steelers pro comps include names like Geno Smith (with less arm strength), Teddy Bridgewater, Andy Dalton, Mac Jones, and Jared Goff. Average those together and it gives a pretty good image. Shedeur Sanders has managed to annoy the public, and reportedly some teams, with his overweening, in your face confidence. One example would be the Shrine Bowl, where he accepted the invite and then refused to either practice or play. Shedeur’s HOF father Deion has the same effect on a lot of people. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) ends in a player comp to Andy Dalton. Sanders has a nasty habit of patting the ball before every throw, which he’ll need to unlearn ASAP. According to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2 grade, Round 1 projection), “the tape says [Sanders] has the necessary qualities to become a solid game manager if he can operate with better discipline and play to his strengths.” QB San 2:01 8.4 TE Colston Loveland, Michigan (Junior). 6-5¾, 248 lbs. with 32¾”arms and 10” hands. Born April 9, 2004 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner?] Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Top-10 grade, TE2 of the class) says that Colston Loveland “plays the game like a big wideout, capable of separating from man coverage and making plays on all three levels. He has good play speed and runs a route tree full of branches, allowing creative play-callers to move him around as a mismatch option… He will keep filling out his frame but is unlikely to ever become more than average as a blocker.” Another absurd grade based on the team’s lack of need. Loveland projects as a mid-1st, receiving-oriented tight end. TE is probably the deepest position group on the team. So why even a Round 2 grade? Because (a) you never ignore a potential steal, (b) combination of Freiermuth, Washington, and Loveland could be the best 13-personnel package in NFL history, (c) Arthur Smith would be one of the best OCs around to use that package, and (d) this would be a sideway method to fill the WR hole we’ve worried about so much. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) basically describes Loveland as a great receiver (for a TE), but a substandard blocker. TE Lov 2:01 8.3 WR Elic Ayomanor (“EYE-yo-MAN-or”), Stanford (RS Soph.). 6-1¾, 210 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 10” hands. Born June 15, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] [PCL tear in high school; ACL/MCL tear in 2022]. This is my guy, to the point where I’d argue he might be the best WR prospect in the class if you ignore the injury flags and allow for a rookie year to learn the craft. The potential “boom” is not small. The Canadian-born Ayomanor has all the size, physicality, hands, quick feet, blocking skill, and team-first attitude you could ever want, and he approaches the game like a pro. He is also Ayomanor is an excellent all-around athlete even for the NFL, who compiled a 96th percentile RAS featuring excellent speed and explosiveness. The field drills looked great too. Ayomanor can also boast of being in the tiny list of WRs who abused Heisman winning CB/WR Travis Hunter; and in fact embarrassed him with a 294 yard game back in 2023. This goes to a Depot interview at the Combine, which shows Ayomanor to be a thoughtful, team-first kind of player. [Hooray!] Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report compares Ayomanor to Keenan Allen as a healthy-sized prospect who “already looks and plays like a professional [even though] his journey to this point was filled with significant hurdles and victories.” Fair enough, but I also have no trouble seeing him in a No. 86 Steelers jersey. Good CBs typically look forward to testing themselves against an ultimate talent like George Pickens. Elic Ayomanor is the kind of player they don’t look forward to because the SOB gets as much of a kick out of beating them up as he does from winning the route. Kyle Crabbs’ late January scouting profile (Round 2 grade) puts it this way: “Elic Ayomanor is… one of the most intense studies of the draft class [and shows] just how physical and urgent play [can be] at the wide receiver position. It’s impressive watching him dictate terms to defenders in all phases, be it at the top of a route stem, at the catch point, or as a run blocker… [He] can win on the outside… [and] in the slot… and he would be an incredible foil for speed receivers in a wide receiver room.” This February Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 2) says that Ayomanor is an athletic, savvy player with “outstanding body control… [but who needs to clear up some] hand catching mechanics.” The late January PFN scouting profile (Round 2 grade) concludes that “Year 1 might not be pretty for Ayomanor, but the ceiling is high for him down the line. Though I would not say he’s polished enough to be a first-round pick, his combination of size, youth, production, play strength, and speed give him upside that’s worth betting on in Day 2.” This somewhat poetic scouting profile (“chiseled from stone”) ends in a Round 1 grade. See Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) for a less enthusiastic review. “[Ayomanor has an] NFL blend of height, weight and long speed [along with the… work ethic and traits for rapid improvement… but his ball-tracking and catch technique need a major upgrade… [and] poor catch technique results in excessive drop total… He could become a much more consistent player within three years.” WR Ayo 2:01 8.6 WR Luther Burden III, Missouri (Junior). 6-0, 206 lbs. with 31¼” arms and 8½” hands. Born Dec. 12, 2003 (21 years old). Take Calvin Austin III, add 2” and 40 lbs. of muscle, subtract Austin’s entire collection of polished skills, and you’ll have a decent cartoon of Luther Burden. He’s that fast, that elusive, that good as a return man, and that tough, but he also has the size to routinely run through arm tackles. What he lacks is actual skill, and more importantly fit to what the Steelers can use. He faces a huge learning curve, and would do much, much better in an offense that can bring him along slowly by leaning on his physical genius as a slot and gadget player. FWIW, Burden’s gauntlet drill at the Combine may have revealed another issue: he stalled every time the ball arrived, rather than running through the catch. Bottom line: Luther Burden has every right to dream of greatness, but fans should expect him to be a disappointment for a year or two as he slowly learns the trade. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 1 grade) starts by saying, “The one thing people will 100 percent take away from watching Luther Burden play is how dangerous he is within 10 yards and how he is even more dangerous after the catch.” It ends with this: “To a certain extent, Burden reminds me of a new-age Jarvis Landry. A true, do-it-all guy any team would be lucky to have in its building.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (early 1st grade) calls Burden “a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option, but he can separate and succeed on all three levels when it’s his time.” WR Bur 2:12 8.5 CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss by way of Louisville and Alabama (Junior). 6-0⅜, 195 lbs. with 32” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born March 3, 2002 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] A tough guy who plays a physical game, but needs coaching to avoid all the little ways that professional WRs will turn his aggressiveness against him. A very willing tackler, but only acceptable when it comes to tackling technique. Excellent in press, though he can get eaten with double moves and by quickness as he transitions from backpedal. It shows in his 87th percentile RAS held down by a poor vertical leap – an odd figure in light of (a) his good broad jump, and (b) his excellent suddenness on film to trigger quickly in zone and off coverage. Amos climbed the transfer portal tree, going from Louisiana to Alabama, and then on to Ole Miss. Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (fringe 1st grade) says, “Amos physically looks like an NFL cornerback, and he plays like one, too. [Amos] offers above-average transitional burst… a big player who can successfully attack and punch up in weight class against big receivers, thanks to his length, feet, and functional strength.” The Draft Network scouting profile (Round 2 grade) seems to agree completely, as does the Bleacher Report scouting profile, which adds that “he appears best suited for a zone-heavy defensive scheme.” Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (fringe 1st grade) compares Amos to William Jackson III, who will be known forever in Steelers draft lore as ‘the one who got away.’ “Overall, Amos is of good height and weight with good athletic ability and mental processing. He was primarily a boundary corner but is capable of playing inside as well. He is a consistent communicator with experience in both man and zone coverages. He is adept in both. His football IQ is high, and he has very good ball skills. Against the run, he is a good force defender and is solid with his effort to make the tackle.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) notes that Amos “[made] the jump from the Sun Belt to the SEC without a hitch… has twitchy feet… can play in multiple coverage but is most consistent in zone… [and] needs to ramp up his run support and trust his eyes in space, but he has the goods to become a solid starting outside corner.” CB Amo 2:12 8.3 CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky (RS Junior). 5-11¼, 183 lbs. with 31” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Aug. 6, 2003 (21 years old) A natural press corner who excels in zone, has the playmaker gene, and stunned the Combine with his 4.28 speed and overall 97th percentile RAS. Older college tape showed false steps and too much guessing, but none of that showed up during the Senior Bowl practices. The Depot observation team said he looked “super physical…, mirrored well in 1v1’s, [and was] super sticky in coverage;” which adds up to a very good Slot CB potential if he can prove his long speed at the Combine. Hairston is a willing tackler but not a good one, as you might expect. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Steeler Depot’s Ross McCorkle on how “Mad Max Hairston” earned that particular nickname. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report calls Hairston, “a fun, ball-hawking cornerback and easy athlete… . [who can] can cover and he can make splash plays on the ball.” The problem comes down to simple size and strength, where Alex worries “I don’t know how much room there is to grow there.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (early Round 2 grade) says “Hairston is capable of playing all forms of zone and man coverage. He anticipates well with his eyes forward, has the burst to take the ball away… stays connected in man coverage with good agility and fluidity but will struggle to contest big wideouts and his run support will turn off some teams. Hairston has the athleticism and on-ball talent to become a starter, but he needs to prove he can hold up to the rigors and physicality of the NFL game.” CB Hai 2:12 8.7 CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame (Junior). 6-0¼, 193 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. Born March 11, 2004 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] [hip surgery in October] Morrison, the son of NFL Safety Darryl Morrison, could be an ideal late-1st pick if the team has faith that he can develop when it comes to physicality and tackling, and that Corey Trice can solidify his fundamentals and stay healthy. Notre Dame’s extremely young defensive captain has the genuine inside/outside flexibility and ball hawking gene to solidify Pittsburgh’s positional depth and flexibility. But the physicality flaws are real. He can get big boyed (and will as a young player), he needs to get better at beating blocks, and he is a willing attempter but poor tackler. Morrison plays a smart game and has good experience despite his youth. This goes to the Depot scouting profile by Nate Kosko (strong Round 1 grade), which expresses confidence that “Morrison can be a positive player at the next level due to his effortless athleticism, strong IQ, and solid technique,… [but] will have to play more physically to be a surefire CB1.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3ish grade) digs down, and concludes that “Morrison would appear to be a natural press corner, but he lacks ideal footwork to mirror and match not only the release but the initial route breaks. He has below-average coverage fluidity in open spaces and appears to be more effective covering the deep ball than shadowing routes on the first two levels.” CB Mor 2:12 8.0 CB Darien Porter, Iowa St. (RS Senior). 6-2⅜, 197 lbs. with 33¼” arms and 8⅞” hands. Born Jan. 6, 2001 (24 years old). Team captain for 5 games in 2024, Porter is a true football player with track level speed, avatar height, and extensive special teams experience creates a very high floor. We’re talking a 9.99 RAS here! The issues come down to age, COD questions on the tape (answered with elite testing at the Combine), and inexperience at this position. Porter converted from WR in 2022, meaning he has only two years of experience as a defensive player. Porter has often been compared to Tariq Woolen, who was in turn compared to the Legion of Boom’s Richard Sherman: the ideal Cover-3 CB who can shut down a geographic third of the field on either side, but would suffer if he needs to follow in-breaking routes as well. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (fringe-2nd grade, and one source of that comp) summarizes things as follows: “Overall, Porter is an outside corner with very good height, weight, length, and elite speed…. [Solid] mental processing… He tracks the ball well,… is a willing tackler, and displays very good effort across the field… He may not start right away but he can be used in sub packages on the outside or to match up with tight ends. Additionally, he’ll be a core special teamer right away.” Tom also reports that Porter rarely used a jam in college, despite the fact that he’s perfectly designed to use that too. The Draft Network scouting profile (Day 2 grade) calls Porter “an uber-long, physical corner [with] surprising speed and burst,” adding that he appears to have “lateral quickness [question marks]… A willing run defender, but his tackling technique needs work.” The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 2 grade) agrees that Porter projects as a high level perimeter cornerback prospect, whose “extensive experience as a special teams stalwart can help ensure he’s contributing enough to dress on game days.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Fringe-2nd grade) sums it up in a single phrase: “elite traits and special teams talent but only one year of starting experience at CB.” CB Por 2:12 8.5 SAF (Nickel DB) Xavier Watts, Notre Dame (RS Senior). 5-11¾, 204 lbs. with 31¼” arms and small 8⅝” hands. Born Nov. 22, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] Watts was a star WR and ILB in high school, who shifted to multipurpose Safety in college (strong and free), and never looked back. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) uses words like, “a ballhawk with a knack for taking the football away… a great feel for routes… can cover most tight ends and receivers man-to-man… [and] is an aggressive, downhill thumper who likes to set the tone.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) as a tremendous, instinctive FS with good flexibility. DB_S Wat 2:12 7.8 DT T.J. Sanders, S. Carolina (RS Junior). 6-3⅞, 297 lbs. with 33⅛” arms and big 10¼” hands. Born July 30, 2003 (21 years old). 85th percentile RAS. Here’s one to keep an eye on, because he’d fit the Steelers profile very well if you project a few extra pounds of grown man muscle, which he has the frame to add. Not that strength has been a problem against college opposition. Quite the opposite. Amping that strength up, and addressing the cascade of problems from that flow from playing too high, would yield just what the team wants. That said, that kind of development takes time. Sanders should contribute right away as a rotational backup, but it’s hard to see him “getting it” until Year 3 or 4. Remember the floor if that sounds bad. All reports seem to accept that Sanders will eventually become a ‘long term starter.’ The questions go to whether he can become a star. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report concludes with a Round 3 grade, which is noticeably harsher than most profiles. “T.J. Sanders is a young, athletic defensive lineman who has experience lining all over the defensive front… He also has the twitch and juice you like to see from an interior pass. He needs to [tighten his technique and consistency], but Sanders has the tools and traits to become a starter/quality rotational player at the next level. When thinking of a pro comp for Sanders, Osa Odighizuwa comes to mind as another twitched-up defensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys. He was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has a similar skill set to Sanders as well as favorable career projection… Sanders would be a safe, quality option to consider on Day 2.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3ish grade) says that “Sanders’ blend of power and pressure should put him on the board for both odd- and even-front defenses as a potential three-down solution;” but Zierlein also notes a lack of knee bend (fixable but not easy) that causes issues when battling back against down blocks. Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 2 grade) describes Sanders as “a penetration pass-rush specialist early in his career. He does have enough length to develop his game into an every-down defender for a multiple-front scheme, but his most direct pathway to playing time as a rookie will be as an interior designated pass rusher.” According to this Bears-oriented scouting profile, “His ceiling is a good starter, which he would achieve by becoming more decisive in the moment and more consistent with his burst. His floor is that of a developmental backup. In his floor scenario, Sanders needs to add mass or adjust his playstyle to account for faster, more powerful blockers at the NFL level.” DL San 2:12 8.3 DT Shemar Turner (Texas A&M). 6-3⅛, 290 lbs. with longer 33⅝” arms and 10¼” hands. Born Jan. 14, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting profile (strong Round 2 grade) lists a number of negatives to pay attention to. “Hardly wins with power, more finesse… [has] balance issues, struggles to stay on his feet… [and] can get blown back [] versus a powerful blocker.” He also has a bad record of losing control, and costing his team 15-yard personal fouls. So why such a strong grade? “While I have slight concerns with his down-to-down play strength, Turner’s motor is enough for anyone to fall in love with him. [He has] great use of ands as a run stopper and pass rusher… [an] explosive get off that shocks blockers… [and] great bend and athleticism… While I have slight concerns with his down-to-down play strength, Turner’s motor is enough for anyone to fall in love with him.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (strong Round 2 grade) says he “lacks mass and will get swallowed by double teams,… [has] balance issues, struggles to stay on feet…” but other than that he’s a great prospect “if he can keep his temper under control.” More generally, “[Turner is a] three-year starter… [who] plays with unlimited activity and a heavy dose of violence. He has a quick first step and an explosive punch. He’s capable of holding the point against single blocks… His pressure rate is hurt by a lack of length but he’s a restless rusher… will eventually leak through if the play extends. His athleticism and chase quickness will see him in or near the pile with some frequency as a future starter.” DL Tur 2:12 8.4 EDGE Mike Green, Marshall by way of Virginia (RS Soph.). 6-3⅛, 251 lbs. with 32” arms and small 8½” hands. Born July 28, 2003 (22 years old). A one year wonder from a small school with all the twitch you want, with an endless motor, very good bend, a nice sense of timing, and several effective/developing pass rush moves. It came together in 2024 (his first year as a starter) to produce huge numbers against both the smaller school opponents and bigger ones like Ohio State. The NFL will be a shock, but Green has the athletic ‘stuff’ to become a fine NFL pass rusher after a year of professional strength training and exposure to next level OTs on the other side of the line. FWIW, this is the young man who blew up a slew of opponents at the Senior Bowl. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) ends with a comp to Alex Highsmith. “When looking at their play styles, you’ll see both of them be smart and disciplined by sealing the backside in case there is a cutback to them in the run game. When watching both, I think they are about on the same level when it comes to their spins and bendability.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Top 15 grade) also ends with a comp to Alex Highsmith, and this interesting note (for good or ill as you wish): “Plays so hard that he occasionally runs out of gas…. [and be] vulnerable to misdirection.” EDGE Gre 2:12 8.6 EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee (Junior). 6-5¼, 245 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 10” hands. Born Oct. 12, 2003 (21 years old). An incredibly explosive and bendy athlete with good length, but little in the way of speed-to-power (yet) because he simply lacks the mass. Strength he’s got, but it’s cable strength in his arms more than knock-em-back power. He’s a natural 3-4 OLB, since he can be a pass rush specialist who can drop back into coverage as well. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (fringe-1st grade) describes Pearce as an excellent overall athlete with “blazing speed, [plus]great bend, and contact balance… explosiveness off the line, [and solid] play strength” unless his string-bean build gets in the way, and allows stronger blockers to overpower him. The tackling needs some serious work too, but this would be one of my main targets if Pittsburgh needed an EDGE. EDGE Pea 2:12 8.8 ILB/EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia (Junior). 6-2, 243 lbs. with 32” arms and big 10¼” hands. Born Feb. 24, 2004 (21 years old). EDGE WalJ 2:12 8.6 EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia (Junior). 6-5⅛, 260 lbs. with very long 34⅜” arms and big 10¼” hands. Born June 29, 2004 (20 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner] Make sure to check the fine print on any scouting reports you read, because Williams twisted his ankle in the opening game of 2024 and then played through that pain for the rest of the year. He’s better than his most recent film, which was awfully darned good. This is a Round 1 pass rusher who is just as good against the run, and there is every reason to believe he will be a long term starter and potential star in the league. Williams came in at #16 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50. Note that this is a significantly discounted grade even though his size and talents look like exactly the sort of OLB that Pittsburgh loves to target. Just not this year. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report ends in a Round 1 grade and a comparison to Chandler Jones. EDGE Wil 2:12 8.8 ILB/EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia (Junior). 6-2, 243 lbs. with 32” arms and big 10¼” hands. Born Feb. 24, 2004 (21 years old). The best ILB in the class, and an obvious Top 20 prospect. Period. Oh yes – and Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 listed Walker at #6 overall when treated as an Edge prospect. For Pittsburgh, though? Which has the best ILB room depth in a decade or two, and a pretty stuffed OLB room as well? An OLB room that includes Nick Herbig, who has basically the same skill set? Fuggetaboutit. ILB WalJ 2:12 8.5 G/T/C Grey Zabel, N. Dak. St. (RS Senior). 6-5⅜, 316 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9⅜” hands. Born March 30, 2002 (23 years old). He played OT in college, then arrived at the Senior Bowl and looked like he’d been playing both G and C for most of his life. So much for concerns about moving inside for the NFL. Yes, he can and he will. Nasty, smart, strong, and quick, and technically sound,. Zabel played in a run heavy offense (2:1), and has all the mobility you could want to handle outside zone duties. He should be as close to plug-and-play as you’re likely to find, assuming he can get his anchor firm enough to hold up against NFL behemoths on the interior DL. The Bleacher Report scouting profile by Brandon Thorn has a summary that catches the majority view well: “Zabel shows starter-level physical tools with refined run blocking skills and understanding of leverage that signal he can become an immediate role player and potential starter within his first year or two with center likely being his best fit.” In other words, ideal IOL depth behind Frazier and a fine potential heir to Seumalo. Both Thorn and Lance Zierlein express doubts about Zabel’s ability to play OT at the next level. The Depot scouting report by Nate Kosko (Round 2 grade) describes Zable as “a great athlete who possesses the necessary technique and power to be a very good run blocker at the next level…However, he will need to work on his anchor versus powerful rushers and pad level to maximize his ceiling. I can see him playing guard or center, as he can be used wherever he is needed.” OL Zab 2:12 7.7 RB Omarion Hampton, Arizona St. (Senior). 5-11¾, 221 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9⅜” hands. Born March 16, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Hampton went into the Combine as the likely RB2, and emerged from it undisputed after putting up a 96th percentile RAS performance. His testing was very similar to that of Deuce McAllister, who has also been used as a comparison from the style POV. Many have suggested that Hampton could even sneak into Round 1, just like Najee Harris did back in 2021. Hampton is a little smaller than Najee Harris, but has better chops for running outside zone as a big slasher. Both have good but not special speed (Najee ran a 4.45 at Alabama, and Hampton a 4.46 at the Combine), with excellent vision and contact balance to fight through the gap for a few extra yards. Both look like heroic statues carved in ancient Greece. The question from a Steelers POV is this: if Hampton is a very good, high average hitter, should the team pick him even if they’re looking for more home runs than doubles? Just to be extra clear, Hampton, again like Najee Harris, is a very safe pick that no one will ever regret having on their team. He’s just plain good, with a knack for bursting through the hole that can raise eyebrows, and no real holes except limited wiggle. But is he the best option for this particular team in this particular year, when all signs point to the team focusing on outside zone backs with home run potential? Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting profile from January (early 3rd grade with a comp to Rachaad White) describes Hampton as an accomplished, well rounded, high character, hard-working tough guy who “has vision, power, balance, can catch and block.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2 grade) sees a “high-volume battering ram” more than the home run hitter we expect the team to target. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 1-2 grade) agrees. “Omarion Hampton is a [very good] hard-charging downhill RB… [who] lacks open-field elusiveness and wiggle… [and has] limited explosiveness when forced to cut laterally.” RB Ham 2:12 8.8 WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss (RS Senior). 6-2⅜, 205 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Feb. 28, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Coach at Pro Day] A fringe-1st version of the big possession receiver prototype, who’d go at least half a round earlier if he had some special athletic genius to fall back on, or had shown more of the actual skills you want to see from the highest end prospects. That said, he did lead the country in receiving yards for the first several games of 2024, before a groin injury derailed the rest. Does that limited but recent sample justify a higher grade? Either way his hands, body control, attitude, shiftiness, and overall (if generalized) athleticism ought to earn him a long career in the NFL. He may end up as “only” a WR2, but he’d be a very good one, it won’t take long, and the upside is real. Tre Harris compiled a 90th percentile RAS based on good but not special speed, combined with elite explosion numbers and excellent size. This 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 3 grade) calls him “an explosive play down the field waiting to happen.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting profile (Round 1 grade) calls Harris “a playmaking machine that thrives in downfield and red zone situations [while also being] a quality [intermediate] target [with] sneaky quickness and acceleration [that make] him a dangerous YAC threat.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) concludes that Harris is “fast enough to win over the top and talented with the ball in his hands, [but while] his route-running and contested-catch success both took an upturn [in 2024] they still need work at the pro level. [Harris] he looks locked in as an ‘X’ receiver with big-game potential and a future home as a WR2.” WR Har 2:12 8.4 WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa St. (Senior). 6-4⅛, 214 lbs. with 33⅛” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born Dec. 15, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] [Not to be confused with Jay Higgins, the Iowa Hawkeyes ILB]. A tall, tough, football player who wins on his size, body control, excellent athleticism (98th percentile RAS), and catch radius. Higgins already has a good release package, a wide route tree, and he may well have the best hands in the draft on both contested catches and difficult throws. YAC is good but not special. The only problem is his tendency to get big boyed by physical CBs who take position and box him out. NOTE: Most pundits had Higgins with a Round 3 grade, but his astonishing RAS result has push his grade up by a couple of notches on this board. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) describes Higgins as “a talented route runner who moves impressively well for his size. The only main starting concern is play strength; beyond that, he… should earn playing time as a rookie and develop into a starter. He fits into any scheme as both a slot and outside target. In the right situation, Higgins can become a high-end wide receiver.” He looked tremendous at the Senior Bowl, where he also gave Efram this Interview. The Pre-Combine Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 4 grade) describes Higgins as a high-floor, moderate-ceiling “possession receiver who can align at the X, Z, and slot positions. Expectations would place him in the WR3/4 role with opportunities to climb the depth chart.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3ish grade) starts out by describing Higgins as a “big inside/outside wideout with modest athletic attributes but outstanding ball skills…. He’s smooth but physical in his routes and does a nice job of creating pockets of separation with force and strength. He has mismatch qualities from the slot with body control and a catch radius that make him a menace on jump balls downfield… Big-time talent to track and position himself on deep balls and fades… [but] unable to sink hips for sudden stops and sharp cuts in his routes.” WR Hig 2:20   [STEELERS’ ROUND 2 PICK = DK METCALF] A0 AAA 2:24 8.8 CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina (Senior). 6-1⅞, 194 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born April 12, 2002 (23 years old) [2024 ACL tear] An avatar corner from a small school, who everyone was eager to see in 2024… and who then tore his ACL in a noncontact practice injury in September. [Sigh]. That earns a 1-round discount on this Board, which would be two rounds if I wasn’t a low level fan. The admiring Depot scouting report by Jim Hester ends with a player comp to no less than Sauce Gardner “in size, athleticism, production, and aggressiveness at the position… Revel is definitely a cornerback who should be highly considered. He has Pro Bowl and possibly All-Pro caliber potential if he can continue improving what he did in college and recover well from the injury.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade) agrees, quoting an AFC scout who said, “He’s not going to be for everybody, but he’s got the tools to major in man or zone if he gets his technique sorted out.” CB Rev 2:24 8.4 SAF Andrew Mukuba, Texas by way of Clemson (Senior). 5-11¼, 186 lbs. with 30” arms and 9” hands. Born Dec. 7, 2002 (22 years old). A versatile safety and 4-year starter in every type of scheme, Mukuba has plenty of speed, ball skills, and COD, but is missing the size you want in an NFL safety. Mukuba has a young son, so he’s likely to be more mature than many of his peers in the class. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) concludes that “For Pittsburgh, he could be the third safety in nickel and dime defenses and special teams right away.” DB_S Muk 2:24 8.4 DT Alfred Collins, Texas (RS Senior). 6-5⅝, 332 lbs. with very long 34⅝” arms and 10” hands. Born Oct. 8, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] A very good, 2-down, run-stuffing DL who can stack and shed with the best of them. He flunked the Combine explosion tests (bottom 15% or so in the leaps), but otherwise moved well at the Combine; just slowly, and without the spark you normally see in prospects of this caliber. My personal comp would be to someone like Javon Kinlaw, a NT shaped like a 3-4 DE. Kinlaw got picked in Round 1 of the 2020 draft, and then busted out of San Francisco. He finally started to “get it” as a Jet in 2024, and has now signed a big, 3-year contract with the Commanders as he enters Year 5 of his career. Collins may well take that type of time to mature as an NFL player. All of which makes him a bet with significant long-term upside, and a very solid backup floor, adding up to a solid Round 3 pick and a questionable one for Round 2. Others feel less caution. To quote Kyle Crabbs’ scouting profile, Collins “Just has splendid stack and shed ability at the point of attack and offers elite length and hand power… [but has a] limited pass rush profile due to some hip tightness and modest first-step explosiveness.” Collins also came in at #50 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list, which would be the mid-2nd, but fell off the list completely by early April. The Depot scouting profile by Jim Hester (Round 2 grade) sees Collins as a prospect with “a really unique blend of size, length, traits, and versatility that reminds me a lot of Richard Seymour [wow]. His body type looks like it was built in a 3-4 defensive lab… [can line] up in multiple positions… experienced… intelligent… strong run defense ability, and the pass-rush upside are all selling points for him.” On the pass rush front, “Collins has many pass-rush moves… but he fails to build and execute a consistent pass-rush plan. Many of his moves lack polish and only lead to stalemates… stiffness that prevents his bend from reaching elite thresholds… [Collins] might never develop into a consistent [pass rusher, but] there is certainly a lot to work with for a defensive line coach.” DL Col 2:24 6.7 DT Joshua Farmer, Florida St. (RS Junior). 6-3¼, 305 lbs. with epic 35” arms (not a typo) and big 10¼” hands. Born Jan. 17, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Here’s a prospect to learn more about, because he actually fits the Steelers mold at DE. The height isn’t there, but he’s got arms so long that he has a better net reach than most OTs, and he projects very well as a base NT who can slide out to DE in a pinch; shorter and longer than Keeanu Benton, but otherwise kind of similar. According to Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list (Farmer was #39, #41 in the 2.0 version, and off the list in April), the young man “has outstanding bulk, length and strength… [with a quick first step and push-the-pocket power. He can win early when slanting and he flashes the ability to stack moves together… Against the run, he faced double-teams quite a bit, but he can sink his weight and hold up fine, [and] he has a lot of shock in his hands to jolt and free himself.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile generally agrees, but sees a high floor player with a potentially average ceiling. “Farmer needs to play as a two-gapper who muddies the pocket. He’s powerful, with long arms and strong hands,… [and has] an average anchor [that] should improve if he’s allowed to use that length to gain early control at the point of attack. There is nothing tricky about his rush, but he can jar blockers backward with a single punch. His traits will be coveted but his upside might be as a rotational defender with average starting potential.” The Draft Network scouting profile (Round 3 grade) calls Farmer, “a one-on-one nightmare with raw strength and lateral juice to cause havoc in the backfield against the run or pass.” It also notes some pad level issues that lead to “struggles against lateral double teams.” Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) amounts to a total pan compared to the others. The report acknowledges the many assets and the fit. “Farmer has good height, weight, and elite length with good play strength. He has experience playing from the 0-tech to the 5-tech in one- and two-gap schemes. At the snap, he has twitchy burst with solid hand placement.” But all that gets a significant downgrade because the motor isn’t up to Pittsburgh’s standards, and “The pass-rush plan is nonexistent, he doesn’t get off blocks and doesn’t make enough plays.” DL Far 2:24 8.6 EDGE Landon Jackson, Arkansas (Senior). 6-5½, 273 lbs. with 33⅝” arms and 10⅛ hands. Born Jan. 2, 2003 (22 years old). [Neck injury late in 2024] A young man with alopecia who suffers a neck injury during the big game… pardon me while I get over the PTSD. Ahem. The Steelers have a deep OLB room already, but Landon Jackson would fill a particular gap: he’s the exact opposite of Nick Herbig as a pass rusher. Herbig is slick, quick, and bursty, but small enough to have issues in run support. Jackson has extra size and exceptional length, which make him an excellent run stuffer and an effective, leverage oriented pass rusher. They’d make an awesome combination for rotational depth, and would allow the defense to focus on whatever style would bother the opponent most. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (late 1st grade) emphasizes that length and Jackson’s proven ability to use it. “His great length that allows him to control blockers at the point of attack… [and] a good chance to use his deep bag of skilled pass rush moves… He is serviceable in the run game by using his length to hold blockers upright and locate the ball, [but] will need to fix some coachable issues such as tackling and quickly shedding blocks. [U]nfortunately his lower body strength will put a ceiling on him in the run game.” Jackson earned a similar late-1st grade in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile. EDGE JacL 2:24 8.2 EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M (Junior). 6-5⅛, 267 lbs. (down from 290 in college) with 34⅛” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Nov. 12, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] We came to the process with more questions than answers about Shemar Stewart: with reported college measurements of 6-5, 290 lbs. and exceptional length, would he bulk up and project as a 3-4 DE (a defensive tackle), or slim down and be a 4-3 DE (edge)? In college he’d moved up and down the line, and made an impact wherever he went due to his nonstop motor as much as anything else. Enter the Senior Bowl, where (at 281 lbs.) he looked like the best edge rusher there, and told Steeler Depot’s Ross McCorkle that “Stewart [confirmed] there have been zero talks about him adding weight coming from any NFL teams.” Enter the Combine, where Stewart showed up at a mere 267 lbs. and compiled a perfect 100% RAS in an all-around show for the ages! So okay: he is a 4-3 EDGE with extra size and length, who is now considered a Round 1 lock. Tom Mead’s January (pre-Senior Bowl) Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) notes a lack of bend that may limit him as a top tier pass rusher, but acknowledges that Stewart has everything else you look for outside of that specialized talent, with the suddenness and effort to succeed at the next level. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Top 15 grade) expresses no doubt that Stewart “has bend to turn and flatten the edge and hunt the passer.” His only real worry is a “puzzling lack of career production relative to his traits… [and a] desperate need of some go-to moves to kick-start his rush.” EDGE Ste 2:24 8.6 G/T Donovan Jackson, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-3⅝, 315 lbs. with 33½” arms and 9⅞” hands. Born Dec. 4 2002 (22 years old). A tremendous football player who happens to play on the offensive line, Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 1 grade) describes Jackson as an all but instant starting guard and emergency OT, who should have a long and successful career. “When it comes to weaknesses in Jackson’s game, there isn’t much to write home about. He lacks elite mobility and athleticism for the position, having good footwork, but is better playing in a phone booth… He can play in nearly any scheme [as a] big, strong, bulky blocker that dominates in the running game while utilizing his strength and stopping power in pass protection.”, OL JacD 2:24 8.6 OG Marcus Mbow (“Boe” with a silent M), Purdue (RS Junior). 6-4, 309 lbs. with 33” arms and 10⅜” hands. Born April 2, 2003 (22 years old). Imagine a shorter Chuks Okorafor who played OT in college but has arms too short to do it in the NFL. What would he do? Move inside to become a movement-oriented, outside-zone guard. And there you have it. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile offers this summary: “What Mbow lacks in desired size and mass, he makes up for with athleticism, hustle and elite instincts. He is likely to head back home to guard after two years manning right tackle for Purdue. He’s a free-flowing athlete with the ability to create chunk-run opportunities with blocks on the second level or in space, but he’s also willing to swap paint with aggressive first contact.” Mbow came in at No. 47 on Daniel Jeremiah’s initial Top 50 list. The Depot scouting report by Alex Kozora (Fringe 2nd grade) agrees that Mbow needs to move back to guard, and concludes that he has all the traits at that spot to become a quality starting lineman. The player comp is to Ali Marpet, who of course attended that tiny upstate school better known for producing many eminent writers of Steelers big boards, excellent legal work, awesome cookbooks, and as yet unmarried daughters worthy of Platonic ideals. OL Mbo 2:24 8.5 T/G Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota (RS Senior). 6-6, 330 lbs. with 34” arms and 9⅜” hands. Born Feb. 19, 2002 (23 years old). Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report describes Ersery as “a pro-ready run blocker… who moves extremely well… [and] has the technique to play in both zone and gap running schemes.” Minnesota has a zone blocking system, so he is more experienced at blocking on the move than many of his peers. This would make him a starting guard right away, but the kicker is that “Ersery held up in pass pro enough [as a tackle] to suggest he can do the same in the NFL” My ideal OL pick for the Steelers would be a guard-capable tackle with outside zone experience, who’d compete with Jones and Fautanu enough to really push them. The loser would end up as an ideal starting guard with swing tackle chops during his rookie season. Here’s Exhibit 1 of that prototype. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 2 grade, OT5 of the class) worries most about Ersery’s “upright playing style and average athletic ability,” the latter of which proved to be false when Ersery put up a 93rd percentile RAS at the Combine, with very good looking field drills. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) says that “Ersery is not a natural bender, which creates disadvantages with leverage and when attempting to mirror moving fronts, [but] he’s well-versed in Minnesota’s outside zone attack… [and] has the potential to become an average starting tackle on the right side.” OT Ers 2:24 7.0 QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (Senior). 6-2¼, 223 lbs. with 9½” hands. Born May 13, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] There are some prospects who appeal beyond all the measurable factors, and Jaxson Dart is one of them. This is a tough, tough kid with very good size and top notch intangibles, who played through painful injuries without a blink. He’s got the “It” factor, too. Alas, but his actual film doesn’t live up to that. As summarized in Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report, “he’s just not great in any area besides his toughness. His biggest issue is a lack of timing on throws. Dart needs to speed up his process and he’s often too late, allowing contested situations with the DB closing on his target… Dart does a lot of things well… [b]ut there aren’t a lot of things he does great… Everything about his game is Bs, not As.” Yeah, okay, I can grant all that [pouts out lower lip] but I don’t care. This is the sort of young man who will make your team better even if he’s only a backup. Gardner Minshew 2.0. QB Dar 2:24 7.8 RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State (Senior). 5-10⅛, 202 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9½” hands. Born Oct. 22, 2022 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day Dinner] You want home runs? As a true freshman, TreVeyon Henderson set the Ohio State record for most yards in a single game. Ohio friggin’ State! The young man majored in patience, vision, burst, killer speed, and he may be the best blocker of the class despite his limited size. But he has been limited by nagging injuries throughout his college career, and you have to wonder how many games a year he’d miss due to NFL level violence and physicality. Alex Kozora’s excellent Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) includes a few extra tidbits, positive and negative, that really fill out the story. “[1] Willing and aggressive pass protector… [2] Unselfish and team-first player, known for sliding to win instead of scoring… [3] Limited power and goes down easily… [4] Surprising lack of wiggle to elude defenders in close quarters.” I add that his film shows some gaping holes he’s unlikely to find in the NFL. Alex concluded as follows: “Henderson is a breakaway speed runner with home run ability… but he doesn’t profile as a 1A running back or starter. He’s better off the bench as a 1B/No. 2.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2 grade) has Henderson as RB2 of the entire class. “Henderson isn’t Jahmyr Gibbs, but he can operate in a similar role for teams looking to add a more dynamic player to their running back room.” The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 3 grade) views Henderson as a change-of-pace lightning back who would do best sharing the load with someone who brings more thunder. Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 2 grade) sees the injury history as a major red flag, but agrees that “Henderson offers vision, sharp-cut ability, and home run-hitting ability in a compact frame, and his passing down profile is that of an NFL contributor quickly upon his entry into the league.” RB Hen 2:24 8.5 RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa (Junior). 6-1, 224 lbs. with 33” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Aug. 14, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] The Steelers just let Najee Harris go, reportedly for lack of fit to an outside zone running scheme, and because they want more of a home run hitter. Johnson is a hammer who spent his college career excelling in an outside zone attack, but doesn’t offer the home run speed and burst the team has focused on with so many of its other signals. Which means… You tell me. But here’s an idea! Commenter Chuck Anderson points out that Johnson could be viewed as that rare player who’d fit the outside zone blocking scheme, while also offering enough size to take on the closer role. Innnnteresting… Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade and a comp to Melvin Gordon III) concludes that Johnson “has similar size but is a far more explosive runner [with] the full package when it comes to size, burst, strength, vision, and pass-catching capabilities.” The need for projection earns a small discount for this board, but one suspects that Johnson would look like a real star if the OL can develop enough to give him a step or two before first contact. His long speed tasted as barely okay (4.57 dash), with the 10- and 20-yard splits a little poorer. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 2 grade) describes Johnson as a power back with good vision, toughness, and bad intent, but without “the twitch and suddenness for a sharp change of direction to be a one-cut runner… He is more adept and suited for gap/man scheme runs, where he can attack downhill and maneuver through congestion.” The player comp is James Conner. Needless to say, this mid-January, Vikings-oriented scouting profile concludes the opposite. “Johnson is a classic wide zone back. He does a great job at reading blocks and cutting back when the hole opens up.” It does agree on the lack of wiggle and home run speed. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (later Round 3 grade) says that “Johnson is built like a bruiser, but his style is more finesse.” RB Joh 2:24 7.7 RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State by way of Ole Miss (Junior). 5-11⅝, 221 lbs. with 30¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Oct. 29, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day Dinner] Quinshon Judkins stood out in the CFB playoffs against the best competition in the nation. He plays fast, with impressive vision, agility, burst through the crease, and contact balance after he gets hit. Profiles such as Josh Carney’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) point out that it’s immediate rather than long speed. “He’s a guy who will hit the 10+ yard run time and time again (14.7% of his college runs went for 10+ yards)…. [but then] he’d just run out of gas.” An excellent fit if the Steelers really do want to emphasize zone running and can do without home runs, because he also has the sturdy size that ought to keep him healthy. This goes to a January scouting profile from Kyle Crabbs (early Round 2 grade). Note that Judkins tested extraordinarily well at the Combine, leading the class with a top 1% RAS. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 3 grade) particularly admires Judkins’ scheme versatility, and offers admirable player comps such as Joe Mixon or Kareem Hunt. RB Jud 2:24 8.6 TE Elijah Arroyo (ah-ROH-yo), Miami (RS Junior). 6-5⅛, 250 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Born April 5, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at TE Coach at Pro Day] [Torn ACL in 2022] TE and ILB are probably the deepest position groups on the team. There’s just no room. So why even a Round 2 grade? Because (a) you never ignore a potential steal, (b) combination of Freiermuth, Washington, and Arroyo could be the best 13-personnel package in NFL history, (c) Arthur Smith would be one of the best OCs around to use that package, and (d) this would be a sideway method to fill the WR hole we’ve worried about so much. Arroyo had a slow beginning to 2024 as he continued to recover from the ACL, but kept improving to the point where the Senior Bowl displayed a receiving TE so freakish that Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile names Kyle Pitts as the player comp. And it’s not a bad one. The Depot scouting report by Nate Kosko prefers Tucker Kraft because of Arroyo’s “willingness to do the dirty work… The coolest thing I saw from watching Arroyo is how much he improved throughout the year. This continued into the 2025 Senior Bowl, where I thought he was the best tight end in Mobile.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein has a significantly lower grade (Round 3-4), but appears to rely heavily on the earlier, more lackluster games in 2024 without any of the much more impressive postseason material. TE Arr 2:24 8.2 WR Jaylin Noel (“nole,” not “no-ell”), Iowa St. (Senior). 