The Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster has holes, some bigger than others. One of the biggest is certainly at cornerback. The Steelers have some talent on the perimeter, but with James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. hitting free agency, Pittsburgh runs the risk of heading into April’s draft barren at the CB position.
Thus, with five picks in the top-100, it’s a spot many expect the Steelers to examine early in the draft. To the Athletic’s Dane Brugler, that’s necessary if the Steelers want to draft a legitimate difference maker.
“I do think there’s a drop off after the third round. Like, once you get to Day 3, I think it drops off pretty hard at corner,” Brugler said Tuesday via SNR radio. “If I wanted to come away from this draft with a corner, I’m doing it somewhere in the first three rounds… Corner is definitely a pretty decent group when you’re talking about those top-100 picks.”
Cornerback isn’t the Steelers’ only need, so they’ll have to balance it with other needs. Pittsburgh may add another quarterback to the room, especially if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t return. It’s almost certain the Steelers will take a receiver at some point, unless they add a few during free agency. And if Isaac Seumalo leaves in free agency, left guard becomes a need.
However, this is a good draft to have a lot of needs. It’s not the most talented class you’ll see, but the Steelers have ample opportunity to find the help they need. The Steelers pick 21st overall in the first round, then again at 53rd overall in the second. In the third round, the Steelers have three selections, sitting at 76th, 85th, and 99th overall. Unless they sacrifice some of those picks via trade, there’s a good chance the Steelers use some of their stockpile on a CB.
Brugler noted two corners he particularly likes: Chris Johnson and D’Angelo Ponds.
“Chris Johnson, from San Diego State. One of my favorite corners in this draft. He’s a young player, but really instinctive. The coverage ability is outstanding; he’s tough versus the run. I think D’Angelo Ponds, he’s another one,” Brugler said.
The scouting combine and the entirety of the pre-draft process can shake things up, but both Johnson and Ponds are currently likely to be selected in the second round. Johnson brings good size and a nice bit of athleticism. He plays instinctually, as Brugler mentions. He’s also physical against the run and can execute in both man and zone coverage. However, he’s not especially good in press coverage, and doesn’t win often enough at the catch point.
Ponds is especially good in zone coverage, which is something Patrick Graham likes to run. Ponds reads the quarterback well, plays bigger than his size, and predicts how routes will develop in front of him. However, his size somewhat limits him against bigger receivers, and his man-coverage skills need refining.
If not those two, the Steelers can choose from a variety of CB options. Anywhere from three to five could be selected in the first round. And several more will come off the board on Day 2. To Brugler, the Steelers must look at those first three rounds as they examine the class.
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