These players are tied to the Steelers either through select mock drafts, or visits during the senior bowl, combine, pro days, etc. The summaries come from NFL.com.
combine: 5.26s 40, 23"vert, 8'10"broad jump
2023: 27tot tckls, 3scks, 1FF/1FR
strengths: Flashes out of his stance and explodes into the center with explosive pop. Strong hips & good balance prevent him from spending time on the ground. Patient before unleashing his slide-and-slap move to beat guards in his rush.
weaknesses: Doesn't have the hand usage or length for quick block discords. Below-average success rate as a gap-eater in the middle. Doesn't have go-to counters to locate a secondary rush when he stalls.
grade: 5.96 (Average backup/Special Teamer)
DT Ruke Orhorhoro: Clemson 6'4", 294
combine: 4.89s 40, 32"vert, 9'8"broad jump, 29reps
2023: 3rd All-ACC, 25tot tckls, 5scks, 1PD
strengths: Explodes into the neutral zone, attacking the blocker with first hands. Unified hands & feet slide quickly past lateral block attempts. Tools & potential are present for him to become a better pass rusher as a pro. Quick to close out QBs once he finds the pocket.
weaknesses: Needs better mass & anchor to fight off double-teams. Average instincts as a playmaker inside. Rush based upon quickness & activity more than skill. Hasn't learned to convert his speed into power.
grade: 6.25 (Will eventually become an average starter)
comp: Justin Madubuike
DT Byron Murphy: Texas 6'0 1/2", 297
combine: 4.82s 40, 33"vert, 9'3"broad jump, 28reps
2023: Big 12 DLOTY, 1st All-BIG 12/2nd All-American, 29tckls/8.5TFLs, 5scks, 2 Off.TDs
strengths: Uses twitchy, controlled bursts to light up gaps and disrupt play development. Elite combination of strength, balance & flexible power in his lower half. Pass rush driven by relentless energy & extremely edge-to-edge quickness.
weaknesses: Can be swallowed by size if he doesn't keep it moving. Lack of arm length forces him to work harder to separate. Could be warn-down by NFL double-teams & size.
grade: 6.48 (Will become a good starter within 2 years)
comp: Ed Oliver
EDGE Austin Booker: Kansas St 6'4 1/2", 240
combine: 4.79s 40, 32.5"vert, 10'broad jump
2023: 1st All-BIG 12, 56tckls/12TFLs, 8scks, 2FFs, 1PD
strengths: Pairs long-striding edge attack with vicious inside spin counter. Impressive speed-to-power and dip-&-flatten techniques as a rusher. Length and speed put him on top of QBs/RBs before they know it. Shows unique ability to use his length to work around blocks. Has pursuit speed to rack up tackles and TFLs as a pro.
weaknesses: Needs to get much stronger in both his upper & lower body. Pad level can get away from him on inside moves. Could struggle against downhill run attacks without trying to elude blocks.
grade: 6.35 (Will eventually become an average starter)
comp: Maxx Crosby
EDGE Mohamed Kamara: Colorado St 6'1", 248
combine: 4.57s 40, 34.5"vert, 10'3"broad jump, 23reps
2023: Mountain West DPOY, 1st All-Mountain West, 56tot tckls, 13scks, 2FFs/1FR, 1PD
strengths: Sets up inside rush move with hard upfield push off the snap. Continuous assault of the pocket through contact. Plays with force & aggression when attacking the block. Has the leverage and base strength to squeeze split double-teams.
weaknesses: Can become too reliant on power in his rush approach. Inconsistent working back under when reaching pocket depth. Will need to prove he can stack blocks and set a firm edge. Hard-charging play style will lead to missed tackles.
grade: 6.15 (Good backup with potential to develop as a starter)
LB Junior Colson: Michigan 6'2", 238
2023: Lott Trophy, 2nd All-BIG 10, 95tot tckls, 2PDs
strengths: Modern-day blend of speed & explosiveness at LB. Firm hands and strong core in maintaining contact balance. Scraps & flows while keeping pads square to the line. Brings thunder as a hitter and rarely allows broken tackles. Good awareness & reaction quickness as a zone defender.
weaknesses: Fails to read and trigger on downhill shots that are open to him. Lacks recognition of blocking schemes, creating missed fits. Not as instinctive in reading runner's lane choices as desired.
