The Pittsburgh Steelers head into day two of the NFL Draft with just one pick at No. 83. They could try to get into the second round with a trade or stand pat.
With that said, who are the realistic top targets for the Steelers at No. 83 if they stay there, and at what position?
Here are some options for the team.
Lots of Quarterbacks
There are plenty of quarterbacks available, with only Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart coming off the board. That includes Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who stunningly fell out of the first round. However, now that he is in the day two pool, there is no certain landing spot for him. Could he fall to No. 83? Unlikely, but it can not be completely ruled out.
Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe might be slightly more realistic, but even then, it seems likely neither player will make it to No. 83.
As for the likeliest option for the Steelers at No. 83 if they want to go quarterback? Look for Ohio State’s Will Howard.
Throughout the year, Howard’s deep ball popped. While he projects as a high-end backup, Howard’s floor, with his deep and accurate throws to that level of the field, fits perfectly with DK Metcalf and George Pickens.
A mechanical fix to his footwork teed up the playoff run that vaulted his draft stock from day three to the middle of day two. We’ll see if the Steelers go quarterback, but Howard would make sense.
Two Running Backs Stand Out
The Steelers brought in nine different running backs this cycle, and some of them in this group will not make it there. TreVeyon Henderson and Kaleb Johnson would be dynamic, high-level fits, but seem unlikely to fall to No. 83.
A few others, such as Bhayshul Tuten, Jaydon Blue, Ollie Gordon, and R.J. Harvey project more as early day three running backs.
So, the two that fit into the honey hole at No. 83 are Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson and Kansas State’s D.J. Giddens.
Sampson is a speed back but has a built-up frame that allows him to endure punishment on all three downs. He can bang in between the tackles and puts his nose in pass protection when asked at any point.
Coming in at 6-feet, 212 pounds with a 4.43 40-yard dash, Giddens might not have the long speed explosiveness, but can carry a load in the backfield.
Giddens is a terror to bring down in the second and third levels and has polished vision. He, along with Jaylen Warren, give a lot of thump to the Steelers’ backfield.
Wide Receiver — one candidate sticks out
The Steelers showed limited interest in wide receivers around this range, and Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel will likely come off the board early.
The one name to watch here could be TCU’s Savion Williams. Williams is a versatile weapon similar to Cordarrelle Patterson. At 6-foot-5, he played all over the place, but mostly at wide receiver and as a running back. He can also return kicks, which makes him a utility player who should go on Day 2
Plenty of Cornerbacks
The depth of the day two cornerback class is astounding, though the Steelers have only looked at a few players. Ole Miss’ Trey Amos and Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas are two players they are enamored with as press man coverage cornerbacks, but they will both likely be off the board by the time No, 83 rolls around. If either player is on the board, that would be an easy selection for the Steelers. Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison has a hip issue that could be red-flagged, but at No. 83, he could be the pick.
They could explore slot cornerback, however. Players such as Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish and Kansas’ Cobee Bryant are some players to watch.
The safety position is also deep. Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts, Texas’ Andrew Mukuba, Penn State’s Kevin Winston, and South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori could all make sense if they fall down the board.
