Welcome to our annual Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Profiles! Each of these articles will feature all of the positions in the game of football and more importantly, the top-rated players at these positions and those that the Steelers may be interested in! This one features the Wide Receivers.
* = Met with Steelers.
Marvin Harrison, Jr – Ohio State 6’3″ 205lbs
The 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner enters as one of the ‘surest things’ in this Draft… Ideal height and tremendous athleticism… Wins off the line with quickness and long arms… Will win most every ball in contested situations… Excellent route runner with great feet… Highly productive… Soft hands… Needs to secure the ball a bit more in traffic… Not sure how many tackles he will break as physicality is a bit of a question mark.
Our Projection: First Round (Likely top 5)
vs Georgia 2022, vs Michigan 2022, vs Notre Dame
Malik Nabers – LSU 6’0 200lbs
Can play any receiver position… Physical receiver who gets off the line with speed or aggressiveness… Big time YAC capabilities… Big-time jumper… Goes up and gets it… Ability to make the QB look good/Unusual ability to adjust to the ball… Excellent ball skills… Tracks the ball very well… His current route tree is limited/Needs to expand it at the NFL Level… Not sure how effective he will be as a deep threat… Seems to wear down as the game moves on.
Our Projection: First round
*Rome Odunze – Washington 6’3″ 210lbs
Over 1,400 yards receiving and 13 TDs in 2023… Former track athlete… Really good at finding holes in the zone… Great hands… Elusive open-field runner… Better than average route runner… Concentrates on every ball/Rarely drops it… Instant deep threat… Outstanding control on sideline catches… Probably the best catch radius in the entire draft class… Physicality on the line of scrimmage is a concern…
Our Projection: First Round
vs Michigan State, vs Arizona State,
*Troy Franklin – Oregon 6’2″ 175lbs
Over 1,300 yards and 14 TDs on 81 receptions in 2023… Elite speed (4.3 40)… Can play wide or in the slot… Very natural agility… Classic high point catch guy whether in the field or on the sideline… Excellent route runner who often leaves DBs spinning… Very average blocker… He’s obviously very light and will need to add strength.
Our Projection: Second Round
vs Washington, vs Washington State
Brian Thomas – LSU 6’3″ 210lbs
Explosive and physical receiver… Gets off the line of scrimmage well… 17 TDs and over 17 yards per catch… Red Zone nightmare for defenses… High-points the ball well and uses his length and strength to fend off defenders… Ability to start and stop is incredible for a guy his size… Can he build on his one big year… Reminds me a bit of Martavis Bryant… Route tree will need improvement.
Our Projection: First – Early Second
vs Alabama, vs Mississippi State
Adonai Mitchell – Texas 6’2 205lbs
Long, lean and plenty of speed… 51 receptions and 10 TDs in 2023… He’s that wiry guy who gives DBs problems… Very well-coordinated athlete… Because of his length he creates instant separation from defenders as the ball arrives… Not sure what type of YAC guy he’s going to be… Limited to being a boundary receiver… There are questions about his effort when DBs are able to frustrate him.
Our Projection: Late Second – Early Third
vs Kansas State, vs BYU
Ladd McConkey – Georgia 6’0″ 185lbs
Was instant playmaker as a freshman in 2021 catching 31 balls… Better junior season than senior season (51 catches for just 29)… Excellent route runner… Tremendous short area speed and quickness… He is the blocker at WR every coach wants… More than willing to make the tough catches… Good, strong hands… Tracks the ball extremely well… Has return skills that teams will covet… Tough and aggressive… Probably limited to work just in the slot… Seems awkward when running after the catch…
Our Projection: Second Round
Roman Wilson – Michigan 5’9″ 185lbs
Native of Hawaii came a long way to play at Michigan… Very fast (Ran sub 4.4 in 2019)… Displayed constant improvement from one year to the next… 41 catches and 11 TDs for run-heavy Wolverines… Route running is wicked… Sets up DBs with an array of movement… Highly competitive player… Does a nice job versus zone defenses/Displays an understanding of where to settle… Definitely limited to a role in the slot at his size… He does have an injury history that is a bit concerning… Bigger, more physical corners will give him problems.
Our Projection: Early Third Round
vs Rutgers
Keon Coleman – Florida State 6’3″ 215lbs
Ideal physical size and presence… Great athlete/Played Basketball for Tom Izzo at MSU before transferring to Florida State… Makes the ‘combat’ catches routinely… Surprising acceleration and foot speed for his size… Can adjust to make literally any catch… Route running needs work… Has to be a better blocker especially for his size and strength… Has technique things to clean up
Our Projection: Second Round to Early Third Round
vs LSU vs Boston College
Xavier Legette – South Carolina 6’1 220lbs
Breakout final season at South Carolina after doing little throughout his career… Makes catches in traffic… High end speed is impressive… Excellent body control… Strong hands… Already prepared to beat press coverage at the line of scrimmage… Built like a fullback or linebacker/Deebo Samuel type of guy perhaps… There are concerns over adjustment to NFL defensive schemes… Must recognize where to be in zone defenses…
Our Projection: Late Second to Mid Third Round
vs Georgia vs North Carolina
Other Guys We are Watching
Jermaine Burton – Alabama… He used to be at Georgia. Highly competitive receiver on the smaller side
Xavier Worthy – Texas… Set new Combine record with his 4.21 40 time… Long receiver who will fly up draft boards now.
Potential Steelers’ Targets
With Diontae Johnson off to Carolina, the Wide receiver position becomes an even more highly early round target. I do not believe they will draft one in the first but don’t dismiss it in the second. Ladd McConkey, Roman Wilson and Xavier Legette seem like guys the Steelers will zero in on.
