It’s hard to argue for any position other than cornerback as the Pittsburgh Steelers biggest offseason need. The failings of Artie Burns has put Pittsburgh in a position where they must try to find a starter in the offseason to pair with Joe Haden. Considering the history of Pittsburgh drafting cornerbacks, we aren’t inspired by the notion of drafting another. Nevertheless, if the Steelers do opt for spending a draft pick on a cornerback, here’s one for every round.
First round | Deandre Baker | Cornerback | Georgia
You are going to hear Deandre Baker’s name associated with the Steelers in plenty of mock drafts between now and the draft. And rightfully so. In terms of talent, Baker’s experience in man coverage along with his experience in the SEC makes him a great fit for the Steelers.
Second round | Rock Ya-Sin | Cornerback | Temple
Former Temple star Rock Ya-Sin probably isn’t ready to be an impact guy as a rookie but once his footwork gets cleaned up he has a chance to be an excellent boundary cornerback. He had adequate size but makes up for a lack of elite height with an aggressive nature and very good ball skills.
Third round | Chauncey Gardner-Johnson | Cornerback | Florida
One of the more interesting guys in the draft is Florida’s Chauncey Gardner-Johson. Some teams will view him as a cornerback and others as a free safety. This pushes his draft value down somewhat but for the Steelers, this is literally the best of both worlds. Gardner-Johnson is an impressive athlete with a high football IQ and can cover a lot of field.
Fourth round | Joejuan Williams | Cornerback | Vanderbilt
If the Steelers want to find a player who can match up physically to bigger wide receivers, Joejuan Williams is the guy. He’s got elite NFL length and loves to play physical. The downside is he’s a long strider and takes a while to get up to speed. He will likely struggle against smaller, quicker receivers who can beat him in and out of breaks.
Fifth round | Jamel Dean | Cornerback | Auburn
Former Auburn cornerback Jamel Dean is another guy who passes all the tests for athleticism. But with very little experience and some injury concerns, it is hard to look at him as more than a developmental player. Dean also needs to work harder on his tackling to help in run support.
Sixth round | Corey Ballentine | Cornerback | Washburn
Once you get this late in the draft you have to dig hard to find quality talent. Corey Ballentine played his college ball at Washburn but flashed real NFL skills. He’s not a press corner so if Pittsburgh wants to bank on his development he has a lot to learn.
Seventh round | Alijah Holder | Cornerback | Stanford
If former Stanford cornerback Alijah Holder played with more consistency and discipline there’s no way he lasts this late in the draft. But his willingness to hand fight with receivers is both a blessing and a curse. A team may want to actually play him in less man coverage to force him to learn better footwork and technique.