5-10¼, 194 lbs. with 29½” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Sep. 4, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] On the intangibles front, Noel was a two-year captain at Iowa State, received numerous Big 12 coaches awards, and some academic honors. Color that box checked! Then he popped onto the scene at the Senior Bowl, where this small, dense WR was so good that the opposing DBs named him the practice player of the week. No one wins that honor unless he’s bursty as heck and already runs good routes. Enter the Combine, where he compiled a starting 97th percentile RAS based on elite scores in everything but size, and despite the extra handicap of a 10-lb. typo in the weight column. Then factor in return ability every bit as good as his receiving chops. Innnteresting… This goes to a Steelers Depot interview with Ross McCorkle, and this to the Depot Scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 2 grade). Jon describes Noel as “an undersized, yet polished prospect who can make plays all over the field from the slot, winning quickly as a route runner on short and intermediate concepts while also being able to stretch the field and win jump balls down the field, too.” I.e., a talented chain mover with good mass but a severe lack of length, who projects best in the slot but isn’t limited to that role. To my eyes and ears, the descriptions leave vibes of a slightly smaller but just as dense Deebo Samuels (2” and 10 lbs.), with even better speed and the same kind of inside/outside/gadget versatility. But is that what Pittsburgh could really use, especially when the player is still battling the occasional drops? Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 3 grade) notes that “Noel has been predominantly implemented as a slot receiver [who has]… run a bevy of routes… His frame is compact, and Noel offers quick feet,… [but] his second gear doesn’t scream ‘burner.’” He adds that “Noel’s value as a slot receiver is boosted by some prolific numbers as a return man.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade, but Zierlein has said on-air that will probably go up) notes that “His routes can be a little unfocused but that’s correctable with coaching. What can’t be coached is his consistent play speed. He can accelerate and separate from turns and stems and tends to uncover on cross-country routes.” WR Noe 2:24 8.3 WR Jalen Royals, Utah St. (Senior). 6-0, 205 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 9½” hands. Born Feb. 18, 2003 (22 years old). [October foot injury] A smaller school athletic marvel (92nd percentile RAS based on only speed and size) who suffered through awful QB play. Royals is still learning his position in all the little ways that will matter as he faces professional opponents, but projects as a multipurpose weapon who merely needs a year or two to develop. He has that rare combination of very good speed (4.42) plus the ability to carry that speed through his breaks and double moves; a hallmark of the best separators route runners. He just hasn’t (yet) figured out how to deal with big, physical CBs who refuse to give him any space off the line, or get there in time to challenge his catches. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) makes a particularly interesting read because it highlights how hard it is to make a firm evaluation of what Royals has been and could be. Through lens “A” he looks like an all-around winner who does so many things well that teams end up with no way to stop him. See Antonio Brown, Jerry Rice, etc. Through lens “B” he projects as only “that 50 catch per year guy across from the WR1.” Interviews will matter a lot. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 2-3 compromise grade) points to a major need for better release skills off the line as the potentially-solvable flaw that will hold him back. This goes to an interesting Draft Network interview from the Senior Bowl, where Royals shows a solid dedication to the craft, and compares his game to Diontae Johnson (without the off field issues, of course). WR Roy 3:01 7.7 CB Denzel Burke, Ohio St. (Senior). 5-11¼, 186 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Nov. 10, 2002 (22 years old) Burke is something of an enigma. He’s got it all physically. Long enough, big enough, tough enough, fast enough, and a superior athlete even by NFL standards. And he came into 2024 as a solid Round 2 pick who was expected to vault into Round 1 if he had a good season. Then he didn’t. Emphatically. Why? Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report points the finger at maddening inconsistencies in his technique, which have made him very effective in press man coverage, but almost a liability when he gives a cushion or plays in zone. Alex compares Burke to a more durable Ahkello Witherspoon, “a talented but inconsistent player throughout his career, [who] also doesn’t offer a ton against the run [though he does] show effort.” Interviews will matter, especially since Burke’s top tier athletic talent had always carried him through all challenges until the 2024 run. Did last year show his limitations? Or will it spur him to build on those talents in a professional way? CB Bur 3:01 8.1 CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas St. (Junior). 5-9¾, 191 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 9” hands. Born Feb. 29, 2004 (21 years old). Parrish is the best slot-only CB in the draft. The question for Steelers fans is this: how much better is he than Beanie Bishop? Good special teams chops raise the floor, as does a phenomenal Combine workout that resulted in an 87th percentile RAS despite bottom 25% height. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) says that “Parrish is an explosive athlete… with quick acceleration… [and] snappy foot speed and redirection in space… [who can] turn on a dime…. Parrish relies on his technique and strength to stay in phase with guys because he doesn’t have elite makeup speed if he’s beaten vertically… I think he can play outside cornerback, but his best position at the NFL level would most certainly be at the slot position because of his size, style of play, and play recognition.” This decent looking scouting profile concludes that “Parrish has the makings of a starting NFL corner… His off-coverage skills are extremely solid… [and] he defends the run well enough as well to be considered an all-around CB prospect who should become a quality starter in a short time.” The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile says that Parrish is “best suited for a defense that emphasizes pattern-matching concepts from off coverage, where his processing speed and explosive breaks can shine.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (Round 3-4 grade) agrees that Parrish has “quick feet, smooth hips… adequate long speed and twitchy short-area burst,… but is still lacking as a run defender and open-field tackler. He needs more seasoning but has the athletic tools and ball skills to compete for a role as a CB3.” CB Par 3:01 8.5 SAF (Nickel DB) Malachi Moore, Alabama (RS Senior). 5-11¼, 196 lbs. with 29⅝” arms and 9” hands. Born Sep. 13 2001 (24 years old). Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) describes Moore as “an excellent prospect” in the Brian Branch school of being a do-it-all Nickel DB who can be relied on for Safety snaps too. “He’s scheme-versatile, high-character (even praised by Ryan Clark in 2020), and an all-around strong player.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5 grade) sees things differently because Moore “lacks size and physicality in run support… [shows] below-average aggression with his block take-on… [and] saw his coverage confusion turn into touchdowns.” DB_S Moo 3:01 7.9 DT Rylie Mills, Notre Dame (RS Senior). 6-5, 291 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9⅞” hands. Born Aug. 20, 2001 (23 years old). [December Knee Injury requiring surgery] Innnteresting. Rylie Mills fits the Steelers profile well enough to earn his own “watch list” article last June, though the arm length came in below what we hoped for. He is a fine, penetration-oriented DT and team captain who helped get Notre Dame into the CFB playoffs. The issue is a knee injury in the late December playoff game against that knocked him out for the rest of the season. All we know is that it wasn’t an ACL, but was also something severe enough to rule out any participation for at least a month or two. This grade assumes that injury won’t impact his rookie season. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) pours a bit of cool water on the preseason hopes by emphasizing how far Mills still needs to go with his fundamentals and physique. Jon’s final player comp was to “John Cominsky [who] was drafted in the fourth round back in 2019 and has become a quality rotational player/spot starter for Detroit, a similar role I foresee Mills having in the league.” In other words, a valuable piece of the puzzle but not a likely Heir To Heyward. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) particularly admires the “non-stop motor,” but says “he’s not much of a knee-bender, so anchoring firm will get a lot tougher as a pro. He lacks explosive, twitchy movements as a rusher.” DL Mil 3:01 7.9 DT Ty Robinson, Nebraska (RS Senior). 6-5⅛, 288 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 10” hands. Born May 3, 2001 (23 years old). 98th percentile RAS, with the weight (quite fixable) dragging the result down by a lot. Color Pittsburgh intrigued, because he has something within spitting distance of the length they look for, a very quick burst off the line, and the sort of playing style that requires every reviewer to use the word “violent”. The issues come down to the flip side of all that length – trouble dropping his center of gravity and overall pad level – together with his relatively advanced age, and a severe lack of sophistication when it comes to the DT craft. A legitimate target in Day 2 who would garner much more attention in a year that didn’t have options closer to the Steelers ideal. This goes to the early January Draft Network scouting profile, which notes that Robinson has pass rush chops in addition to his run stuffing prowess, but suffers from serious pad level issues. “Robinson possesses… the physical tools NFL defenses covet in a DL. With a few fine-tuned adjustments—improving his pad level and developing a more detailed pass-rush strategy—Robinson has the potential to be a well-rounded and highly impactful contributor at the next level, excelling against both the run and the pass.” Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (strong Round 3 grade) ends with a comp to “Steelers great Aaron Smith [as] a tall guy with a lot of power and size who plays high at times and doesn’t have the greatest length but knows how to win with strength, violence, motor, and intelligence. [Robinson’s] ability to get to the quarterback and create significant pressure took a big leap this past year.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) says Robinson is a “bully with a roughshod playing style that forces blockers to match his physicality… built for the trenches with the versatility to play in odd or even fronts…. He’s powerful to set edges but lacks length to control and quickly shed NFL blockers. He’s an effort rusher [who]… might not be a star, but his effort, strength and demeanor could make him a productive pro for years to come.” DL Rob 3:01 8.0 DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee (RS Senior). 6-1⅞, 291 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 10¾” hands. Born March 11, 2002 (23 years old). Alas, but he’s worth more to another team. At 6-2, the length just isn’t there despite the long arms. That drops him to a fringe-2nd grade from a Pittsburgh P)V, while he’s a fringe-1st for the pure 4-3 teams based on both the build and his strength, athleticism, first step explosion, anchor, some sneaky pass rush skills, motor, motor, motor, and a lot of room to improve with better technique. The drawbacks (other than physique) are fixable, and likely to be fixed given the reports that he possesses a fabulous work ethic and dedication to the football craft. They basically come down to lack of consistency due to the evils of a high pad level and limited wind, and a few injuries. Note that this is the player who “suffered” a widely reported and condemned fake injury in November that managed to stop the clock without using a timeout. That could honestly be seen as a positive if viewed from the right POV. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) lauds the “incredible motor and non-stop hustle…, significant upper-body power, very big and strong hands…, really deep bag of pass-rush moves,” and other assets include burst off the ball and ability to shed blocks. The problem? Norman-Lott “doesn’t have the requisite size” and “teams don’t appear to trust him as a run defender.” In a way, Omarr Norman-Lott can be seen as the mirror image of a modern NT. His snap count is limited to ⅔ instead of ⅓, because he will always need to come off the field on potential run downs, vs. always coming off when there might be a passing play in the works. DL Wil 3:01 7.8 EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston Coll. (Senior). 6-2¼, 248 lbs. with exceptional 34½” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Sep. 25, 2003 (21 years old). Ezeiruaku had tremendous production in college because he’s got burst, bend, exceptional length, and several developed pass rush moves. He’s just notably undersized, and it isn’t clear that he can add the strength and mass he’ll need to properly set the edge against offensive linemen who will routinely outweigh him by 50-100 lbs. Think of an extra-long-but-no-bigger Nate Herbig. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting profile (Round 3 grade) ends with a comp to Harold Landry III, and sums things up like this: “Donovan Ezeiruaku will be a designated pass rusher in his first year and [until he can] up his effort, play strength, and aggressiveness… It is a pretty sight to see when he wins with his jab step and swim move. [But] if he is snuffed out, there is no other way for him to win.. What worries me most is his run defense and lack of play strength.” The December Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 3 grade) agrees: genuinely great production with several very good moves, but undersized with a lack of the required NFL play strength. The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs ends in a more positive fringe-1st grade, calling Ezeiruaku “the most NFL-ready-made pass rusher in the class of 2025… a dynamic athlete with a seemingly endless variety of pass rush counters [and] great motor.” Crabbs also calls him “an effective run defender despite being modestly undersized,” but acknowledges that the “Natural anchor at the point of attack is not great due to his frame, [and the]… ability to convert speed to power against NFL tackles may be hit or miss” for the same reason. The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein heads back toward a Round 3 grade, calling Ezeiruaku “a slightly undersized outside linebacker for a 3-4 front with long arms and plus athleticism… [who] uses every bit of his length paired with aggression to mitigate size differences at the point of attack.” EDGE Eze 3:01 7.6 T/G Charles Grant, William & Mary (Senior). 6-4⅞, 311 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 10¼” hands. Born March 22, 2002 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Tomlin alma mater] OL Gra 3:01 8.1 T/G Emery Jones LSU (Junior). 6-4¾, 312 lbs. with long 34¾” arms and big 10¾” hands. Born March 5, 2004 (21 years old). OL Jon 3:01 8.3 T/G Anthony Belton, NC State by way of JUCO (RS Senior). 6-6, 336 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10¼” hands. 24 years old. With three years of starting experience under his belt, Anthony Belton looks an awful lot like the guard-capable swing tackle Pittsburgh could really use as depth behind Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones. His run blocking is already there. The pass protection needs work, however, because he tends to lose leverage and to roll his shoulders for extra reach on his punch. He won’t push for a starting job in 2025 unless someone gets hurt, but the ceiling is high enough to see that happening as soon as Year 2. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report ends in a Round 2 grade because a dominant show at the Senior Bowl suggests that Belton is closer to getting on the field than his earlier film suggests. This goes to the 33rd Team scouting report by Kyle Crabbs. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 5 grade) admires the “starter-level size, natural power, and enough athletic ability to warrant being drafted” but considers him a “high-variance dart throw [due to] sloppy technique and shaky recovery skills.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) seems to go back to the higher grade because there are a few specific issues to fix rather than the whole litany one usually sees: “his punch timing is inconsistent and he lacks the body control to consistently respond to inside counters. If a team can steady his feet and improve his hand placement, he could become a solid starter at right tackle, but he will need some help from time to time.” OT Bel 3:01 7.6 T/G Charles Grant, William & Mary (Senior). 6-4⅞, 311 lbs. with 33¾” arms and 10¼” hands. Born March 22, 2002 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Tomlin alma mater, Assistant OL Coach at Pro Day] Team captain. Grant is exactly the kind of prospect to look for if you want a midround, high ceiling piece to complete the Steelers offensive line: a highly athletic swing tackle who could be even better if he adds some grown man strength and moves inside to guard while he adjusts to the new level of talent he’ll be facing. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (fringe Round 3 grade) describes Grant as a highly athletic small school tackle, who was bigger and better than his FCS competition, but will need to add some bulk and more refined technique in order to make the jump up to the NFL level. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (strong Round 3 grade) says that Grant is a “highly consistent performer with elite length and better technique than many prospects coming from a higher level of competition. Grant played with both urgency and positioning in William & Mary’s zone-heavy approach, but he needs to add bulk and improve his pad level to play with the drive and anchor needed as a pro. The former high school wrestler utilizes a bag of tricks with his protection approach and possesses adequate core strength to absorb a speed-to-power pass rush. He could develop into a solid pro as either a guard or tackle if he cleans up issues with hand usage.” Brandon Thorn’s expert scouting profile (strong Round 3 grade) is very similar in almost all the details. “Grant has a lean, muscular build with solid arm length, play strength and very good athletic ability… A very athletic, skilled zone run blocker with very good physicality, effort and strain to stick on blocks once latched… A loose, twitchy mover with the range and redirect skills to mirror and protect his edges with a good understanding of how to play long.” Etc. OT Gra 3:01 8.1 T/G Emery Jones LSU (Junior). 6-4¾, 312 lbs. with long 34¾” arms and big 10¾” hands. Born March 5, 2004 (21 years old). A boom or bust offensive linemen with tremendous potential, but also some hard to fix technique problems that will cripple his prospects if they don’t get solved. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) sums things up a follows: “He is a good athlete with impressive movement skills and noticeable strength, but he doesn’t always play with that strength as he needs to play more under control and less over his toes to capitalize on the traits he has.” Note that I have worked with men in other sports who had this “wants to lean in” problem, and it is fixable; but also hard fix because you need to rebuild a lot of habits built up since childhood, both mental and physical. Jon’s player comp is none other than Broderick Jones, and you could knock this grade up by the better part of a round if you choose to write off the 2023 first rounder as a loss (which I do not). Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile ends in a Round 4, potential role player grade, saying that “Jones is a toolsy, low-floor prospect who likely needs to be brought along slowly to find a role…. [he] has long limbs, a thick frame with good mass, good play strength, and adequate athletic ability… [but also] shaky body control and balance [that] too often sap his ability to sustain, leaving more questions than answers in his projection to the NFL.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) sees a great physical profile, but argues that “In pass protection, he struggles to gain ground quickly enough, causing him to open and race to the edge. Skilled rushers are sure to attack his pass-setting inconsistencies with success unless coaching can correct the issue.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 4 grade) concludes that Jones “has enough athleticism and power to be an asset in any variety of run schemes… [but] may be suited better to play inside at guard. The pass protection profile is concerning, regardless of whether it’s a play action, deep set, or quick-game-oriented scheme, and will be the defining variable if he realizes his notable potential.” OT Jon 3:01 7.6 OT Ozzy Trapilo, Boston Coll. (RS Senior). 6-8⅛, 316 lbs. with 33” arms and big 10¾” hands. Born Oct. 17, 2001 (23 years old). The son of NFL guard Steve Trapilo, Ozzy is a big, strong, and experienced prospect who could be smoother, but has the sheer length and size to be a good NFL tackle if he can refine his technique to a good level. He compiled a very good overall RAS in the 88th percentile based on above average grades across the board combined with all that height and an excellent 10-yard split. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) emphasizes that Trapilo has a good anchor and run blocking talent despite all that height, and should develop relatively quickly since he has a tremendous amount of college experience. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (strong Round 2 grade) does observe some inevitable leverage problems from the height, but admires the “sound pass sets, active hands and excellent arm extension… [and] good feel for pocket depth Trapilo could operate as a swing tackle early on but his potential in pass protection gives him a good chance to become a starter.” Brandon Thorn’s scouting report (strong Round 3 grade) agrees that Trapilo is a badly underrated prospect, and an “active, skilled hand-fighter who utilizes independent hands, knows how to strike and keep rushers at his fingertips with a flat-back posture… Overall, Trapilo has the size, craftiness, play strength and anchoring ability to be a high-level backup at tackle or guard right away and compete for a starting right tackle role as a rookie inside a multiple run scheme that majors in zone concepts.” OT Tra 3:01 8.3 QB Will Howard, Ohio State (RS Senior). 6-4¼, 236 lbs. with 9” hands. Born Sep. 24, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Pro Day Dinner] Howard had a great start to 2024 when he beat out Kyle McCord for the starting job. And he had an awesome end of 2024, when things began to click and he led his team to a national championship. In between was a bit less impressive. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report starts by emphasizing Howard’s “prototypical frame [and] elite-level downfield touch… [and skill at] throwing good YAC balls that hit receivers in stride.” Howard also features a nice, compact release and, and the ability to rise up and play better in the clutch. All good. But he’s a pocket passer, not a high quality athlete (“awkward and clunky”), his arm can fail him at times, and he played in a QB friendly offense that covered his shortcomings with a lot of extraordinary weapons. Alex views him as QB3 for the weak 2024 class. QB How 3:01 7.2 QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama (RS Junior). 6-1⅞, 217 lbs. with 9⅜” hands. Born Dec. 13, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner] The upside pick of the draft, Jalen Milroe has good size, a monster arm, great character and leadership chops (2 year captain), and brilliant mobility capped by a 4.37 dash at his pro day. The human intangibles like character, leadership, brains, and the like are good enough to be the draft’s #1 pick as a future son in law. All of which means that Jalen Milroe is the highest upside bet of the class, and no one seems to doubt it. But, as summed up in Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade), he is a “wildly erratic… feast/famine player… [who] struggles to read coverage and makes too many mistakes/misreads.” The good plays include downfield passes dropped into the bucket at a range that some QBs simply couldn’t reach. The bad ones are… bad, with the supposed gimmes being the biggest problem. That tends to mean bad mechanics, which can be fixed but only with a lot of hard, tedious, and time consuming labor. Milroe offers much same upside as Justin Fields, but he’s got much further to go than Fields did when he got drafted at #11 overall. Remember when everyone thought Malik Willis would go to Pittsburgh in Round 1 because “Tomlin loves him,” and instead they took Kenny Pickett? Similar type of player. QB Mil 3:01 8.0 QB Tyler Shough (“Shuck”), Louisville by way Texas Tech by way of Oregon (7-year RS Senior). 6-4⅞, 219 lbs. with 9¾” hands. Born Sep. 28,1999 (25 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] [2021 broken collarbone, 2022 broken collarbone, 2023 broken fibula] Excellent size, easy NFL arm talent, very good mobility, and a full slate of college experience under excellent QB developers. That’s impressive! He also killed the Combine by compiling a 95th-percentile RAS, which included much better (4.63) speed than expected (very similar to Josh Dobbs fwiw), and the most impressive arm of anyone there. So why isn’t Shough in the Round 1-2 conversation? You need to discount his grade for (A) that long list of season-ending injuries, all of which occurred before halfway through the season, and (B) he’ll turn 26 soon after opening week of his rookie year. Shough has been around long enough to be Justin Herbert’s backup at Oregon! Ignore those discounts and Round 1-2 would be appropriate. And, in fact, the buzz is building! Shough was voted as the best practice QB at the Senior Bowl. That sent respected analysts like Louis Riddick (review is linked) and Todd McShay (same) back into the film room, from which they emerged with “Steal Of The Draft!” narratives. Greg Cosell has him as the #2 QB in the draft based on film alone. The expansive PFN scouting profile from the same time period puts it bluntly: “Shough could be a high second-round pick, and one could argue he deserves to be in the same conversation as Ward and Sanders. However, his talent cannot be evaluated in isolation…External factors, such as his age and injury history, play a significant role in his draft stock.” This gif-supported, Vikings-oriented scouting report agrees on the Day 2 grade and the QB3/4 position for this year’s draft class, despite some well-argued frustrations about Shough’s field vision and tendency to check things down too quickly. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) puts Shough as his personal QB 4, very close behind Will Howard and well ahead of everyone else. He concludes that “Overall, Tyler Shough is a solid and well-balanced quarterback. Some of the buzz he’s receiving is warranted…But you have to wonder if Shough took advantage of being a 25-year-old facing mostly 20-22-year-olds, defenders who simply weren’t as mature and experienced.” This goes to a Steelers Depot interview from March. QB Sch 3:01 7.9 RB DJ Giddens, Kansas St. (RS Junior). 6-0¼, 212 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Aug. 26, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Cue the Jaylen Warren vibes, except 5” taller and 10 lbs. lighter. Giddens is solid, all-around RB with good vision, elusiveness, contact balance (not a given for someone his height), patience to let blocks develop, and short area quickness to make tacklers miss. He projects as an excellent fit for the outside zone system Arthur Smith prefers. Note that Giddens surprised the world by compiling a top 3% athletic profile with elite speed and explosion numbers. Earlier scouting reports tended to discount those factors, and view him as a more limited doubles hitter. Now it is clear that home runs are there to be had if his skills develop. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) compares Giddens to Chuba Hubbard “as another high-cut runner who has good size and play speed but wasn’t seen as the freak athlete. However, after backing up Christian McCaffrey for a couple of years, Hubbard broke into the starting lineup and shined in 2024, earning himself a lucrative contract extension. I see a similar trend for Giddens.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5, pre-Combine grade) calls Giddens a “workhorse with good size and strong production… [who] defies expectations as a big back who doesn’t run with heavy power [and] lacks explosive elements in his game. He’s a long-strider with wiggle between the tackles… [who] will lacks explosive elements in his game.“ This goes to a mid-March scouting profile (Round 4 grade). The NFL Draft Buzz profile sounds like another Round 3 grade, though it forecasts distinctly limited snap counts unless and until Giddens learns to block. This good looking, late March scouting profile (Round 5 grade) describes outsize zone skills, but seems to believe Giddens only fits as an inside runner. The mid-March Draft Network scouting profile (Round 5 grade) sees Giddens as an early-round runner worth picking for that alone, but limited by a lack of “third down capabilities.” RB Gid 3:01 7.6 RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee (Junior). 5-8⅛, 200 lbs. with 30½” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Sep. 14, 2004 (20 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Dylan Sampson’s upsides include great production (he was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year), a strong reputation for character and off field contributions to the community, along with several physical assets the Steelers will be seeking for the new outside zone running scheme. He’s a lateral, one-cut back with very good quickness, burst, vision, and contact balance, and a major nose for the end zone. On the downside, he is very small for a feature back, a one year wonder, a meh receiver, a poor blocker, and has had some ball security concerns. Sampson’s 66th percentile RAS reflects those observable weaknesses and strengths, being held back by his lack of size, and enhanced by excellent speed and burst. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (fringe 3rd grade) notes that “Sampson runs hard behind his pads, oftentimes playing much stronger than his listed 5-11, 201 pounds would suggest.” This goes to a March interview with Steeler Depot’s Ross McCorkle.  Lance Zierlein’s NFL scouting profile (Round 1-2 grade) has Sampson as the RB3 of the entire class! He isn’t alone, since the Bleacher Report board has him as the RB4, ahead of both Ohio State backs. “Sampson separates himself from other backs in the class with an impressive feel for timing, spacing and blocking scheme. He… plays with the instincts of a seasoned veteran and has the talent to build on what he started in 2024… Ball security and pass protection improvement will be early priorities for his next coaching staff… Sampson separates himself from other backs in the class with an impressive feel for timing, spacing and blocking scheme. He sees lane development in real time and is disciplined to stay on the designed track, but he can flip a switch and improvise when traffic mounts.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 3 grade) says Sampson “would be best suited to run between the tackles as an inside zone and gap-schemed player. He possesses the speed to ride the wave as an outside zone runner, but his yards after contact physicality would shine inside despite his frame.” This goes to a good looking NFL Draft Buzz profile from late February. RB Sam 3:01 7.5 RB Bhayshul Tuten, Va. Tech. by way of junior college (Senior). 5-9¾, 206 lbs. with 29½” arms and 9” hands. Born Feb. 4, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Isaac Redman’s much younger cousin. Subtract the fumbleitis infection, which is often curable, and Bhayshul Tuten would be a model outside zone back. He runs with patience, good vision, and then an explosive one-cut style that quickly hits superb top end speed, with good contact balance to finish getting through the initial defensive layer. Good return chops too. TBH, he might even grade higher if the tape wasn’t full of running lanes far bigger than he’s ever going to see at the next level. Does he have contact balance and elusiveness in the hole that Pittsburgh will require? Tuten compiled an impressive 93rd percentile RAS at the Combine based on awesome leaps to prove his explosiveness, and 4.32 speed in the 40-yard dash. Unlike his peers, Tuten did almost every test there was at the Combine (missing only the bench and 3-cone). Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) makes for a very interesting read because the descriptions make Tuten sound like a Round 2 prospect for an outside zone running scheme, but lowers the final grade significantly because (a) he can’t be a bell cow back outside of that limited role, (b) he has fumbling problems to overcome, and (c) the ridiculous depth of the 2025 class. “Overall, Tuten has good size and elite speed… can make a guy miss anywhere on the field…, runs with patience,… and can accelerate in a blink. [He also runs] with good pad level, [contact balance],… is a solid receiver out of the backfield,… and is a willing pass protector [who] shows good technique while taking on blitzers.” Kyle Crabbs’ late February scouting profile (Round 3 grade) puts it plainly: “The wide zone systems are going to love Tuten. The speed to the edge, the contact balance, the explosive run ability, the pass protection profile – these are core pillars of [outside zone] runners… and Tuten offers them in abundance.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) has Tuten as RB6 of the class, saying “Tuten could become a starting-caliber back with three-down value.” This goes to a good looking scouting profile from March. This early March scouting profile ends in a Round 4 grade. According to this brief but balanced scouting profile (Round 4 grade) “With speed and burst to burn, Tuten is a big-play threat every time he touches the ball… [but is] more effective as a straight-line runner [because he] doesn’t have the same burst when he’s moving laterally.” RB Tut 3:01 8.0 WR Jack Bech, TCU (Senior). 6-1¼, 214 lbs. with 31½”arms and 8⅞” hands. Born Feb. 18, 2002 (22 years old). It’s official: this is the year of the tough, gritty, dirty work, Day 2 WR prospect. Jack Bech fits that category to a tee. He loves to block, he loves to beat up DBs when he isn’t catching the ball, he loves to wrestle the ball away for a win on contested catches, he loves special teams, and yes: he can and does love to make catches, and then get every bit of YAC there is. He lacks that special superpower to project as a WR1, but he’s got an enormously high floor (good route runner with good hands), and this type of player can surprise pundits by rising well above what you might have expected. A bigger, taller Roman Wilson? His brother Tiger Bech, a former Princeton star who’d started working on Wall Street, was one of the 15 victims killed in the 2025 New Year’s Day massacre in New Orleans. RIP. Jack Bech enjoyed a tremendous Senior Bowl week and game in which he showcased tremendous hands and some savvy route running. He looked every bit as good at the Combine, where he compiled a 94th percentile RAS (no runs). Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) sums the prospect up as follows: “Jack Bech is a well-rounded pass catcher who lacks ideal speed and quickness, but he does a good job getting open against tight coverage and making plays when in tight coverage. He can profile as a big slot at the next level who can also play outside, having the instincts to find soft spots against zone coverage and win over the middle or down the seam as a big play threat.” WR Bec 3:01 7.9 WR Kyle Williams, Wash. St. (RS Senior). 5-10⅝,190 lbs. with 30⅛” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Nov. 13, 2002 (22 years old). The best separating route runner in the class? Kyle Williams wins with skilled route running and the physical assets to support that: speed, COD, hands, and quickness. He has moderate size, but exceptional savvy, and he is good enough to play outside as well as in the slot. The Combine averaged out to a 78th percentile RAS held back by size, and buoyed by elite acceleration and speed. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) compares Kyle Williams’ playing style to no less Antonio Brown! “He is the antithesis of the [current] Steelers’ wide receiver room. He wins off the line, creates space, and adds yards after the catch. Additionally, he has room to get even better.” What’s missing is bulk, length, blocking prowess, and a slew of small, important, but coachable technique flaws. Williams will need to add a good bit of strength and a professional release package to counter big CBs, but he could be special if he has an appropriately obsessive work ethic. This nice looking scouting profile agrees, saying that Williams “has all the tools of an above-average NFL receiver.” The Draft Network scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) mirrors the others. “Williams is a great athlete with surprising nuance to his route tree who suffered from poor quarterback play or his season could have been even bigger in 2024. He projects as an alignment-versatile receiver.” The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (Round 3-4 grade) calls Williams a player who gets open, is “very fast with vertical separation that comes easily… [and has] outstanding deep-ball tracking talent… His lack of route-running fundamentals limit his tree, but that should be correctable with work. Williams’ subpar hands lower his floor.” Of note, Zierlein’s list of weaknesses echo the coachable technique problems so key to the Depot scouting profile. WR Wil 3:01 8.4 WR Savion Williams, TCU (RS Senior). 6-3⅞, 222 lbs. with 32½” arms and 10¼” hands. Born Nov. 23, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Visit, Coach at Pro Day] The upside play of the draft, Williams, a High School QB with a monster arm, is a height/weight/speed/agility athletic marvel; the issue is that he still doesn’t know how to play WR yet despite steady improvement over his college career. The player comps one sees are telling: people like Cordarrelle Patterson and Laviska Shenault. Interviews will be key, because coachability, hearts, and smarts are going to be the main questions that teams will want to answer. It helps that he’s adult enough to have a baby daughter, which always helps on the maturity front. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) sums up the positives like this: “Savion Williams has the size, height, length, and pure athleticism that will make any scout start drooling as they turn on the tape. Very few people at his size move the way he does, and his skill set allows him to beat defenses in a multitude of ways… ” In other words, a grand slam if he can learn the intricacies of the position, and a merely exciting maker of occasional splash plays if he can’t, with ‘useful gadget guy’ as the floor. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) says that “Williams’ production is uneven as a traditional wideout, but he adds a dynamic kick to the offense as a gadget runner and as a catch-and-run option underneath… The difference between ‘siren song’ or ‘pot of gold’ could rest in Williams’ technical development and the creativity of his play-caller.” WR Wil 3:12 7.9 CB Quincy Riley, Louisville (RS Senior). 5-10⅝, 194 lbs. with 31” arms and small 8½” hands. Born May 26, 2001 (23 years old). Often included on “most underrated CB” lists, Riley is quick, fluid, and aggressive, with the COD to cover even the slickest slot WRs. An eager tackler but not an effective one, he should have better results for a young man this size. Good ball skills, with inside/outside flexibility to cover a variety of CB tasks. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) describes Riley as an old fashioned smaller CB who you’d assign to cover the likes of a Julian Edelman; the miniature but super shifty slot receiver. “Man coverage is where he shines brightest. He can use his exceptional ball skills, straight-line speed from his track background, physicality at the catch point, and fluid hips to mirror guys off the line.” CB Ril 3:12 8.3 SAF Kevin “KJ” Winston Jr., Penn St. (Junior). 6-1½, 215 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9½” hands. Born Dec. 2, 2003 (21 years old). [Partially torn ACL in September] Team Captain. KJ Winston was a hot name coming into 2024 because his size, length, speed, and run support ability were superb, but he needed to demonstrate better “instincts;” i.e., anticipation of what the offense is likely to do. His week 2 injury prevented that, which leaves a big question mark for scouts to ponder. Winston should be an ideal special teams ace to start his career, with every chance to grow into playing time on the defense too as he absorbs professional coaching. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) says that “Kevin Winston Jr. is one of the best run-defending defensive backs in this class, but [he] struggles in intermediate pass coverage… [require] work on his down-the-field physicality and technique in man coverage.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) emphasizes that Winston “[has the frame, length and athleticism to cover all brands of tight ends… [rarely misses as a tackler once he’s in the area… [and] is wired the right way for pro ball.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 3 grade) describes Winston as a prospect whose “developmental ceiling and upside [are] enormous,” adding the true bottom line summary: “Winston Jr.’s draft ceiling will be determined by his interviews and medicals.” This goes to a balanced but Giants-oriented scouting profile from February. DB_S Kos 3:12 8.3 EDGE Kyle Kennard, S. Car. by way of Georgia Tech (RS Senior). 6-4, 254 lbs. with exceptional 34” arms and 9¾” hands. Born Dec. 12, 2001 (23 years old). The 2024 SEC leader in both sacks and TFLs, Kennard has gotten better every year and has very good length, motor, and burst of the line, plus moderate but acceptable bend around the edge. He compiled a nice, 84th percentile RAS at the Combine. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) particularly admires Kennard’s “true NFL strength,… high motor,… sound tackling technique… and capability to convert speed to power.” The strength-to-power isn’t bad either, and he already has a few decent moves that NFL coaching will greatly improve and expand. The Gamecocks asked him to focus on the pass rush and play run support along the way, which left room for a few embarrassments on that front, but he has done okay when asked to set the edge, and certainly has the ability to do so. He is also a decent tackler, with the native stuff to become a very good one. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile and Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile both end in Round 3ish grades. EDGE Ken 3:12 8.1 EDGE Bradyn Swinson, LSU by way of Oregon (RS Senior). 6-3⅝, 250 lbs. with 33⅜” arms and 9⅞” hands. Born July 4, 2002 (22 years old). According to the 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 3 grade), Swinson offers “a vast array of pass-rush maneuvers and counter ability to play slippery through first contact, [with] some surprising speed through steep angles… [plus] good length and closing burst.” What he needs is a few years in an NFL conditioning room to build his play strength, and some extra training on how to set a harder edge. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) says “Bradyn Swinson is an intriguing prospect who didn’t produce at a high level until this past season but has all the tools and measurables you want in an edge rusher,” and projects quick improvement with better wind. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (fringe 1st grade) is even more positive. “Swinson is less of an arc runner and more of a read-and-respond rusher… but he’s always in the backfield. Swinson is an ascending talent with the demeanor, traits and talent to become a good starter as a 3-4 rush linebacker.” This goes to the NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile, which highlights Swinson’s “rare athleticism for the position… [and] devastating inside counter move.” This January scouting profile explicitly draws the obvious comparison to Alex Highsmith’s draft profile. This Giants-oriented scouting profile (Day 2 grade) identifies some lack of bend as the worst trait. EDGE Swi 3:12 8.1 EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss by way of Florida (Senior). 6-4⅜, 244 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born April 18, 2002 (23 years old on draft day). The Ole Miss pass rusher was an award winning, multisport athlete in H.S. (tennis, basketball, and football, and has grown into an excellent Edge prospect even by NFL standards. He compiled an impressive 89th percentile RAS. The big issues are limited bend, and the uncertainty that comes from tape including more flashes but fewer proofs than you’d ideally like to see. The assets include very good (if irregular) burst off the line, solid bend, and a vicious spin move. There are echoes of a young Alex Highsmith in the descriptions. A fine athlete who can play in space, he will be much better in Year 2 after spending his rookie season building strength and tightening up his technique across the board. Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) puts it this way: “Highlights portray him as a can’t-miss, elite draft prospect. He performs high upside pass rush reps that most edges in this class can’t even attempt, but on a down-to-down basis, is highly inconsistent… To fully unlock this potential, he must round out his pass-rush profile. He’s a one-trick pony who relies heavily on winning with his release and speed [plus] an incredible inside spin move.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile agrees on the strong Round 2 grade. The sky’s the limit if he can add a few more moves, and develop the speed-to-power ability that he still hasn’t mastered. EDGE Uma 3:12 7.6 T/G Chase Lundt, Connecticut (RS Senior). 6-7¼, 304 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born June 16, 2000 (24 years old). OL Lun 3:12 8.0 G/T Wyatt Milum, W. Va. (Senior). 6-6⅜, 315 lbs. with 32½” arms and 10¼” hands. Born Dec. 27, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Local Visit] A four-year college starter at both LT and RT on the same OL as Zach Frazier, Milum’s lack of reach and ultra-quick feet will force him in to play guard at the next level. In that role he’s a darned nice prospect who might be graded even higher if Pittsburgh had more need at the position. This goes to Brandon Thorn’s typically excellent scouting profile (Round 2 grade). Ross McCorkle’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) agrees that Milum will need to be a guard at the next level because pure speed off the edge and lateral counters were his bane as a college tackle. That flaw, which vanishes if he moves inside, probably accounts for the high level of penalties. Ross particularly praises Milum’s “tremendous latch strength… When he [gets] his hands on you, good luck breaking free from the block.” He adds that Milum’s football IQ, “get-off and first-step reaction to the snap help compensate for his lack of top-end athleticism and allow him to successfully reach block to seal off defenders.” OL Mil 3:12 8.1 OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia (Senior). 6-6½, 308 lbs. with 32¼” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Born April 26, 2001 (24 years old on draft day). Technically adept, surprisingly athletic, starter-ready, and with room to improve. The main knocks on Ratledge come from his exclusive experience at RG in a system based solidly on gap and inside zone-run concepts. His ability to play other spots and other systems requires speculation. Other than that, he’s a good, solid, multisport athlete who piled on good muscle once he began to focus on his future as an NFL Guard. Ross McCorkle’s Depot scouting report (Round 2-3 grade) describes Ratledge as a good, athletic, power-oriented guard whose “current technique has him better suited for a gap-based run scheme…[but] with some technique work, he can be just as effective in a zone offense that has him playing in space a bit more.” Ross uses none other than Mason McCormick, the Steelers’ 2024 Round 4 pick, as the player comp. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile agrees completely, and also ends in a Round 2 grade for a “potential impact player [who] should get in a lineup within his rookie year.” OL Rat 3:12 7.6 T/G Cameron Williams, Texas (RS Soph.). 6-5¾, 317 lbs. with long 34½” arms and lard to believe 11⅜” hands. Born Oct. 16, 2003 (21 years old). OL Wil 3:12 7.6 T/G Chase Lundt, Connecticut (RS Senior). 6-7¼, 304 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born June 16, 2000 (24 years old). This is one of my favorite targets for a middle rounds offensive lineman because he projects as both a fine swing tackle and a potential starting guard. Add three inches of arm length and he would be talked about as a potential Round 1 pick. But does that still matter as much as we think? Story time! Back in the late 1990s Mike Shanahan, with OL coach Alex Gibbs and OC Gary Kubiak, created the most famous outside zone running system I know of. The dominant OL model at the time was the Great Wall Of Dallas; a collection of enormous men who beat down opponents with sheer size and strength. The Broncos defied that by relying on smaller, lighter, highly athletic linemen who could get wide, cut block opposing run stuffers, and with the assistance of blocking WRs leave holes for a patient, one-cut back like Terrell Davis to slash his way to Super Bowls and the HOF. Why the history lesson? Because Shanahan et al would have loved a prospect like Chase Lundt, while the Dallas scouts of the era would have rolled their eyes at his lack of heft compared to others in the class. Arthur Smith is said to favor outside zone blocking schemes, so Lundt might be a more serious target than many of us would normally project. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) says “Lundt is a very mobile right tackle who is technically and mentally sound.… He is an ideal tackle for Arthur Smith’s system in Pittsburgh. The lack of mass and length may deter the Steelers, but he’s an intriguing player for a team willing to wait for the payoff.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-5 grade) adds that Lundt “projects as an average swing tackle but a move to guard could create an easier pathway to become a solid NFL starter… [He] has both the bend and core strength for consideration as a guard.” Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 4 grade) uses descriptions like “a twitched-up, fluid mover in the run game who executes wide zone concepts at a high level…  by closing ground quickly on targets to reach his landmarks with good hand placement and leg drive… adept at cutting off the backside using refined footwork and quickness with the ability to intersect second and third-level targets on his climbs… [has] the grip strength to keep defenders walled off…  a loose, explosive mover who regularly beats rushers to the spot with active, effective strikes to disrupt their timing… His lack of mass and girth sap his ability to brace and anchor against power which calls into his ability to be an everyday starter in the NFL (especially due to being an older prospect) but he should be able to carve out a role with spot starter potential during his rookie contract.” OT Lun 3:12 7.6 T/G Cameron Williams, Texas (RS Soph.). 6-5¾, 317 lbs. with long 34½” arms and lard to believe 11⅜” hands. Born Oct. 16, 2003 (21 years old). An intriguing prospect with endless upside, but real issues that need to be addressed before he can hold out against NFL pass rushers. He could easily move inside to guard, which would get him on the field much faster as he struggles to learn the movement skills he’d need to survive as an NFL tackle. Williams had [ahem] unhealthy size in 2023, when he weighed in around 370 lbs. He then proceeded to drop 35 lbs. of that for the 2024 season, and suddenly flashed All-Pro potential in his single year as a starting RT. His power and length overwhelmed opponents… except when he flat out missed, or got schooled by speed rushers coming off the edge. Williams then dropped another 20 lbs. for the Combine. So at this point we have to call him a tackle who is raw enough to make scouts wince, and who will continue to be a penalty machine until he addresses an array of fixable issues with his technique. Moving to guard will hide those, but he won’t hit his potential even there unless he puts in the detail work over the next several years. