The Pittsburgh Steelers have a few different needs coming into the draft. Although they did bring in DK Metcalf earlier this offseason, the Steelers have had a dark cloud hanging over the receiver position for quite some time now. With that in mind, it’s not too surprising that they held a visit with Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins earlier this offseason.
Higgins joined The Insiders on NFL Network on Friday, and he was asked about his visit with the Steelers.
“It was awesome man,” Higgins said. “I feel like he [Mike Tomlin] is definitely a down-to-earth type of person. Really just talking to him, getting to know him, him getting to know me, and really just talking ball at the end of the day. It was really cool, though.”
Higgins mentioned that the Steelers are the only team he’s met with so far. He does have a few more visits lined up as we get closer to the draft, which is just over a month away.
“I only went to one visit so far, I went to the Steelers,” Higgins said. “And then I got, upcoming, the Chargers, Seattle, the Vikings, and then also New York, as well.”
Jayden Higgins is part of a talented, deep receiving class this year. Since the Steelers have Metcalf, they no longer really need to consider the position with their first-round pick. With that said, landing Higgins may be difficult. He’s one of the better receivers in the class. There’s a good chance he’s gone by the end of the second round. That could be troublesome for the Steelers, since they sent their second rounder to Seattle.
If the Steelers really want him, they could use that first rounder on him, if they so desired. That’s rather unlikely, though. Although Higgins is talented, the 21st overall pick feels like a reach. At that spot, receivers like Luther Burden III or Emeka Egbuka might still be available.
Receiver also isn’t the only need on the roster right now. Depending on what happens with Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers could find themselves without a starting-caliber QB on the roster come draft day. The defensive line also remains a major need.
With all of that said, there are reasons the Steelers have interest in Higgins. He’s a big wideout who runs routes well and can catch contested balls. Given their current draft situation, landing him might be hard. Especially if receivers start flying off the board in the second round. However, it sounds like the visit went well, so Higgins is a player to keep an eye on come April.
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