grade: 6.37 (Will eventually become a plus starter)
comp: Willie Gay
LB Tommy Eichenberg: Ohio St 6'2", 233
combine: 32.5"vert, 9'8"broad jump
2023: Butkis-Fitzgerald LBOTY, 1st All-BIG 10, 80tot tckls, 1sck, 1FF
strengths: Willing to throw his body into blockers to create lane traffic. Has developed a good feel for his keys & the blocking scheme. Possesses background to handle core Special Teams duties.
weaknesses: Below-average athleticism with a lack of pursuit speed. Gets glued to blocks rather than separating and playing around them. Will be out of his element if forced into NFL coverage responsibilities.
grade: 5.86 (Average backup/Special Teamer)
LB Edgerrin Cooper: Texas A&M 6'2", 230
combine: 4.51s 40, 34.5"vert, 9'10"broad jump
2023: 1st All-SEC/1st All-American, 84tckls/17TFLs, 8scks, 2FFs, 2PDs
strengths: Possesses elite long speed to walk down his tackle targets. Skilled block dodger with ability to play around traffic without slowing much. Terrific job of sniffing out screens & spying athletic QBs. Brings the thunder as a forceful striker.
weaknesses: Occasionally loses track of the ball while searching the mesh point. Needs to drop pad level during block take-ons. Undisciplined with scrape technique & plugging his run fits. Lack of knee bend leads to inconsistencies as an open-field tackler.
grade: 6.28 (Eventually will become an average starter)
comp: Devin Lloyd
CB Cooper DeJean: Iowa 6'0 1/2", 203
2023: BIG 10 DBOTY, 1st All-BIG 10/1st All-American, 41tckls/2TFLs, 2INTs,5PDs
strengths: Explosive athlete hitting markers in height, weight & speed. Tracks the pass & plays the entry point with big burst to close. Ball skills of a receiver. Charges hard and slams into pass-catchers.
weaknesses: Hip tightness will be hard to overcome in man coverage. Fails to turn & find the ball when traveling with deep routes. Below-average length allows some slippage as a wrap-up tackler.
grade: 6.34 (Will eventually become a plus starter)
CB Kamari Lassiter: Georgia 5'11 1/2", 186
2023: 2nd All-SEC, 37tot tckls, 0.5sck, 8PDs
strengths: Confident in press with footwork to mirror patterns from a side-shuffle in quarters coverage. Easy to open hips, hit the gas & carry wideouts into the route. Uses hand fighting to disrupt receiver's rhythm getting downfield. Absolutely belligerent at the catch point. Wired correctly for NFL run-support duties.
weaknesses: Average recovery burst in his lateral transitions from off. Has a tendency to lose some ground from trail technique. More of a route-guarder than a playmaker. Needs to attack and free himself from perimeter blocks earlier.
grade: 6.30 (Will eventually become a plus starter)
comp: Deandre Baker
CB Mike Sainristil: Michigan 5'9", 182
combine: 4.47s 40, 40"vert, 10'11"broad jump, 14reps
2023: '23 BIG 10 Championship MVP, 1st All-BIG 10/1st All-American, 44tot tckls, 2scks, 6INTs/6PDs, 2FFs, 2TDs
strengths: Quick to digest & respond to play design from zone. Twitchy takeoff from flat-foot coverage in off-man. Former wideout who can turn back the clock and take it away. Comes off the slot with well-timed blitzes.
weaknesses: Requires more seasoning. Below-average pedal & match taking on release from press. Gets manipulated by head-fakes & jukes himself inside the route. Can be limited to drag-down tackling in run support.
grade: 6.20 (Will eventually become an average starter)
CB Nate Wiggins: Clemson 6'1", 173
combine: 4.28s 40, 36"vert, 10'7"broad jump
2023: 1st All-ACC, 25tckls, 1sck, 2INTs/9PDs, 2FFs, 1TD
strengths: Smooth backpedal in man &athletic field coverage in Cover 3. Outstanding feel for the rhythm of the route. Hips on a swivel for easy lateral transitions. Instinctive with ability to read clues QBs and receivers provide. Blazing recovery speed to run & catch just about anyone.
weaknesses: Too much cushion allowed in off-man coverages. Tardy timing to flip and run with the route allowed deep-ball opportunities. Still room for additional aggression & decisiveness in attacking throws. Awareness & effort was disappointing in run support.
grade: 6.43 (Will become a good starter within 2 years)
comp: Tyson Campbell
CB Daequan Hardy: Penn St 5'9", 179
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