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) calls Williams, “a developmental tackle with a high ceiling [who will] benefit from a year of growth before seeing the field.” The surprising flaw is that “Williams’s run-blocking technique is completely erratic. It’s difficult for Williams to secure blocks while moving forward. He whiffs a lot due to his aggressiveness and poor hand placement.” Alex’ report says that Williams is going to make it at tackle if he makes it at all, but others are less sure that he’d struggle to move inside. The December scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 3 grade) agrees that “Cameron Williams is just scratching the surface of his potential” but also argues “There is a real conversation to be had about potentially playing Williams at guard, where he’ll be protected from speed rushers who can attack his hand usage and may test his foot speed. However, his hands and feel for the total picture of the protection will need improvement either way,” The February NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile calls Williams “a dancing bear with rare physical gifts who needs an offense built to maximize his strengths early in his career… Put him in a quick-game passing attack with heavy play-action concepts, and Williams becomes an immediate problem for defensive coordinators… But asking him to consistently hold up on seven-step drops against wide-9 techniques is setting him up to fail as a rookie.” The scouting profile by Brandon Thorn (Round 3 grade) says that “Overall, Williams is a green, inexperienced right tackle with the frame, length and grip strength to anchor against power, lengthen the corner and blot out targets on the move in the run game, but has shaky footwork and balance at the top of the QB’s drop that will require a quick-trigger QB and help on an island. Williams’ upside may be highest at guard, but in a RPO/PAP-based pass game can stick at tackle in the NFL.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) says that “Williams’ blend of desirable physical traits but subpar [knee] bend and foot quickness make him a tougher pro projection. The technique will likely need a full year of work to… allow his traits to speak more loudly. He has the potential… but more skilled combatants will have the upper hand [until his technique improves].” OT Wil 3:12 8.2 TE Mason Taylor, LSU (Junior). 6-5⅛, 251 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 10” hands. Born May 8, 2004 (20 years old). I’m very glad that Mason Taylor decided to play on offense, because the very last thing he needs are comparisons to his HOF father, edge rusher Jason Taylor. Taylor-2 is fine TE prospect who blocks at an average CFB level (i.e., he tries but has a long way to go), and broke LSU’s all-time records for TE receiving. NOTE: This grade includes a significant discount because the TE room is so packed. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) says: “Mason Taylor does a lot of things well, which is good enough to be a starter in the NFL, but he does not do anything great, which lowers his ceiling.” That is significantly more pessimistic than the NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (Round 1 grade, TE3 of the class). Zierlein sees an “ascending tight end with plus catch talent and Hall of Fame bloodlines… He can handle blocking duties on the move or in space, but in-line action will be a challenge for him.” TE Tay 3:12 7.6 WR Isaiah Bond, Texas by way of Alabama (Junior). 5-11, 180 lbs. with 31½” arms and 8½” hands. Born March 15, 2004 (21 years old). And now we finally come to a WR option who does have a superpower: “Surreal short-area agility and explosiveness to change directions and create space.” Continuing, respected analyst Kyle Crabbs adds that Bond is “Electric… {A] hyper-creative route run that can turn defenders inside out from the slot or perimeter alike.” Fast too. Bond ran a 4.39 dash at the Combine, along with a top notch gauntlet drill to show off his hands. His stock falls because the college production hasn’t matched the talent, and he provides negative help in the run game, may have issues with beating NFL press experts on the release, is only suitable as a slot receiver,  and wins because he’s open more than he will on contested catches. Another concern with Bond’s stock comes down to unconfirmed rumors about character issues that you and I cannot really judge. (Those do not enter into this grade because slander is ugly, but fans should take the time to check them out in more detail. Here is Bond’s response, and Chad Ochocinco’s defense of him). Played for Alabama in Saban’s final, 2023 run, before transferring to Texas for 2024. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report ends in a Round 3 grade based on a projection that Bond will “[have a place] in the league as a deep threat and gadget player, [but] lacks the physicality, blocking ability, zone IQ, and down-to-down route running ability to be a consistent starter in a good receiving room.” This goes to a gif-supported, Packers-oriented scouting report. WR Bon 3:12 8.0 WR Ricky White III, UNLV (Senior). 6-1⅛, 184 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Feb. 6, 2002 (23 years old). Josh Carney’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) and the Shrine Bowl interview emphasize that White is the big play special teams gunner of the draft. “As a receiver, though, White has a lot to work with. He doesn’t explode out of his breaks as a route runner and tends to round things off at times, but there’s some moments on tape of him being a dynamic route runner, winning with precision in his routes to create separation and make for big plays…. Where White is going to be really intriguing to watch in the NFL is after the catch… [because he is] dynamic with the football in his hands… [and] can break tackles.” Add 10-15 pounds of good weight to his frame and you’d have a major draft target. I’m just not sure his frame can support that. White compiled a disappointing 33rd percentile RAS held back by disappointing numbers across the board. WR Whi 3:19   STEELERS’ ROUND 3 PICK (#83 OVERALL) A0 AAA 3:24 7.9 FS Billy Bowman Jr., Kansas (Senior). 5-9¾, 198 lbs. with 29½” arms and 8⅝”hands. Born Jan. 29, 2003 (22 years old). An excellent but badly undersized football player at the safety position. The Bleacher Report scouting profile sums him up as “a smart, instinctual safety prospect with the versatility to play at multiple levels of the defense.” Jim Hester’s Depot scouting profile (Round 3 grade) is a bit more focused: “Billy Bowman Jr. has so many great qualities you look for in a single-high safety who can give you snaps as a slot corner… vision, football IQ, fiery playing personality, and reactive quickness, but his limited size, lack of elite coverage versatility, and inability to tackle consistently make it harder to sell him…. He is almost a clone of the Tyrann Matthieu, Dadrion Taylor-Tomlinson… prototype that almost always gets drafted later than he should, but is a great football player who is a big play waiting to happen.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2 grade) puts it in this interesting way: “The only things keeping Bowman from a higher grade is a lack of NFL size and his inconsistencies as a tackler.” DB_S Bow 3:24 8.4 EDGE/DT Jordan Burch, Oregon by way of S. Car. (RS Senior). 6-4⅛, 279 lbs. with 33” arms and 9½” hands. Born Oct. 10, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] DL Bur 3:24 7.8 NT Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon by way of Houston and tiny Independence Community College (RS Senior). 6-2⅛, 332 lbs. with 32” arms and 9⅜” hands. Born Aug. 30, 2000 (24 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] A huge, squatty, and immensely powerful Nose Tackle with a bit of added intrigue. Caldwell is an intriguing prospect because he looked surprisingly explosive during his 2024 run at close to 350 lbs. This dropped to 242 for an excellent Senior Bowl (where he flashed “a bull rush that is almost unfair”) and also told Steeler Depot’s Ross McCorkle that he plans to drop another 20-25 lbs. of bad weight. Playing at 315-320 would do nothing to harm his anchor, which is based more on leverage and strength, but might add some extra pop to his pass rush potential. If that happens he will be firmly on the Steelers’ Round 3-4 watch list. A month later, Caldwell came into the Combine at 332 (another 10 lb. drop), performed well in all the drills but the dash, and was the only athlete there who looked flabby. Stretched skin hanging off a now- smaller frame? Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) starts with these revealing lines: “Jamaree Caldwell is a testament to perseverance, work ethic, and finding a way to succeed.” That’s exactly what you want to read about a Round 3-4 pick, because it guarantees the floor while leaving room open for the ceiling. “Caldwell is a girthy, twitchy, and strong nose tackle who offers a lot of flexibility for a team. He’ll most likely be a two-gapping monster in the middle, but he’s a guy you don’t necessarily have to bring off of the field on third downs because he gives you plenty of flashes as a pass rusher. His power, low center of gravity, and short-area quickness make him a very unique nose tackle prospect.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade, #14 DT overall) describes the 2024 version of Caldwell as “a classic nose tackle… athletic enough to take snaps at either tackle spot in an even front. He can eat blocks against double teams or hog gaps as a read-and-react two-gapper… He plays with heart and has a strong win rate at the point. He’s a hustle rusher with the potential to dent the pocket when singled up… Struggled creating interior rush opportunities without help.” This goes to a brief, Chiefs-oriented New Years scouting profile. The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 4) concludes that the 340+ version of “Caldwell projects best as a 2-gapping nose tackle at the NFL level. He offers pleasant upside as a supersized A-gap rusher, but his marquee role is that of a space-eater in base defense and on short-yardage down and distance opportunities.” The 325 lb. version? That’s the debate. DL Cal 3:24 7.4 DT JJ Pegues (“p’GEEZ”), Ole Miss by way of Auburn (RS Senior). 6-2½, 309 lbs. with 32⅝” arms (33¼” at the Shrine Bowl) and 9⅜” hands. Born Nov. 25, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Expect this grade to move a lot over the process, because JJ Pegues is hard to fit into any kind of box. Athleticism? The man started college as a versatile TE; moved to the defense; still took offensive snaps as a wildcat QB and short yardage RB; and did all that well, since he’s quite nimble for his size. And then ran like [expletive] at the Combine; displayed an odd body type with extremely short legs and an extremely long torso; and put up a less than average 48th percentile RAS. Only to look quite good in all the field drills, slips aside. Frustrating. He’s also supposed to be a huge asset from the hearts and smarts perspective. Pegues came out of nowhere to dominate the Shrine Bowl practices, and the clips in Josh Carney’s Depot scouting report (early 4th) leave a deep impression that it was no fluke. Pegues may be built like a NT with very little extra weight, and he has that “You Shall Not Pass!” ability, but he moves with the explosiveness of someone forty pounds lighter. He’s also got better length than most of his peers, if not what Pittsburgh asks of its DE prospects. TBH, most of those clips look like someone I would grade in Round 2! The issues appear to be (a) major rawness when it comes to hand fighting, pass rush moves (few if any), and overall awareness at the position despite several years of experience, and (b) “some questions about his motor; tends to not finish plays, [which] could be due to two-way usage and lack of conditioning.” All fair points. Interviews will matter. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile has Pegues with what looks like a Round 2-3 grade (#9 DT overall), saying “Pegues can be hell on wheels when he’s motivated and has it cranked up… He’ll beat reach blocks and double teams if he gets his technique ironed out… He has rush talent and can finish using rare change-of-direction quickness, allowing him to capture pocket-mobile quarterbacks… He has the potential to become a very productive interior defender but his ceiling and floor will be determined by the consistency of his motor.” This goes to the NFL Draft Buzz profile, which identifies a whole series of impressive assets before a more limited set of drawbacks that basically add up to, “very raw on the position-specific skills.” This tape-supported, Giants-oriented scouting profile ends in a mid- to late-3rd grade. This neat little January scouting profile ends in a fringe-100, Round 3-4 grade. DL Peg 3:24 8.2 NT Deone Walker, Kentucky (Junior). 6-7⅜, 331 lbs. with 34¼” arms and 10⅝” hands. Born March 11, 2004 (21 years old). I can easily predict the fights in our Comments section about this very young man who had the stuff to be elected a team captain in both his Sophomore and Junior years. That’s a locker room leader! But… how much more will he be on an NFL field than he was in college? On the plus side, there’s Walker’s youth, and the potential if he can develop significantly better pad level, better burst off the ball, and skill at using his length. On the down side, his college play demonstrated a lack of stamina & motor, hopelessly high pad level, and sharply limited mobility outside the box despite his impressive quickness on the line. I really wish he’d gone back to college rather than entering the 2025 draft. His 2023 was much better than 2024, and he could easily improve by losing 15-20 lbs. of bad weight. I’d also love to know why he’s playing DL rather than OT, because that’s what he looks like. Many fans have started to use Daniel McCullers as the player comp. Big Dan had similarly enormous length and strength, but never made it in the league because he couldn’t get his pads down. Walker’s Senior Bowl consisted of boom-and-bust downs where he looked unstoppable when he got the initial edge, and got routinely abused by much smaller men when they got beneath his pads, or hit him with wash-down double teams. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting profile (Round 2 grade) calls Walker “a high-energy player who wears his heart on his sleeve… You can feel his veteran presence, which other teams take note of because of the number of double teams sent his way. Walker eats these double teams and does not allow himself to get pushed back… Along with his athleticism, Walker plays with light feet, which gives him a good chance of changing direction.” Here is a Senior Bowl interview with Steeler Depot’s Jonathan Heitritter. Kyle Crabbs’ January scouting profile (Round 4 grade) views Walker as a “supersized player who plays supersized on a number of different fronts” but warns that “his pass rush profile [that] gets everyone most excited [is] the least likely to translate.” A very high quality, but purely 2-down Nose Tackle in either a 3-4 or 4-3, and preferably a system that would include 0-tech, 1-tech, and 2i-tech to reflect his athleticism. “He’s not explosive enough as currently constructed to warrant authentic 3-technique opportunities.” The PFN scouting profile specifically notes that he was “much less effective as a pass-rusher in 2024 than he was in 2023,” but says his “incredibly high upside” nevertheless warrants a pick in the first half of Round 2. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (strong Round 3 grade) notes his background as a HS basketball player, and concludes he has flashed “the quickness of a 3-technique,” but will be limited to Nose Tackle snaps “until he starts playing with better leverage and improves against double teams.” This early January scouting profile acknowledges the native assets, but ends with a Round 4 grade based on “marginal pad level and a lack of effective hand usage… [plus] his lack of motor, competitive toughness, pad level, and conditioning.” Walker moved better than expected in some of the Combine drills, but looked really poor in some of the others, and his tendency to pop straight up on the snap could not have been more glaring. DL WalD 3:24 8.4 EDGE/DT Jordan Burch, Oregon by way of S. Car. (RS Senior). 6-4⅛, 279 lbs. with 33” arms and 9½” hands. Born Oct. 10, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] An oversized 4-3 DE who would look like a Steelers D-lineman if not for the moderate arm length (which does show up when he’s been asked to defend against the run), and the need to add some grown man muscle. He’s also reported to be a good but somewhat linear athlete with several pass rush moves and serious ability to convert speed to power. The process will move his stock significantly up or down from a Steelers POV. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) notes that Internet scouts may be undervaluing Burch because a knee injury slowed him down for most of the 2024 season, even if he did tough his way through. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3ish grade) has no doubt that Burch is a 4-3 DE. “Burch’s tape can be inconsistent, but he offers physical traits and upside as a rusher. As a run defender, his length and play strength flashes, but he simply doesn’t play with the block destruction or aggression you want to see for a player of his size.” Here is the February scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs of 33rd team (Round 3 grade). EDGE Bur 3:24 8.6 EDGE Ashton Gillotte, Louisville (Senior). 6-2⅝, 264 lbs. with short 31⅞” arms and small 8½” hands. Born Dec. 5, 2001 (23 years old). Efram Geller’s Depot scouting profile (Round 1 grade) describes Gillotte as a fringe-1st, “extremely well-rounded pass rusher with a high run-defending floor. Gillotte’s athletic ceiling limits his draft profile… but he is skilled enough to start immediately and grow into an edge two… His premier athletic trait is strength… [and the] ability to string moves together.” N.B. “Strength” is an odd thing to note given Gillotte’s poor bench press en route to a solid 78th percentile RAS. EDGE is never off the Steelers board, but it is certainly a lower priority in 2025 than most years. Especially for a prospect who looks more like a 4-3 DE than a 3-4 OLB. That earns a significant discount on this year’s steeler-specific board. The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 2-3 grade) calls Gillotte a savvy player whose length issues show up on the field. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) is a little harsher than others due to the lack of length and what I’d call a missing superpower. EDGE Gil 3:24 7.6 EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-4¼, 260 lbs. with short 31⅞” arms and 9¾” hands. Born May 6, 2002 (22 years old). [Has occasionally lost his cool on the field] A power-oriented Edge who excels at setting the edge and collapsing the pocket, but lacks the burst, bend, array of developed pass rush moves, and weird athleticism to really challenge NFL OTs around the edge. He was a 5-star recruit for a reason, so his overall athletic talent can’t be questioned, but it’s never quite translated. The main issues on film were missed tackles and an apparent lack of wind that saps his motor. Questions also exist about his ability to handle coverage duties. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) describes Sawyer as a big, solid gamer who steps up big in the biggest moments, and is “almost guaranteed to be a rotational edge rusher as a 3-4 outside linebacker at worst… Creates a good amount of pressure that may not show up in the stat sheets with sacks… One of my biggest issues with Sawyer is [the way he will] constantly [have] either a sack or tackle for loss in his grasp but can never seem to finish.” The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 3 grade) views Sawyer in much the same way. OTOH, Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (late Round 1 grade) seems to give extra points to Sawyer for an exceptional floor, run defense, and ability to come up big in big games. EDGE Saw 3:24 8.3 EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan (Senior). 6-0¾, 248 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born April 26, 2003 (22 years old on draft day). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner?] Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile says, “Stewart falls below the classic size threshold as a 3-4 outside backer, but it might not matter much. He plays with all-day aggression and thirst for contact. He’s a decisive, linear rusher with the get-off and bend to win at the top of the rush, but he turns speed into power if tackles get too light on their feet.” Efram Geller’s Depot scouting report (late 2nd grade) ends by saying, “Josaiah Stewart is an extremely fun prospect. He explodes off the line of scrimmage and plays with a passion that pops off the screen… [as] unteachable effort, explosiveness, and college production… He’s a locker room leader and a do-it-all player across the defensive line. His size limits him from being an All-Pro player.” EDGE Ste 3:24 8.4 EDGE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-4¼, 265 lbs. with long 33¼” arms and big 10½” hands. Born May 10, 2003 (21 years old). As good an Edge player as you’re going to find for someone who lacks the bend and overall athleticism to beat NFL tackles around the edge. He’s tremendous at setting the edge on run downs; has a high football IQ that gives him superior instincts about when to cover swing passes, and the like; and he should be solid at compressing even an NFL pocket. May be more of an undersized 4-3 type than a 3-4 OLB who’d be asked to handle multiple duties. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) is a lot more positive than most. “I can see Tuimoloau becoming a double-digit sack type of player with the refinement of his bend and hand fighting. He offers a day-one rotational talent specializing in run defense, which is a pretty safe floor and an intriguing ceiling.” The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 2 grade) offers this perspective: “As a pass rusher, Tuimoloau is generally a build-up rusher who does not have the zero to sixty necessary to truly strike fear in opposing tackles with his speed. Instead, he’s a swooping rusher who patiently waits for a tackle to declare himself with his feet or his hands.. [and then capitalizes on the error with his large array of counters].” EDGE Tui 3:24 7.7 T/G Jalen Rivers, Miami (RS Junior). 6-5¾,319 lbs. with 34⅞” armus maximus extremus and 10” hands. Born Sep. 12, 2002 (22 years old). [2021 knee, 2022 knee] OL Riv 3:24 7.4 G/T Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech (RS Senior). 6-4⅝, 312 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and 9¾” hands. Born Oct. 3, 2001 (23 years old). A multiyear RT who has also spent time at LT and both guard spots, Rogers stunned the world at the Combine by putting up a 99.5% RAS (as an IOL), and 93rd percentile RAS if run as a tackle. The scouting profiles until then had basically said, ‘a sound, experienced, but athletically limited player who has a high floor as a backup G/T, and might someday earn starting snaps if everything goes right.’ Now…? Now he projects as a high floor bargain who won’t make it out of Day 2. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (fringe 3rd grade) thick, sturdy, strong, effective, and able to reach the second level. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5 grade) would have agreed with that, but comes in with a lower grade because of “stiffness in his knees [that] limits functional leverage… He [therefore] offers Day 3 value, but the ceiling appears to be capped.” Like other reviews, Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 4 grade) sees Rogers as more of a power player than an outside zone, mobility-oriented one. “Rogers is an unsexy blocker, but someone who checks a lot of boxes to have an unglamorous role as a future NFL starter on the interior. He’s a highly experienced player with positional flexibility and a blend of aggressiveness, physicality, and athleticism that should offer a little something for everyone.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting profile (Round 4 grade) calls Rogers “a fluid mover… whose mobility is by far his best trait as a blocker… He’s a swing player who can play nearly anywhere along the offensive front as he works to sync up his hands and feet… but he may be better suited for guard at the next level… [who] would excel in more of a zone scheme that can use his athleticism on the move as he competes for a roster spot.” That’s a pretty solid description of the perfect 2025 OL prospect for Pittsburgh to target in Round 3 or 4. OL Rog 3:24 7.7 T/G Jalen Rivers, Miami (RS Junior). 6-5¾,319 lbs. with 34⅞” armus maximus extremus and 10” hands. Born Sep. 12, 2002 (22 years old). [2021 knee, 2022 knee] Jalen Rivers would be high on my list of potential midround steals if the Steelers were going to stick to a gap/power running scheme, but earns a discount on the premise that more athletic outside zone blockers will be in higher demand. A mammoth-sized college tackle with good experience at guard as well. His upside is huge, if a little speculative and marred by the injury asterisk and movement limitations. Could they be related to the knee injuries? This goes to Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 3 grade), which ends as follows: “Rivers is a hulking, imposing presence with good play strength, solid athletic ability and refined use of hands to weaponize his considerable wingspan. If his injury history checks out he will be able to compete for a starting role right away at guard in a downhill run scheme with the ability to play tackle in a pinch.” Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) agrees that Rivers projects as a top notch guard, or maybe a RT. “[Rivers] can play in any scheme because he’s more than athletic enough to thrive there in gap, power, or zone, but I have a hard time seeing him sticking at left tackle in the NFL due to his lack of foot speed against edge rushers… He fits a lot of the offensive linemen checkmarks that the Steelers look for (versatility, length, strength, experience, and intelligence).” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) calls Rivers, “A burly offensive lineman with natural anchor and above-average length… [but] a clunky mover who will be tied to scheme… best-suited for short spaces, where his athletic limitations can be mitigated. He could get a shot at right tackle but slow feet will put him in harm’s way against NFL edge rushers.” OT Riv 3:24 8.0 RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma St. (Junior). 6-1⅜, 226 lbs. with 32¾” arms and 9½” hands. Born Jan. 15, 2004 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Gordon is a downhill power runner who put up spectacular numbers in 2023, and then failed to match them in 2024 because he ran behind a very poor offensive line, and suffered through perpetual lower leg issues he simply played through. Najee Harris sympathizes! The exact same thing happened to him when he moved from the dominating Alabama OL to the freshly-rebuilding Pittsburgh Steelers. I have little doubt that Ollie Gordon can be a major contributor on a team that gives him creases to aim for. The big question is this: will Ollie Gordon only be a classic, nifty-footed, Steelers-type sledgehammer? Or does he have the speed and burst to threaten the edge against NFL defenders? The athletic testing reinforces those question marks, adding up to a 61st percentile RAS based mostly on size, with meh or poor numbers for speed and explosion. Ross McCorkle’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) admires all the key assets: size, contact balance, vision, COD ability, play strength, toughness, and receiving ability. Ross sees pretty good top-end speed “once he gets a full head of steam” but “just adequate” acceleration, and blocking that needs some work. He compares Gordon’s running style to Lev Bell, right down to the occasional times when his patience can drive you mad, but the film also shows plenty of quick hitters where he saw a crease and took it without hesitation. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) sees Gordon as a big, skillful bruiser of a back who “requires a physical, downhill run scheme,” a judgment fully in line with the midlevel athletic testing but at odds with the Depot report. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 4 grade) falls into the strong but only downhill runner camp. RB Gor 3:24 7.9 RB Cam Skattebo (“SKAT-eh-boo”), Arizona St. (RS Senior). 5-9½, 219 lbs. with 29⅞” arms and 9⅜” hands. Born Feb. 5, 2022 (23 years old). [Has been named in a young-and-stupid civil suit for injury to a teammate, minor hamstring prevented Combine runs] A good, between the tackles, downhill runner with excellent contact balance, physicality, 3rd-down ability as both receiver and blocker… and above all, an endless motor. Skattebo is one of those football players who achieves much more than the numbers suggest he should. What he lacks is short area acceleration, and he’s only got adequate speed. The athletic testing (74th percentile RAS) adds elite explosiveness to the equation. This goes to the Bleacher Report scouting profile, which makes a very good point: “Without upper-echelon athletic traits, Skattebo will need to thrive off yards after contact, which is difficult to do in the NFL.” He mastered the bounce-off-and-go style in college, but it’s a hard skill to translate into the professional ranks. That said, Skattebo is the sort of player to do it if anyone can. The Draft Network scouting profile uses words like “punishing” and “physically dominant.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) says that Skattebo isn’t the guy to hope for if you want to add speed, but rather “is similar to what the team has targeted in the past at the position: big, strong, and powerful with notable receiving skills.” RB Sca 4:01 7.4 CB Tommi Hill, Nebraska by way of Arizona St. (Senior). 6-0½, 213 lbs. with 32⅞” arms and 9” hands. Born March 21, 2002 (23 years old). A wonderful athlete with all the size and tools you’d want, but incredibly raw because he split his time between WR and CB until halfway through the 2023 season. Interview will matter because he comes from a very tough childhood (dead father, addicted mother, etc.). All that could have left above-the-neck scars, but may have also forced him into early adulthood. Teams will figure that out. We will not. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (early Round 4 grade) says that Hill “Hill is an intriguing prospect for hitting all the right notes on the physical traits. His size, his speed, his physicality, and his hands are plus-plus for the position, that receiver background serving him well. But he’s got a lot of development needed [which] makes him a boom/bust prospect.” The special teams talent should make him a fine gunner, which sets a James Pierre kind of floor. CB Hil 4:01   CB Bilhal Kone, W. Mich. By way of Indiana St. and Iowa C.C. (RS Senior). 6-1¼, 190 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 9” hands. Age concerns reduce his grade. There is always room for someone tall, fast, and fluid with good press man skills. That’s Bilhal Kone. A willing tackler but not a very good one, but he does have a high motor that looks to mix it up. The big issues with be level of competition, and the relatively simply Cover 3 system he comes from. Compiled a respectable 77th percentile RAS while doing all the drills. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) highlights Kone’s “first-rate ball skills” and concludes that “His run support needs work, but he’s best-suited as a zone corner.” This goes to a February scouting profile from the Draft Network (Round 3 grade). CB Kon 4:01 7.2 CB Dorian Strong, Va. Tech (RS Senior). 6-1, 185 lbs. with 30⅞” arms and 9¼” hands. Born March 14, 2002 (23 years old). Extensive special teams experience. Racks up relatively few penalties. Patient in press, with a good understanding of leverage and scheme, with varied experience in press, off, and zone alike. Missing some heft, which shows against physical receivers. Has good but not elite speed and COD. All in all, a solid, technically sound player who will have a high floor and limited ceiling if he can add some sand to his pants. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) concludes that Strong will be “best in a Cover 2 type of scheme if his tackling and run support improve a couple of ticks. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the length for the type of [big and physical] corner he wants to play as, dinging him a bit, but he could become a solid No. 3/immediate backup corner with special teams value.” CB Str 4:01 7.4 CB Nohl Williams, Cal. by way of UNLV (RS Senior). 6-0⅜, 199 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9” hands. Born Sep. 23, 2002 (22 years old). A big cat on the prowl for footballs, Williams has had tremendous turnover production throughout his college career, spearheaded by 7 INTs in 2024. The athletic testing at the Combine tells an interesting story, with excellent size being offset by poor explosiveness that also showed in the 10- and 20-yard splits, with solid speed over the full 40. It all adds up to a respectable 70th percentile RAS that eerily confirms the film based observations in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4ish grade), which lauds Williams’ instincts but implies that he might do best in a heavy zone system because he “labors getting out of his lateral transitions” and has a slender frame with limited strength. The Draft Network scouting profile (Round 3 grade) can be summed up in two words: Football Player. “Williams is going to bring physicality and competitive mentality wherever he goes and his experience on special teams and as a punt returner give him a good floor as a roster contributor with the upside to be a good starter in a press-man/Cover 2 defensive system.” Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) identifies a potential connection to Pittsburgh: “His best fit would be in a man-coverage scheme as an outside cornerback. He could play in the slot, but he would be better against big slot receivers rather than shifty ones.” Tom particularly admired Williams’ intensity and aggressiveness in coverage. CB WilN 4:01 7.7 SS/Slot/Nickel R.J. Mickens, Clemson (Senior). 6-0, 199 lbs. with 32½” arms and 8⅞” hands. Born July 10, 2001 (23 years old). Son of 10-year NFL CB Ray Mickens, and team captain. Mickens is a high IQ, vocal, on field leader with extensive special teams experience. The physical assets include excellent COD ability to handle coverage duties in zone, in the slot, and against TEs and bigger slot WRs, with overall athleticism sufficient to produce an 86th percentile RAS. FWIW, the true number is probably higher because he’s known for his agility, but did not run the shuttles that would highlight this skill. The main issues have to do with pure, straight-line speed, and the grabbiness that comes as he starts to get beat. A “get ‘em down” and ankle-tackler more than an impact hitter, and but he gets the job done. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4ish grade) particularly admires the “impressive instincts [that] help him play faster than his [already good] timed speed.” Per commenter Zach Shriver, Mickens has “good size, but only adequate speed. He makes up for it by anticipating plays well and reading the field at an extremely high level… he’s instinctual and knows how to be around the ball. I’m getting Kam Kinchens vibes especially if he runs slow.” Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) describes Mickens as a multitalented box and Cover-2 safety who only falls a bit short when asked to play man coverage. Not very short, but a bit. DB_S Mic 4:01 7.5 SAF Lathan Ransom, Ohio St. (RS Senior). 6-0¼, 206 lbs. with 30½” arms and 8½” hands. Born June 16, 2002 (22 years old). [injuries include a 2022 broken leg, and season ending but undisclosed 2023 injury] Ransom compiled a strong, well balanced, 90th percentile RAS, consistent with his role as a multipurpose midfield safety who raises all other boats with his jack-of-all-trades contributions, while only earning individual praise for expert run support and special teams play. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) says that Latham is “best known as [Ohio State’s] do-it-all safety who can lay the boom on opponents… Just the kind of safety every team needs as an enforcer that allows his teammates who are more adept in man coverage to make plays on the ball and stay with receivers.” The Bleacher Report scouting profile (strong Round 4 grade) calls Ransom “a physically imposing safety prospect out of Ohio State who thrives in run support and near the line of scrimmage… with the potential to contribute immediately as a rotational safety or a special teams ace.” Physicality, instincts, and high motor offset against coverage concerns, especially in man. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) calls Ransom “a disruptive, physical safety who can positively impact games and has future starting potential as a middle-rounder.” DB_S Ran 4:01   DT Ty Hamilton, Ohio St. (RS Senior). 6-2⅞, 299 lbs. with 32¼” arms and big 10⅛” hands. Born April 15, 2002 (23 years old). Brother DaVon Hamilton plays DT for the Jaguars. A strong, bursty, run stuffing specialist in the A- and B-gaps who plays with sound fundamentals that give him a solid anchor and good leverage, though he will be turned if he fails win with his initial burst or lets his technique slip. Hamilton also got quick feet, but for some reason has never flashed as a pass rusher. The 92nd percentile RAS shows elite burst, bench press strength, and speed. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) describes Hamilton as a “twitchy interior defender… who plays bigger than his measurables. Hamilton is first off the snap and first into contact with sudden hands and feet. He plays with excellent leverage and a solid anchor at the point. [But] he lacks ideal mass and length for the NFL game [and]… rushes with an unimaginative, down-the-middle approach [despite his foot quickness]… A consistent run defender capable of disruption and playmaking who could outplay his grade if he improves as a pass rusher.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 5 grade) sums Hamilton up as a “developmental Nose Tackle.” Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) describes Hamilton as an inside run defender with a quick first step and “immensely strong hands,” who uses those assets to disrupt plays with gap penetration into the backfield. His career would look brighter if he somehow learned to use those assets as a pass rusher too. DL HamT 4:01 7.6 NT Jordan Phillips, Maryland (RS Soph.). 6-1⅝, 312 lbs. with short 31½” arms and 9¾” hands. Born June 6, 2004 (20 years old). Yet another fascinating NT type for the Steelers to look at in the Round 3-5 range. Phillips is a certified Feldman Freak athlete with a deep background as a high school wrestler. Combined with his really good strength, leverage (he gets pad level), and burst, this young man (only 20!) has endless that’s only enhanced by a famous work ethic. Phillips compiled a 67th percentile RAS, with a hideous score on the 3-cone agility test, and a lot of slips as he moved through the agility drills. His youth can be seen in two ways: on the first hand he’s barely begun to learn the position. There is huge room to improve on an already impressive profile. On the other hand, we need to project 2-3 years devoted purely to the basics, and to developing some pass rush moves. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) explains that “ Phillips isn’t a guy who will wow you with any pass-rushing moves or techniques to deconstruct a block. His wins come more from get-off and power with full extension rather than breaking down blocks… If he can rush the opposing quarterback and collapse the pocket at the next level, it will come from his power in the early stages of his development. He’s very raw regarding pass-rushing moves and has the required skills to break down a block. He has the footwork to develop, but the technique and fundamentals just aren’t there consistently.” The gifs that Jim includes from Senior Bowl practices show a particularly impressive ability to deal with double teams. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 6ish grade) amounts to a relative pan. “[Phillips is a] powerful nose tackle known for his work ethic and leadership, [who] generates instant press and separation at the point… [But he] fails to read and mirror lateral blocks quickly enough… below-average shed timing as a potential tackler… [and] had no sacks over two seasons at Maryland ” The Draft Buzz scouting profile could have copied the Depot version: “after hours of film study, one thing becomes crystal clear – Phillips has the raw tools to be a game-wrecking nose tackle in the NFL. The wrestling background shows up constantly in how he uses leverage and hand placement to control blocks… The defensive scheme fit here is crucial. In [Pittsburgh,] Baltimore or Cleveland’s aggressive 3-4 front, Phillips could be unleashed as a penetrating nose who commands double teams and creates havoc. His explosive first step would be weaponized on stunts and twists, while his natural power at the point of attack would eat up blockers. The processing delays I see on tape need serious work – he’s often a beat late reading combination blocks which leads to him getting washed. But you can’t teach his brand of explosive power and natural leverage.” DL Phi 4:01 8.3 EDGE Jared Ivey, Ole Miss by way of Georgia Tech (RS Senior). 6-5⅞, 274 lbs. with 33½” arms and smaller 9⅛” hands. Born Dec. 5, 2001 (23 years old). Ross McCorkle’s Depot scouting profile (Round 2 grade) describes a big, long, and versatile athlete whose lack of bend, plus movement skills, and overall physical assets, suggest a much higher ceiling if he focuses on playing DL (his 2023 focus) rather than splitting his time at EDGE (72% in 2024). Pluses include the great length and knowing how to use it, though he could add some grown man muscle to support a proper bull rush. The upside and tools are there, but is the professionalism and motor? Interviews will matter a lot. Ivey described himself as an Edge who has the versatility to move inside in this Senior Bowl interview with Jonathan Heitritter. The late January Bleacher Report scouting profile also worries about the motor (“will take plays off”) and his burst off the line (“sub-par get-off, high pad level out of his stance and lack of leg drive through contact”). Everyone agrees that he moves extremely well (bend aside), and has superior hand fighting skills. The 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 2 grade) emphasizes that Ivey is “a dynamic athlete” with “tremendous power in his hands to jolt the point of attack… [but] lacks the raw explosiveness off the edge to be a dominant force rushing the quarterback.” A DE for sure, but will it be as a size-XL-but-somewhat-limited 4-3 player on the edge, or a 3-4 prospect the Steelers would want? Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile ends in a Round 4-5 grade. EDGE Ive 4:01 7.6 EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Va. Tech. (RS Senior). 6-2⅝, 258 lbs. with short 31¼” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Feb. 23, 2002 (23 years old). Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5ish grade) sums things up like this: “The production is hard to ignore but modest traits and average athleticism will make it tough for his numbers to translate to the next level…” Zierlein really likes the skills, attitude, and approach to the game, but lists a whole lot of important weaknesses on the athletic side. “Below-average get-off and suddenness in his rush… Unable to flip his hips past the blocker at the top of the arc… Average closing burst… Lacks standard size and length… [and] Will struggle to stand his ground in tests of strength.” Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) differs substantially on the athletic ability. “Antwaun Powell-Ryland offers exciting tape and is a bendy and athletic pass rusher. If his arms were longer, he’d be generating plenty more buzz.” EDGE Pow 4:01 7.1 EDGE Barryn Sorrell, Texas (Senior). 6-3¼, 256 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Dec. 22, 2002 (22 years old). Sorrell lived as a between-the-tackles pass rusher in college, which he won’t be able to do at the next level. He’ll have to be an EDGE instead. In that capacity he should serve very well as a run defender and a contributing part of the puzzle, but does not project as ‘that guy’ a team will rely on for the game closing sack in the way that Pittsburgh does with Watt and Highsmith. Jake Brockhoff’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade), concluding “All in all, Sorrell has a high ceiling with all the athletic tools to be successful. While he has his issues, there aren’t any that can’t be improved in the NFL.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 2-3 grade) says that “Sorrell’s rush lacks speed and power but he wins with his hands and has an above-average feel for creating entry points with positioning and body turn. He doesn’t have high-end traits, but he’s productive and reliable.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 3 grade) concedes that he might rank Sorrell higher if the prospect had better length, first step burst, or bend to get around the corner. Note that Sorrell’s show at the Combine included excellent grades for explosion, speed, and agility alike, resulting in a 92nd percentile RAS held back mostly by his weight (or average speed if treated as a 3-4 OLB). EDGE Sor 4:01 7.4 OG Dylan Fairchild, Georgia (RS Junior). 6-5¼, 318 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Born May 8, 2003 (21 years old). A tremendous H.S. wrestler with a 67-0 record over two Georgia state championship years, and also a 2024 Feldman Freak athlete. That’ll get your attention! Fairchild probably should have gone back to school for an extra year because he may have developed enough to challenge for a Round 2-3 grade. The assets are real, and they really do flash. That said, he’s already a big, tough, long, and explosive young man who regularly moves unwilling opponents in the direction he wats them to go. Run game: check. He has pass protection talent too, but this is where the raw technique really shows up. Brandon Thorn’s ever-reliable scouting profile (Round 4 grade) says that “Fairchild has the size, athletic ability, raw power, and demeanor to mold himself into a future starting guard. Still, it was a bit of a surprise declaration due to his raw, unrefined skill set that led to a wide floor/ceiling gap and made his landing spot a critical aspect of his projection. Due to the range of potential outcomes in his development, it is difficult to see him as more than a backup as a rookie, but the physical tools are there to take over a job at guard eventually.” The main complaints are “late, erratic strike timing and placement, [together with] questionable processing skills against delayed blitzes, late loopers, and line games.” Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) echoes the same general list, but adds in some balance issues from playing too high. Again, the lack of experience and refinement really does show. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5 grade) worries that Fairchild “will offer more with his pass protection than his run blocking … [because he has] good [but] below-average core strength and contact balance… [and] struggles to generate movement as a drive blocker.” OL Fai 4:01 7.3 OG Luke Kandra, Cincinnati by way of Louisville (RS Senior). 6-4⅝, 318 lbs. with 32½” arms and 10⅛” hands. Born Aug. 8, 2001(23 years old). Team captain. Let’s start out with the worst part: Luke Kandra was born and raised in Cincinnati as a Bengals fan. Eeeew! After that, things get much better. Between the lines this multiyear starting guard (mostly RG, with some snaps at both LG and OC) is a smart, tough, durable, and powerful prospect with great mobility and overall athleticism. He needs to improve on a lot of the fundamentals that matter so much at the NFL level – things like waist bending, lunging, etc. – but they are all fixable problems. Kandra also has five (5) years of experience in the sort of outside zone blocking scheme that Arthur Smith has favored. Jim Hester’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) sums things up like this: “Luke Kandra… offers exceptional athleticism and the ability to move fluidly in space. Because of his play strength, he will probably fit like a glove in a zone-blocking run scheme but would struggle more with man and gap concepts.” A year or two of professional training should solve that, but it’s work that needs to be put in. OL Kan 4:01 7.6 OG Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona (Junior). 6-4⅛, 324 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10¼” hands. Born Jan. 13, 2001 (24 years old). One of those big ol’ Polynesian kid from Honolulu who plays to his size and survived as a tackle in college due to some top notch 91st percentile RAS athletic talent. At the next level he’s a guard, and nothing but a guard. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile ends in a Round 3 grade based on his size, power, and basically solid technique, offset against barely adequate mobility and overall athleticism. He may mature into a long-term, JAG (just a guy) starter. And he may end up as no more than depth. This grade includes a discount for lack of need and lack of fit to what Pittsburgh is trying to build. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) says, “He will need to be coached on some techniques and mental issues and still needs to grow into a bully-ball mindset. I think his skill set is best used at guard…. As a run blocker, he has a lot of concerns, but with sinking in his stance and good coaching, it can be fixed.” OL Sav 4:01 7.9 C/G Jared Wilson, Georgia (RS Junior). 6-3, 310 lbs. with 32⅜” arms and big 10¾” hands. Born June 5, 2003 (21 years old). [Torn Achilles in November] Sometimes you really wish a prospect had returned to school for one more run. This is one of those times. Jared Wilson has the native talent to excel at both center and guard, particularly in a movement-oriented system, but he’s only got one year of game experience. That’s just not enough, as our recent tackle from Georgia has demonstrated. And with center being the most intellectually demanding line position, well… I wish he’d gone back for another year of college ball. Brandon Thorn’s expert scouting profile notes that Wilson has “renowned athletic ability inside the Georgia program,” but worries that he’s more potential than reality. “Overall, Wilson is still a green, inexperienced starter but shows starter-level athletic ability and play strength.” Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) worries that Wilson might have a moderate ceiling, but has no doubt he can build a career as “”an athletic zone blocker who can finish at the second level with efficiency.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Day 3 grade) worries that Wilson may be a center-only prospect who could be controlled by monster NFL nose tackles. OL Wil 4:01   OT Myles Hinton, Michigan by way of Stanford (Senior). 6-6¾, 323 lbs. with 34⅛” arms and 10¼” hands. Born Jan. 9, 2002 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner?] His father is the longtime All-Pro tackle Chris Hinton, and his older brother is a well-traveled NT, so the bloodlines are there. Myles Hinton ideal size, and had a solid 2024 on a relatively poor OL (for Michigan), but he also has a number of technical flaws that need to be erased and then reinstalled. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5 grade) says that “Hinton is borderline elite when pulling into space and easily adjusts his body to hit targets on the move.” A perfect outside zone profile. The issues go to various important technique problems. “[He] needs to stay lower in early stages of the play to create or maintain leverage… has a dangerous habit of waist-bending at the top of the rush…. Carries his hands too low and is late with his punch, [etc.]