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Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (9) calls out a coverage during an NCAA college football game against Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in State College, Pa.
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2023 NFL draft sets up well for Steelers, who can take advantage of a loaded defensive class

AP

2023 NFL draft sets up well for Steelers, who can take advantage of a loaded defensive class

The Steelers this week are in Mobile, Ala., where they have discovered and scouted many of the players they hope will bring them back among the contenders in the AFC in the coming years. In the past two years, the Steelers have drafted six players who played in the Senior Bowl, including quarterback Kenny Pickett, running back Najee Harris and tackle Dan Moore Jr.

After using their high draft picks on offensive players the past three years — no defensive players have been taken in the top two rounds — the Steelers could reverse course this year.

The 2023 draft is setting up as a defensive draft, and that is perfect for the Steelers, who need starting-caliber players at some spots and better depth at others on their aging unit.

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The top defensive need for the Steelers is cornerback, and this is one of the deepest groups of corners coming out of the college ranks in recent years.

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“It’s a good group,” said Daniel Jeremiah, the lead draft analyst for the NFL Network. “There are some intriguing bigger corners. There are some smaller corners. There is some really good depth.”

Jeremiah has eight corners in his top 50 prospects. He projected six to be selected in the first round in his first mock draft. Jeremiah’s top corner is Devon Witherspoon, who had been scheduled to play in the Senior Bowl but opted out last week.

If teams covet bigger corners this draft is loaded with them. Joey Porter, Jr. (6-foot-2, 194 pounds) of Penn State, Christian Gonzalez (6-2, 201) of Oregon and Tyrique Stevenson (6-0, 215) of Miami are all projected to go in the first round by Jeremiah. Stevenson also will be participating in the Senior Bowl along with Witherspoon.

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The Steelers are in the market for corners. Cam Sutton, their top player at the position, is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March. Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace each have one year remaining on their contracts, but Witherspoon is coming off an injury-riddled season and missed 13 games.

Jeremiah said this corner class is so deep that the Steelers could get a quality starter with the No. 49 overall selection in the middle of the second round. They also have the No. 17 and 32 picks if they wanted to select one in the first-round range. (The No. 32 pick this year is the first in the second round because the Dolphins forfeited their pick).

This draft also has a terrific group of edge rushers, a position the Steelers have to add some quality depth to behind starter T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. They traded for Malik Reed to be the top backup before last season, but he was a healthy scratch by the end of the season as the coaches preferred to dress Jamir Jones.

Jeremiah has eight edge rushers going in the first round of his mock draft. Like the corners, he said the Steelers can get a quality player who could contribute right away with the No. 49 pick. The Steelers might have more urgent needs at other positions, but Jeremiah said the quality depth at the position makes it a possibility.

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Steelers director of player personnel Andy Weidl, who was hired by new general manager Omar Khan last spring, has a history of valuing the defensive front in his previous jobs, most recently in Philadelphia, where he served in a similar position with the Eagles.

“Just look at the other side of the state where Andy was,” Jeremiah said. “There would be value there. The Eagles have a bunch of guys they rotate. If you look at the game last week, I think Brandon Graham played 12 snaps. He had a sack and was very disruptive.”

The Steelers likely need to add a defensive tackle with more urgency, given Cam Heyward is turning 34 this spring and Larry Ogunjobi is set to become a free agent. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is widely regarded as the top player in this draft, but there is not a lot of depth at the position. The only other defensive tackle Jeremiah mocked in the first round was Clemson’s Bryan Bresee.

The top offensive need for the Steelers is the offensive line. Jeremiah has three tackles going in the top half of the first round, but it’s not a deep draft for tackles. Jeremiah mocked Florida guard O'Cyrus Torrence to the Steelers. He said the depth is better with guards and centers than the tackles.

The top three tackles — all underclassmen — are among the top 13 picks in Jeremiah’s mock draft, but he has none going after that in Round 1.

Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.

First Published: January 28, 2023, 10:30 a.m.
Updated: January 29, 2023, 3:49 p.m.

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