While the fan base debates whether of not to trade George Pickens, the fact of the matter is that the Pittsburgh Steelers still need a wide receiver, or two. While this particular NFL Draft class doesn’t have a Calvin Johnson at the top, it does have a plethora of quality receivers.
Whether inside or out, there are plenty of guys that would like great in the Black and Gold. The ultimate question is what type of receiver are they looking for? That’s going to depend on what transpires with Pickens who Omar Khan claims, wants to stay in Pittsburgh. If that is the case then let’s look at some guys who shined at the Combine this weekend.
Matthew Golden, Texas
He ripped of a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash but chose not to do anything else. That’s not a ‘be-all, end-all’ by any stretch, but I like guys who want to compete. Golden is capable of playing anywhere on the formation and can excel in short, medium and deep areas.
Iowa State WRs – Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins
Both guys entered the pre-Draft process with high expectations and they seemed to meet those on Saturday. Higgins is over 6’4″ and is a ridiculous athlete. He ran a 4.47 and then hit a vertical jump of 39″ before doing a nice job on the field. He moved himself up most draft boards. Noel was no slouch himself going over 40″ in the vertical and running a 4.39 forty. Noel really excelled in on-field drills and seems destined for a slot role but he also has kick and punt return skills too.
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
He came into the Combine with some questions about his speed. He ran a 4.44 in the forty so there’s that. At 6’2″ and about 210lbs he has quality NFL size and is winner of 50/50 balls more often than not. He would have work to do as a route runner which is something the Steelers would prefer more of coming in but he had a solid Combine.
Luther Burden III, Missouri
It was really hard to not like his performance Saturday. He’s 6′ and about 205lbs yet still ran 4.41 forty. Calling him “smooth” in his drills might not be good enough. He was “silky” smooth in my book as he constantly caught the ball with his hands and transitioned to being a runner without hesitation. I can see him being a Deebo Samuel type in the NFL.
Jack Bech, TCU
The former LSU Tiger had a terrific day in Indy. He didn’t run the forty but was really good in everything else. For me though, it was watching him in the on-field drills. He was incredibly consistent as he tracked balls well and was a ‘hands’ catcher which I love. At 6’1″ 215lbs I think he can play on the outside but will have to work on separating from tighter coverage.
I would normally suggest that the Steelers are strictly in the market for a number two receiver but with Roman Wilson being a complete unknown I can’t definitively say a slot-type receiver isn’t possible. Keep in mind that free agency will dictate some things too.