… The allure of unlocking Hinton’s upside will be enticing for teams looking for swing tackle help.” This March profile from a Michigan Wolverines site provides an insider’s view worth considering: “It’d be crazy for Hinton to get overlooked in the NFL Draft this season. Despite the offensive line’s performance in 2024, Hinton was the best of the bunch. He also has strong tape from 2023 when he mostly played on the right side of the line. Hinton has been solid since he came to Ann Arbor and has all the attributes a team would want in an offensive lineman, both physically and mentally.” OT Hin 4:01 7.5 OT Jalen Travis, Iowa St. by way of Princeton (RS Senior). 6-7¾, 339 lbs. with extreme 34⅞” arms and big 10½” hands. Born April 19, 2002 (23 years old on draft day). Jalen Travis is one of the most intriguing prospects of the draft. A prospect known for his high character, Travis started his football career at Princeton, where he stayed until earning the Ivy League degree after utterly dominating the lesser competition. Then he moved to Iowa State, where he struggled against the higher level of competition. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5-7 grade) cites issues with his hand usage, punch aim & timing, knee bend, and timing on combo blocks as examples of the technical lapses that opponents could use against him. All are fixable issues, but essential ones. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 5 grade) likewise sees film that shows “a relatively untested tackle prospect with one year of experience in the Big 12 but [with] the body type of a starting tackle [and] solid athletic ability that offers a developmental toolkit to mold into a role player and possible starter down the road… Travis executed a bit of everything as a run blocker this past season but excels most on zone concepts.” That left him with a later Round 5 grade on this Board. Until the Combine, where Travis put on a show that culminated in a top 99th percentile RAS. That’s not “solid athletic ability;” it’s “astonishing, all but legendary athletic ability.” Time for a new look. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) came out soon thereafter. The film grade is the same, as you might expect, but Jon ends with notes that Travis has experience at both LT and RT in addition to all those athletic talents, and the conclusion that “all the tools are there for Travis to develop into a quality swing tackle in the league with the hopes of one day becoming a starter.” OT Tra 4:01 6.9 QB Quinn Ewers, Texas by way of Ohio St. (Junior). 6-2⅛, 214 lbs. with 9⅜” hands. Born March 15, 2003 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] Quinn Ewers was the #1 high school QB in the country. A native Texan, he enrolled at Ohio State and won the starting job as a Sophomore, only to become so homesick that he transferred back to Texas. There he did well enough, but never lived up to the original billing. Here in 2025 he comes to the draft with one, very potent sales pitch: he’s got the intangible “it” that’s made him a winner who could bring his team to the CFB semifinals two years in a row, while holding off all world prospect Arch Manning for the 2024 starting role. Ewers also has  Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting profile from January (Round 5 grade) acknowledges the success (“tough and comes up clutch in big moments”), but argues that most of the success came from a “training wheels offense at Texas due to [Ewers’ physical] limitations.” The long list of those includes “panic and jittery feet in pocket” (understandable to some extent because Ewers got sacked like a crash dummy). Nate also criticizes Ewers for “average arm strength,… inconsistent deep ball accuracy,… not much scrambling ability,… questionable decisions under duress, [and] inconsistent deep ball accuracy.” Sounds bad, right? But the final player comp was Drew Lock, who has built a nice little career as a high end backup and spot starter. QB Ewe 4:01 7.6 QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame by way of Duke (Senior). 6-3¾, 216 lbs. with 9½” hands. Born Sep. 13 2002 (22 years old). Riley Leonard took his team to the national championship game, and Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) emphasizes that he’s got good football IQ, running ability, and that all important “clutch gene.” So why the relatively low grade on this board? The player comp helps to explain it: Former Steeler Josh Dobbs. For all the assets, Riley Leonard’s arm is just okay, and his accuracy fluctuates ever more as he starts to feel pressure. Dobbs has built himself a long career as a backup, but that may be Leonard’s ceiling. Dobbs went in Round 4, which has proved to be just about right. QB Leo 4:01 7.4 QB Kyle McCord, Syracuse by way of Ohio St (Senior). 6-3, 218 lbs. with 9½” hands. Born Sep. 19, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Will Howard beat out McCord for the starting job at Ohio State, so he transferred to Syracuse and proceeded to have an excellent year. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) calls McCord “a less energetic Gardner Minshew. He, too, has poise in the pocket, gets the ball out quickly, and is accurate. However, he also has questions about deep accuracy, [merely adequate] ability to run away from pass rushers… [and] mechanics.” QB McC 4:01 7.4 RB LeQuint Allen Jr., Syracuse (Junior). 6-2¼, 207 lbs. with 32½” arms and big 10¼” hands. Born Aug. 25, 2004 (20 years old). A special teams ace who could someday be an ideal RB2 if you believe that Jaylen Warren has the chops to be RB1 for a few years. Allen does well at inside runs, outside runs, and blocking for his QB; and he excels as a receiver. But what’s the true value for someone who is 100% an NFL player, but isn’t likely to be special? Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) lands on an old favorite of mine as the comp: Joseph Addai, whose highest value lay in elite receiving talent out of the backfield. ”Overall, Allen has [elite] receiving ability… and he’s a tough runner with leg drive. The overall foundation of his game is there: athleticism, toughness, receiving ability, and even a special teams background. There’s a lot to like. But I struggle with his fit. How good of a runner is he? How well does he pass protect? There’s definitely third-down attractiveness, but can he be a 1B/No. 2 complementary runner to give him early-down value?” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5-6 grade) says much the same thing with a slightly lower grade. RB All 4:01 7.9 RB RJ Harvey, UCF (RS Senior). 5-8, 205 lbs. with 29” arms and 9” hands. Born Feb. 4, 2001 (24 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] [2001 ACL with full recovery] Amassed a top 15% RAS based on elite 4.40 speed and leaps, offset by very poor grades for his lack of height. This is a middle of the road grade you should feel free to dispute, because RJ Harvey is one of those prospects who changes like a prism depending on the eye of the beholder. Everyone agrees that he runs with a sort of Lev Bell vibe, where he patiently waits for a crease and then hits the button to shoot on through. People also agree that he can bounce and cut as sharply as a superball. After that comes a surprising amount of variation Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) describes Harvey as a “shifty [player with the] ability to cut on a dime… [who] flashes homerun speed… [and] has good ability in the receiving game.” Steven likes the contact balance too. The big downsides are his age, and a minor case of fumbleitis. This goes to a Senior Bowl interview with Steeler Depot’s Jonathan Heitritter. There is a much more critical description in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5ish grade) because he saw none of the speed and burst revealed by the athletic testing, and emphasized in the Steelers Depot profile. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 4 grade) offers a third, quite different set of descriptions that emphasize agility: “RJ Harvey is a make-you-miss runner with great shiftiness… [and] a capable pass catcher… [but] an unreliable pass protector… [who] does not showcase long speed to be a consistent home run threat at the NFL level. He is run down by pursuing defenders more than one would prefer.” The 33rd Team scouting profile by Kyle Crabbs (Round 6 grade) complains that “I don’t have a great deal of confidence in his ability to key and process his zone reads.” The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile sees “lite lateral quickness and jump-cut ability… exceptional contact balance… blazing speed and acceleration… [and] advanced vision and patience” (plus some sterling academic achievements. Sounds good, but the profile also warns that Harvey’s frame and lack of oomph could be huge limitations at the next level. RB Har 4:01 7.6 RB Jarquez Hunter, Auburn (Senior). 5-9⅜, 204 lbs. with 30” arms and 9½” hands. Born Dec. 29, 2002 (22 years old). Good 4.44 speed contributed to a top 20% RAS, held back mostly by height and weight. Good special teams chops as both a returner and coverage man. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) has some delightful turns of phrase worth the read just on their own. He calls Hunter a “run-after-contact machine… renowned for his lower-body power… who can extend the play well beyond what you might expect…. He could use less “fight” and more “flight” when there are still moves to make on the second level… Easily definable as a two-down pile-mover for teams looking to impose their will on the ground… Known for his character and work ethic…. [Good] vision and feel.” The word choices convey the message. Hunter may be a relatively limited and straighter-line player, but he will enhance every locker room and quickly become a fan favorite. Ross McCorkle’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) uses Kenneth Gainwell as a pro comp, saying his “size, strength, and quickness… [with] good lateral agility and burst, [suggests that] Hunter has a lot of work to do as a route runner and a pass protector.” RB Hun 4:01 7.6 RB Damien Martinez, Miami by way of Oregon St. (Junior). 5-11⅝, 217 lbs. with 30½” arms and 9½” hands. Born Jan. 31, 2004 (21 years old). A power back from the Najee Harris school, who will toss off potential tacklers one on one, and then move the pile another yard or three for good measure. But he’s a ‘turn one into two, three into 6’ type of runner, not someone to ever turn 7 into 50. That seems to be what Pittsburgh wants, which has earned a slight discount on Martinez’ grade for this board. The only off field knock seems to be a young-and-stupid arrest for “suspicion of DUI” back in 2023, which was later dropped. Ross McCorkle’s Depot scouting report (fringe 3rd grade) concludes that “what he lacks in long speed and burst, he makes up for with patience, good angles, and stop-start ability with his lateral agility. He is both tough to bring down and elusive enough in the open field to be a problem in space.” Ross also acknowledges that Martinez needs to learn how to block (which should be doable), and isn’t a receiving threat (which may not be due to iffy hands). This goes to a Depot interview with Ross McCorkle at the Senior Bowl. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 3) actually uses Najee Harris as the closest pro comparison. RB Mar 4:01 7.2 RB Kalel Mullings, Michigan (RS Senior). 6-1½, 226 lbs. with 31¾” arms and big 10” hands. Born Oct. 4, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Pro Day Dinner?] A big, bruising, power back who drove the ball up between the tackles game after game in 2024. Excellent on short yardage, Mullings plays with good vision and a wait-wait-burst style reminiscent of LeVeon Bell. The pass catching, not so much, since Mullings has much less in the way of speed, shiftiness, and hands. He is a good blocker for blitzes and such. As summarized in Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade), “Mullings isn’t a 1-for-1 replacement [for Najee Harris, but] he does have the size, heart, smarts, and special teams background that Pittsburgh likes in their reserve running backs.” This goes to a Vikings-oriented scouting profile from early December. RB Mul 4:01 7.6 RB Devin Neal, Kansas (Senior). 5-11⅛, 213 lbs. with 29⅝” arms and 8½” hands. Born Aug. 12, 2003 (21 years old). Quick story. I focused in on Devin Neal in early January because the description looked like exactly what Pittsburgh wants. Good size, with a history of durability and the ability to take over a game – like he did in a 41 carry game where he singlehandedly outscored the vaunted Colorado football team led by Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. My problem was simple. Neal played a lot of snaps in college, was reported to be 215 lbs., and the way he moved convinced me he was probably closer to 200. Enter the Senior Bowl, where he weighed in at 220 and looked every bit as good. (213 at the Combine fwiw). The critique would be that Neal’s film looks very good across the board (speed, vision, burst, agility, contact balance, play strength, receiving ability, etc.), but the only areas that brush toward being special are his short area quickness and, of course, production (4,200 yards in his college career). Devin Neal compiled a basically average, 65th percentile RAS, but the underlying data is inconsistent. He had great numbers in the explosion testing (leaps), but poor numbers in the 10- and 20-yard splits. Those are supposed to go together, so something odd is going on. He also scored poorly in the shuttle test for agility, which the film says is a strength. Neal has been described as “soft spoken and professional,” and has almost never fumbled despite his heavy workload. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (strong Round 3 grade) ends by saying, “For a Pittsburgh team that likes its running backs to have size but could be looking for explosiveness in Arthur Smith’s zone system, Neal provides both. He’s a true slashing zone runner who reminds me of Devin Singletary. But that profile doesn’t perfectly align. My NFL comp will land on D’Andre Swift.” This goes to a fairly balanced December scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade), which says “The attribute that holds Neal back the most is his general lack of physicality. He’s somewhat undersized [N.B. Not according to the Senior Bowl scale], and it shows often on inside runs [N.B. to my eye fair]… and doesn’t have true breakaway wheels to function as a speed threat.” See also this December profile from Vikings Wire. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-5 grade) says “He lacks top-end burst and speed… but he’s a fall-forward runner with good contact balance and a nose for short-yardage conversions. He has good instincts and soft hands [too]… His blue-collar approach isn’t exciting but it is effective and Neal has the ability to develop into a backup three-down back.” Neal earned a Round 4 grade in Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile. The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) includes this observation: “Neal’s explosive athleticism immediately jumps off the screen – when he plants his foot and accelerates through the hole, he has that coveted second gear that separates potential backups from future starters.” RB Nea 4:01 7.4 RB Raheim Sanders, S. Carolina by way of Arkansas (Senior). 6-0, 219 lbs. with 29⅞” arms and 9⅜” hands. Born June 8, 2002 (22 years old). [Shoulder in 2023, Ankle in 2024] Team captain. The words you want to hear: he’s big, he’s strong, has decent vision, is fast enough to get around the corner, and he can break away for home runs if he clears his way to the open field. The drawbacks: he isn’t very shifty, particularly against penetration, his blocking needs work, and he needs to get going before the speed kicks in. Turbo lag, if you want an analogy. This is all supported by the athletic testing, which adds up to a 71st percentile RAS. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) centers on the tremendous assets, along with the fact that he broke out for a tremendous 1,700 yard season in 2022, offset against the “shoulder injury in 2023 [that] brought him back to Earth, and an ankle injury in 2024 [that] appeared to slow him down.” We’ve been spoiled by Najee Harris’ all but legendary availability at the most physically demanding position in the sport. Sanders’ high moments may be even better than Najee’s, but for how many games? How easily will the edge of his athletic sword wear down over the long haul? And how many points should we award back for the chance that his nagging injuries over the past two years won’t be part of an ongoing pattern? RB San 4:01 6.8 WR Chimere (“CHIM-ray”) Dike (“DEE-kay”), Florida (Senior). 6-0⅜, 192 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9” hands. Born Dec. 14, 2002 (22 years old). A well rounded WR with decent size, great speed and athleticism, and very notable return man chops, all offset by way too many drops. By the numbers, Dike had several more drops than TDs in his career. The key question is, why? Jake Brockhoff’s pre-Combine scouting profile (Round 5 grade) described Dike as a good looking WR3 prospect who plays a smart, team-oriented game, with good hands, route running, blocking, and COD, and understanding of his role on the entire offense rather than just his position. All good, but he was also described as having a limited ceiling due to a lack of size, speed, and overall athleticism. Cue the Combine, where Chimere Dike compiled a stunning 97th percentile RAS built on a 4.34 dash, great explosion, and wonderful agility numbers; offset only by his moderate size. Back to the film! The NFL.com scouting profile by Lance Zierlein (Round 4ish grade) describes Dike as “a second- and third-level receiver whose routes have the energy of a youngster on a playground with all gas and no brakes. He is an early separator with his speed… [and] catches with downfield focus and toughness when contested but doesn’t always play with catch-ready hands, which will lead to frustrating misses. He’s more of a field-stretcher than a volume option, but his talent for opening intermediate and deep windows could appeal to teams in need of speed.” WR Dike 4:01 7.1 WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Auburn by way of Penn St. (RS Senior). 6-0¾, 190 lbs. with 32⅝” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born July 29, 2002 (22 years old). Every time I see the name Lambert I get a twin reaction. Jack Lambert the Steelers Lion, and Lambert the Sheepish Lion. Which has nothing whatsoever about the prospect, LOL. Back to business. This Lambert is Kam Chancellor’s nephew, who looked-good-I-guess during his four years at Penn State, quietly catching more than 100 balls, and then exploded for a record year as a grad student in Auburn. An excellent target if Pittsburgh wants to add a different profile to the room. KL-S isn’t a shifty speed guy like Roman Wilson or Calvin Austin III; nor a field stretching deep threat like George Pickens and DK Metcalf; nor a special teams ace who doubles as a big boy WR a few times per game. Instead Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) describes KL-S as a 3-level, limited-tree, route running good generalist with big play potential. “[KL-S] has an impressive film that showcases his route running, secure hands, and body control to avoid collisions. However, his athletic ability and play strength are average, which makes me worry about how he will transition to the NFL.” The exceptional speed and overall top 15% RAS answer the athletic questions, and play strength can be developed, so this adds up to an excellent profile from Pittsburgh’s POV. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5 grade) also worries about how well Lambert-Smith’s game will translate, expressing specific question marks on speed (proven not to be a problem), missing play strength, and a lack of “suddenness or burst to separate out of turns.” The NFL Draft Buzz profile emphasizes growth and evolution in every year, loves the speed and occasional explosive plays, and worries once again about the lack of play strength and limited route tree. This very brief March scouting profile (Round 5ish grade) says “Lambert-Smith displays excellent route-running and hands” but expresses “serious concerns about his athleticism and ability to handle physical press coverage. His average explosiveness may hinder his transition to a faster and more physical NFL environment.” WR Lam 4:01 7.4 WR Nick Nash, San Jose St. (RS Senior). 6-2½, 203 lbs. with 31” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Aug. 2, 2000 (24 years old). A developmental prospect worth a serious look in light of his size, athleticism (top two-thirds RAS), hearts, and smarts. Gets a discount on this board due to his age at a position where getting beyond 30 is a landmark. Nash has tough odds of getting into a second contract. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (fringe Round 3 grade) describes Nash as, “[a] sixth-year senior who came in as a dual-threat quarterback and departed after sweeping all the major receiving categories last season. Nash isn’t the fastest or quickest, but when the ball goes up, he has a great chance of winning… [due to his] competitiveness, ball skills and football character… He should continue to expand and improve as a route runner with more coaching and polish.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) calls Nash a “jump ball specialist… [who] has worked on his game to be a more well-rounded target. He needs to continue working on his route running and lacks ideal athleticism, but he does plenty of the little things well and should be able to contribute as a depth piece at worst.” WR Nas 4:01 8.5 WR Xavier Restrepo, Miami (RS Senior). 5-9⅞, 209 lbs. with 29⅜” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born April 22, 2002 (23 years old on draft day). A tough, move the chains, slot WR who loves to block and offers an extremely high floor. Restrepo runs routes like a pro, which is a skill that carries forward. The problem arises with a 4.83 dash at his pro day. Restrepo says it happened because of a tweaked hamstring, and “for 2 straight weeks I consistently hit 4.53-4.58 laser in training and thought I could still pull it off.” The faster time is more consistent with his film, but still. Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile says, “He’s got perhaps the best pure blend of route running and hands in this year’s class.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) describes Restrepo as “an ideal slot receiver for the next level… [and] an impressive route runner who gets in and out of his breaks seamlessly… He has a gritty mentality as a pass catcher and can shake defenders out of their cleats with his route-running savvy.” TBH, the description rings many of the same bells as Roman Wilson in 2024, which Jon mentioned too even if he preferred to end with a comp to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade) ends in a comparison to Hunter Renfrow, and an evocative description you need to read: “Feisty slot-only target … A route chef who reeks of urgency and plays much faster than the stopwatch is likely to time him… His instincts, blitz recognition and talent to scramble open when plays break down will make him a favorite… Subpar length and average measurables could create some hesitation for NFL evaluators but the play and football demeanor feel translatable… Exceptional toughness and intelligence. Belichick would have loved him.” WR Res 4:01 7.0 WR Dont’e Thornton Jr., Tennessee by way of Oregon (Senior). 6-4⅝, 205 lbs. with 32⅛” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Nov. 30, 2002 (22 years old). [Coach at Pro Day] [Numerous minor injuries over several years, including muscle injuries and a broken collarbone in H.S.] A fine midround target to hope for if Pittsburgh ends up seeking a deep threat in the middle rounds. Thornton is closer to 6-5 than 6-4, put up a 98th percentile RAS based on 4.30 speed at the Combine, and displayed excellent hands in the gauntlet drill despite a history of drops (focus drops?). His profile looks a lot like George Pickens. But does Pittsburgh want another ultra-fast, ultra-tall, jump ball specialist? Or will the team be looking for someone with a more complete set of WR skills? This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-5 grade). Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) puts the issue succinctly: “Dont’e Thornton’s highs were fine. But they accounted for about 10 percent of the Tennessee tape you’d watch. The rest was him on the sidelines, trainer’s room, or inactivity… There is a role for the “go deep” guy in the NFL. It caps upside and value, but the league has plenty of niche examples.” WR Tho 4:16 7.9 CB Zy Alexander, LSU by way of SE Louisiana (Senior). 6-3⅛, 187 lbs. with 31” arms and 9¾” hands. Born Nov. 26, 2001 (23 years old). The written notes can sound like a fringe-1st prospect, but deeper looks tend to be more pessimistic. Starting with the 40th percentile RAS that was poor across the board, rescued only by his height. As to the film, consider the Bleacher Report scouting profile: “Great length and size… runs very well, saying in phase… Quickly sinks his hips; good physicality… secure tackler who comes up quickly to support the run… great ball skills… excels in press coverage… particularly [good] against larger wideouts… etc.” Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) ends with a Round 3 grade based on concerns that Alexander may be a bit of a linear athlete [N.B. Is he ever!] who really belongs in a Cover 3 defense rather than the more varied Pittsburgh system. A more general critique would be that Alexander gets burned too often by elite natural talent, and loses big when that happens. Improving his jam and other technical factors could help, but all of that is projection. He showed dead-average speed at the Combine, which may explain what’s going on. CB Ale 4:16 6.7 CB/S Caleb Ransaw, Tulane (Senior). 5-11⅜, 197 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Born Dec. 22, 2002 (22 years old). Elite speed, explosiveness, and physicality are the key selling points here, which combine to give him an excellent special teams floor and very good potential as a Big Slot and TE eliminator. The 9.96 RAS will and should raise eyebrows, though it should be noted that Ransaw declined to do the COD testing, and his challenges on film tend to be with extra shifty types. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) suggests a potential shift to safety because Ransaw “”will have to prove he can stay connected to shifty route-runners… [and overcome his] below-average ‘turn-and-find’ when his back is to the ball. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) sees the very high potential, but has more concerns about the amount of work required for Ransaw to get there. CB Ran 4:16 7.2 CB Justin Walley, Minnesota (Senior). 5-10⅛, 190 lbs. with 30¾” arms and big 10” hands. Born Sep. 22, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] Walley played on the outside in college, but may profile better as a slot CB. The Bleacher Report scouting profile (Round 5 grade) paints a good picture: “Justin Walley is a competitive and aggressive cornerback from Minnesota, whose game is defined by his tenacity and ability to stick with receivers in the short and intermediate areas of the field.” He’s also an effective puzzle piece in run support, has a high football and skills IQ, and has excellent ball skills. 4.40 speed at the Combine only helps his cause. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5ish grade) calls Walley a “Highly experienced cornerback with good size, speed and ball production. Walley has good mirror-and-match footwork in the early stages of the route but… is irritating at the catch point but… is willing in run support but… [and] played an overwhelming majority of his snaps outside, but…” Get the theme? Walley doesn’t project well if you’re looking for the avatar CB with starting potential, but he’s a fine football player who should contribute valuable snaps for a long time on both defense and special teams. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) sort of provides two grades: a Round 3 and a Round 6 depending on the system. “In coverage, Walley makes plays in off-man and zone coverage. He reads the quarterback well and drives on the ball… Negatively, he struggled in tight man coverage… allow[ing] too much separation at the break point. That could limit his scheme-value to man-heavy teams at the next level. [NOTE: That fits the Steelers] Overall, Walley is a solid zone/off-man cornerback with aggression, tackling ability, and plus ball skills… There’s a lot to like [including]… a skillset to have success in the slot… but he’s scheme-specific and lacks the high-end tools to be an every-down corner.” CB Wal 4:16 7.5 SAF/Nickel Sebastian Castro, iowa (RS Senior). 5-11, 202 lbs. with 31” arms and 10” hands. Born Oct. 14, 2000 (24 years old). Castro is one of those high energy, high IQ, endless motor, two-year team captains who do everything in the middle of the defense. He’d grade a whole round higher if he was two years younger, and a round higher than that if he had some extra speed. The 45th percentile RAS illustrates Castro’s athletic limitations. The Steelers could really use a so-called Star DB a/k/a Nickelback to shut down the final holes in the middle of the defense. He’d do the Mike Hilton job, and he’d do it with more size and maybe even more style and flash. [Sigh] But a rookie who will turn 25 in the middle of his first year? That’s hard to swallow. This goes to Jim Hester’s admiring Depot scouting report, which includes an all but unheard of stat for a full time defensive back: “Only three penalties in five years of playing” [Sigh again]. DB_S Cas 4:16 6.7 CB/S Caleb Ransaw, Tulane (Senior). 5-11⅜, 197 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Born Dec. 22, 2002 (22 years old). DB_S Ran 4:16 6.7 NT Cam Jackson, Florida (RS Senior). 6-6¼, 328 lbs. with long 34⅛” arms and 9½” hands. Born Feb. 12, 2001 (24 years old). A simply enormous DT who wins by holding his ground, bench pressing his opponent, and then tackling whatever comes int range. As described in Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade), it works too: but only so long as he wins (or at least breaks even) on the initial leverage battle. Which he didn’t always do even in college, and will have a much harder time doing in the pros because of his height combined with lack of burst off the ball. McCullers 2.0. Lance Zierelin’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3-4 grade, DT8 overall) is a good bit more positive, saying that Jackson is “a complete non-factor as a rusher… [but] has freakish size” and could be an extraordinary 2-down run stuffer if he can add some much needed polish to his game. It’s important to note that Zierlein emphasizes Jackson’s ability to “play with adequate bend [and to] keep blockers out of his frame with good arm extension.” Playing low enough is the bane of tall NT’s, so that is one of the best signs possible. DL Jac 4:16 8.3 DT Aeneas Peebles (RS Senior). 6-0½, 282 lbs. with 31⅜” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Sep. 3, 2001 (23 years old). Aeneas Peebles is fun, regardless of how you think he’d fit in Pittsburgh. Look at that build again. He’s about 5” shorter than a typical Pittsburgh DL, and just about the same weight. A walking, ironwood stump, with strength to match the mass and pad level to match the build. Now add a motor that would frighten wolverines and one of the best get-offs in CFB. What do you get? Someone who (a) burrows through gaps with enormous speed and leverage, (b) constantly blows up plays with stupid amounts of penetration, and (c) is very hard to move because he’s the low man. What can’t he do? 2-gap. Peebles is a penetrator; a human church key for prying open offensive lines, and (unlike your Heyward/Tuitt prototypes) his opponents will always know what he’s going to do. That’s a part-time player for the Steelers unless (a) he matures into Aaron Donald, or (b) the team uses an extra roster spot to build a DL rotation of players with various skill sets. This goes to the Draft Network scouting profile, which uses phrases like these: “Wildly disruptive… elite center of gravity… great technique… the kind of defensive lineman I want on my team…a game-wrecker [with] a compact, stocky frame with a heavy mid-body and tree-trunk legs… the ideal penetrating disrupter [whose] get-off is downright elite, but his ability to get his feet in the ground before contact is special… a force multiplier for an IDL room… Violent, tenacious, and technically savvy, Aeneas Peebles is your favorite team’s favorite IDL..” It’s enough to make you wish the Steelers were a 4-3 team. This PFF article on top draft sleepers notes that “Peebles has been the nation’s most efficient pass rusher at the defensive tackle position over the last two years.” Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 2 grade) says that Peebles needs to add strength, but “He is always the hardest worker on the field, and pairing that with his athletic ability and use of hands will make him a positive three-down lineman.” Just not for Pittsburgh unless the team changes its DL approach. DL Pee 4:16 7.3 EDGE David Walker, Central Arkansas (Senior). 6-0⅞, 263 lbs. with 31⅞” arms and 9¼” hands. Born June 3, 2000 (24 years old). A small school wonder who dominated weaker competition (DPOY in his conference for 2022, 2023, and 2024), but has a lot to prove against what he’ll face at the next level. The lack of length seems to be issue #1, with his age as issue #2. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) describes a player who ought to be getting a higher value. “He has explosive, freaky power in his lower half. He can leverage and anchor the point and create instant pocket consequences with his bull rush. He’s an instinctive rusher with an above-average attack portfolio but a lack of length will be an obstacle to overcome… jarring production in high-impact stat columns.” Jake Brockhoff’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) sees a player who shows good power, leverage, and motor, but lacks the sort of length and bend that NFL teams tend to look for. EDGE WalD 4:16 7.6 EDGE Johnny Walker, Missouri (RS Senior). 6-2⅝, 246 lbs. with 33” arms and 10” hands. Born Dec. 12, 2001 (23 years old). Team captain. Generally accounted as the single biggest Combine snub of the year, Walker is athletic, bendy, and had excellent production in his special 2024 run. Killed it at the Shrine Bowl. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) says that Walker has all the essential assets you look for: burst, bend, strength, length, motor, moves, etc. Jones just needs to tighten everything up, and add a few layers of professional polish. EDGE WalJ 4:16 8.8 ILB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama (Junior). 6-2⅞, 235 lbs. with 32½” arms and 9½” hands. Born Feb. 24, 2004 (21 years old). The clear #2 of the class, and a young man who’d earn a Round 1 grade on an all-teams board. For this year’s Pittsburgh Steelers? There is no reasonable path to seeing that selection. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (late 1st grade) describes Campbell as a tremendous on field leader who “looks and plays like a veteran…. The unselfishness he plays with is shown in his discipline fitting his gap while never freestyling trying to make his own plays. He understands there is a greater cause than stopping the run than himself, and he does so with great passion and pride.” Your author, a true ILB junkie, refuses to continue with additional descriptions because doing so would hurt too much when force to name the required grade on this Steelers-specific board. ILB Cam 4:16   OC/G Drew Kendall, Boston Coll. (RS Junior). 6-4¼, 308 lbs. with 31¾” arms and 9⅝” hands. Born Nov. 27, 2001 (23 years old). Team captain. I try to never discount the value of superior OL depth nor developmental players for the pipeline, and Drew Kendall would fit in both regards. His father Pete Kendall played for many years as an NFL guard, so the genes and “gets it” tests have been fully met. His son is a solid, smart, center who could play well as a movement oriented guard too. Especially for a team like Pittsburgh, which we expect to move more toward an outside zone scheme that relies more on smarts, speed, and agility than on pure dig-em-out power. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 4 grade) describes Kendall as “an efficient zone run blocker with good quickness, leverage, and sustain skills… good athletic ability and solid play strength… [and] a solid anchor.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5 grade) says that Kendall’s “traits and athletic features don’t stand out, but Kendall comes from NFL bloodlines and simply knows how to play.” Zierlein questions the ability to play guard due to Kendall’s lack of length and “pop on contact to set the tone.” Kendall compiled a 91st percentile RAS featuring excellent speed and agility but held back by lousy bench press numbers. All of that shows up on the film. OL Ken 4:16 7.1 OT Logan Brown, Kansas by way of Wisconsin (RS Senior). 6-6⅜, 311 lbs. with 33⅞” arms and 10” hands. Born April 17, 2001 (24 years old on draft day). [Character questions related to a 2022 fight, Type 1 diabetes] Let’s deal with the fight first. On Wednesday October 12 Logan Brown got in a fight with a teammate during practice. He met with his coach that evening, which resulted in being told to find a new home. He did so the next day, which is how he got to Kansas. Make of that what you will. As of 2025, Brown had spot starts for several years at both RT and LT, before setting in as the full time LT in 2024. He’s got all the size and strength to project as an NFL starter too, but those assets are held back by a number of bad habits and technical flaws that will probably take a few years to iron out. A multi-time state champion in shot put, which is second only to wrestling as an athletic indicator for linemen. Brandon Thorn’s scouting profile (Round 5 grade) starts by acknowledging that “Brown has a broad frame, long arms and thick, well-rounded build with good athletic ability and very good play strength,” and then goes on to list technique issues beginning with “an upright playing style.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) echoes Thorn’s: “[Brown is a] traits-based developmental tackle with only one full season as a college starter. Brown is high-cut but is unusually quick laterally and athletic in space for a player who plays so upright. He gets to zone-blocking landmarks and is forceful with move contact, but his pad level limits his consistency as a man-to-man blocker. His protection improved rapidly in-season, but he still needs to develop an inside-out approach with pass sets and learn to recognize rush games more quickly. The bad looks really bad but the good can look really good. The ceiling and floor are both moving upward and Brown has early swing tackle value with a chance to develop into an NFL starter.” This goes to the NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile (Round 4 grade). Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) basically agrees that Brown has all the physical tools but needs to keep developing his strength and skills. OT Bro 4:16 7.4 OT Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M (RS Senior). 6-7⅛, 314 lbs. with 34½” arms and 10¼” hands. Born Nov. 13, 2001 (23 years old). The summary: draft him, bury him on the practice squad for a year or two, and you might end up with something special. Vinson dominated his lower level competition, was in turn dominated against the only D-1 school he faced (Auburn), got invited to the Senior Bowl (the only HBCU player there), and then proved to one and all that he belonged there playing with the big boys. Vinson looks the part and has all the physical assets, but his technique will need a lot of work before he can reliably hold off professional athletes who won’t be overwhelmed by his size, strength, and length. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) particularly admires Vinson’s strength, mobility, and athleticism as a run blocker – which matters a lot for someone who is built like a natural pass protector. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 6-7 grade) basically says that Vinson has “good length and adequate athletic qualities but struggles to find enough anchor and strength when matched against bigger, better opponents.” This goes to Brandon Thorn’s pre-Senior Bowl scouting profile (Round 5 grade). An extremely impressive show at the Combine (94th percentile RAS) elevates his grade by a notch. OT Vin 4:16 6.6 QB Brady Cook, Missouri (Senior). 6-2⅛, 214 lbs. with 9¼” hands. Born Oct. 12, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. twice as of Jan. 25] There’s a lot to like about this young man. He’d be in the Round 1 conversation if a magic wand arrived to gift him with a cannon arm. Alas, what he’s got is an ‘I guess it will do’ arm. Plus character, intelligence, work ethic, experience, decent mechanics, okay accuracy, and good mobility. Make that “very good mobility,” though he’s less “running threat” than a pocket passer who can make a defense pay when he escapes. Sounds like an ideal prospect for a team like Pittsburgh that wants to add some developmental depth. The NFL Draft Buzz scouting profile makes a point of emphasizing his football IQ, decision-making, leadership, and roughness, but also says he “lacks elite physical tools [which limits] his ceiling as a playmaker.” Outside of his “elite wheels” that is. Josh Carney’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) says, “Overall, I came away liking Cook’s tape more than I expected. It felt like… after a great 2023 season he didn’t have the type of year many expected in 2024. Injuries were a part of that despite having really good weapons around him. But the tape shows a guy that is tough as nails, will stand in there and deliver, and can provide a wrinkle in the designed-QB run, as well as from a scrambling perspective… He showed adequate arm strength… but on tape the deep ball really lacked… He also seemingly had to see guys open before throwing, rather than throwing with anticipation… Still, there’s a good foundation to work with when it comes to Cook as that athletic, tough quarterback who can work in the quick passing game, can throw on the move and has great leadership.” QB Coo 4:16 7.1 QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon (RS Senior). 5-11⅝, 205 lbs. with 29⅝” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Dec. 28, 2000 (24 years old). Dillon Gabriel stood out at the Combine as that short, stocky lefty with the big arm. He’s also got solid but not exceptional wheels and overall athleticism. Very good pocket presence. TBH, his grade would probably be at least two rounds higher if he was 4-5” taller. FWIW, Gabriel broke all records for a H.S. QB in Hawaii; records previously held by Tua Tagovailoa. Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade), like all the others, focuses on three drawbacks: Gabriel’s height (unavoidable), his age (offset by extensive starting experience), and “the biggest concern is how his game will translate to the next level. At Oregon, the offense he was operating in was very quarterback-friendly. Most play calls consisted of RPOs, quick game, or play action with heavy protection. Gabriel was hardly asked to read out true 5-step concepts, which is what NFL quarterbacks must do to succeed.” QB Gab 4:16 7.2 RB Jaydon Blue, Texas (Junior). 5-9, 196 lbs. with 29⅞” arms and small 8¼” hands. Born Jan. 8, 2004 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Jaydon Blue ran a 4.28 dash at his pro day, which equals angle busting, defense killing speed around the edge. What he lacks is the size to run between the tackles unless he gets a genuine hole. He’s also had some ball security issues. Low pitch count due to very good players in front of him over the years. Blue looks like he should be an ace punt & kick returner, but he basically never did it; only playing on coverage teams. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade) describes Blue as a “a narrow-hipped, linear runner with good speed… quick, agile feet [to make] sharp turns… but [who] lacks base strength to break tackles… While he can be labeled a “change-of-pace slasher,” his real value will revolve around his ability to mismatch linebackers and threaten defenses as a receiver out of the backfield.” Zierlein also noted that “mental mistakes in protection caused sacks.” Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) calls Blue “an exciting, big-play back with… home run speed… [but also] lack of power between the tackles, and ball security concerns [that] tamp down his stock. There’s a rotational and third-down role for a guy like him, but he’ll always be Robin. Not Batman.” The early February scouting profile from the Draft Network (Round 4 grade) adds “spotty vision” to the list of issues, but agrees that Blue “projects as a good zone-scheme fit… [whose] home run and pass-catching [prowess] should get him on the field early as a rookie and make him a priority for some front offices.” RB Blu 4:16 7.1 RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Arizona by way of Alabama St. (RS Senior). 5-10½, 206 lbs. with 31⅝” arms and 8⅞” hands. Born April 12, 2001 (24 years old). A home run hitting RB who made it onto the draft radar by winning the Offensive MVP at the Shrine Bowl. JCM has extremely good cutting ability, and a slashing style that gets him downhill as soon as he spies a crack. He also seems to have good speed, though we have no times because he was a Combine snub, and pairs it with NFL level contact balance. His vision seems to be okay as well – especially when combined with his see-do decisiveness. He gives good effort as a pass blocker but needs to work on his technique. Steven Pavelka’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) sees extra value as a receiver, and loves JCM’s explosiveness, but does worry that he may “struggle at times with running between the tackles and shedding defenders.” This goes to the Draft Network scouting profile. This early February scouting profile (Round 4 grade) warns that “His awareness of gaps opening is adequate and his vision at the line is solid… [but the] second-level vision is too inconsistent. At times, he cuts toward crowds instead of gaining easy yards in front of him.” RB Cro 4:16 7.5 RB Kyle Monangai, Rutgers (RS Senior). 5-8¼, 211 lbs. with 28¾” arms and 9” hands. Born March 15, 2002 (23 years old). Two year team captain. Very short but extremely broad and dense, Monangai is a zone scheme runner with excellent vision, and quickness, plus surprising power and contact balance. Decent blocker too. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) describes Monangai as “an elusive runner with the footwork to make opposing defenders look silly in space… Monangai doesn’t have the best long speed as a runner, but he does build up to top speed quickly and shows great burst as he approaches the line.” Very poor athletic testing (38th percentile RAS) has pushed the grade down a little further. RB Mon 4:16 7.5 RB Brashard Smith, SMU by way of Miami (Senior). 5-9⅞, 194 lbs. with 30½” arms and 8¾” hands. Born April 11, 2003 (22 years old). Slight discount for lack of fit. Smith is a multipurpose weapon who is technically a RB, but could also line up as a slot receiver while contributing as a high end returner. His calling card is elite, straight line 4.3-something speed that he reaches almost immediately after sticking a foot in the ground and cutting hard. Ball security issues push his grade down, as does his simple lack of size to run between the tackles. It just doesn’t feel like a Steelers archetype. RB Smi 4:16 8.0 TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green (Junior). 6-3¼, 241 lbs. with 32¼” arms and 9¼” hands. Born July 20, 2004 (20 years old). The Depot scouting report by Steven Pavelka (Round 3 grade) describes an athlete with incredible versatility (“Fannin has lined up legitimately everywhere. He was a QB, RB, WR and finally TE, [and] he excelled at all of those positions mainly due to his yards after the catch ability”). In the NFL he projects as a so-called Move-TE, whose main value will be as a receiver (“Fannin knows how to use defenders’ leverage against them as a route runner… [and] constantly has elite separation at the top of his route due to this”) and gadget guy. TE Fan 4:16 6.8 WR Tai Felton, Maryland (Senior). 6-1⅛, 183 lbs. with 30” arms and 9” hands. Born March 15, 2003 (22 years old). Felton has a lot of good traits the Steelers covet. He was a team captain, e.g., and has good special teams experience, production, effort as a blocker, and reliable toughness over the middle, but the production has never quite been there to match the elite athletic profile (96th percentile RAS) revealed by the Combine testing. He also ran a fabulously clean gauntlet drill at the Combine, running fast and making every catch look casual and easy. Exit the draftniks stage left, scurrying off to watch more film. Alex Kozora’s pre-Combine Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) projected Felton as more of a WR3, who should be a good, dependable teammate and contributor on special teams. But in the end “may be capped… [by his athletic profile as] a good player but not a great one.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-5 grade) described him as an admirable player with very good speed and hands, who suffered from an inability to handle physical opponents. “Frequently bullied at the catch point and leaves without the ball.” WR FelT 4:16 7.4 WR Tory Horton, Colorado St. (RS Senior). 6-2½, 196 lbs. with 30⅝” arms and 9” hands. Born Nov. 29, 2002 (22 years old). [Season ending knee injury in Oct., 2024. Back for the Combine] Two-time team captain who’s got size, agility, and speed, but gets an early Day 3 grade because he lacks the play strength to challenge good press coverage at the next level. A potential weapon if NFL training can remove that flaw, and a nice Round 4-5 WR target for Pittsburgh if the team waits that long. Horton compiled a 97th percentile RAS at the Combine. This goes to Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4ish grade). Nate Kosko’s Depot scouting report (Round 4 grade) concludes that “Tory Horton projects as a deep threat that can take the top off a defense, be effective running underneath routes like drags, and use his athleticism to create yards after the catch. I think he is a solid punt and kick return option as well. As a route runner, he is sloppy and does not run any sharp breaking route well, except for a comeback vs an off-man corner. He lacks physicality and can be controlled by a handsy corner.” It should be added that Horton has the native stuff to run excellent routes if he can add the requisite strength. WR Hor 4:16 7.0 WR Isaac TeSlaa, Arkansas by way of tiny Hillsdale CC (Senior). 6-3⅝, 214 lbs. with 31⅛” arms and 10” hands. Born Feb. 20, 2002 (23 years old). A truly freakish athlete (99.7% RAS based on all categories of testing), TeSlaa dominated his D-II competition at junior college, and then sort of vanished when he moved up to the SEC. Why? Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4-6 grade) blames it on “sluggish acceleration,” which doesn’t jibe with the athletic testing at the Combine. I’m inclined to treat the ‘mismatch big slot with good hands’ summary as the floor, and to project a lot of as-yet-untapped growth potential with professional coaching. Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) praises several important secondary features as big assets, such as blocking, hands, and acceleration, en route to concluding, “His combination of size, speed, and ability to catch everything thrown his way is impressive. If he puts it all together, he could have a long career. He projects as a big slot receiver right now, but if all goes well, he should move outside in a couple of years.” WR Tes 4:16 7.1 WR Jordan Watkins, Ole Miss (RS Senior). 5-11¼, 196 lbs. with short 29⅜” arms and 9⅛” hands. Born Feb. 15, 2002 (23 years old). [Coach at Pro Day] Watkins intrigues me because short, sturdy WRs who look like RBs when they have the ball often have solid careers, though rarely special ones. That is the description everyone seems to use about Watkins. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 6ish grade) is interesting because the author clearly likes the player, but can’t get over what he perceives as size and athleticism deficits. “Compact wideout possessing good play strength and average athleticism… [who] lacks speed but…” Here’s the thing, though. Watkins went to the Combine and compiled an excellent 87th percentile RAS because he’s not just fast, but very fast (4.37 dash with even more impressive splits). The Depot scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 4 grade) says Watkins has very good, but not rare, speed and also came away more impressed with the overall toughness, but has a different issue: it pulls heavily from the Arkansas tape, which by all accounts was a major production outlier where Watkins compiled most of his 2024 highlights. WR Wat 4:21   STEELERS’ ROUND 4 PICK (#123 OVERALL) A0 AAA