We can debate what the Steelers' biggest need is as they approach the NFL draft. But what can’t be debated is that cornerback is on that list near the top, and very well could be this squad’s biggest hole right now after the free agent moves as well as losing Cameron Sutton to the Lions.
The Steelers could go a lot of different directions at the top of the draft, but the one thing that I feel strongest about is they will draft a cornerback with one of their first three selections, and almost assuredly on one of the first two days of the draft. That works out very well for the Steelers.
This cornerback draft lacks a no-brainer, elite cornerback prospect like Jalen Ramsey when he came out or Sauce Gardner from a year ago. But it is a very deep group overall, and a cornerback could be quite appealing at 17, 32, 49 and possibly even at 80 that could either start right away or before long for the Steelers.
Without any further ado, here are my cornerback ranks for this upcoming draft. There is a very good chance one of these corners will end up playing for the Steelers.
Just Missed: Clark Phillips III, Utah (5-foot-9, 184 pounds), Darius Rush, South Carolina (6-2, 198), Tyrique Stevenson, Miami (6-0, 198).
10. GARRETT WILLIAMS -- Syracuse (5-10 1/2, 192)
Williams is a very tough player to rank, but someone (maybe the Steelers) might get a real bargain when selecting him. Williams has been one of the best cornerbacks in the country but tore his ACL halfway through this past season, and it is unclear when he can return to the field. So obviously there is some risk involved in drafting Williams, but he also could come at a value. It would be nice to have a better idea of Williams’ speed as well. Williams has decent size, but what really stands out is his fluidity and movement skills. He has great hips and feet and plays the ball well with good route recognition.
9. KELEE RINGO -- Georgia (6-2, 207)
Ringo is big and fast. It is easy to see why he was one of the most highly recruited players in the country as high school player. Ringo moves extremely well in a straight line but has a tough time with quicker receivers out of their breaks, and overall, he lacks consistency. Although he has exclusively been an outside corner for the Bulldogs, a move to safety also isn’t out of the question for Ringo, who has the physicality to make such a switch. This is the player on the list that would most likely benefit most from the tutelage of Patrick Peterson. The NFL could have a very wide range of opinions on Ringo’s draft value.
8. JULIUS BRENTS -- Kansas State, (6-3, 198)
Brents has insane height and length as cornerbacks go and jumped out of the gym in Indianapolis. When factoring in Brents’ rare size, he is as athletic as any cornerback in this draft class. He is only an outside cornerback and doesn’t play a lot of press coverage at the college level but has the potential to excel in this area at the next level. As you can imagine, quick change of direction receivers can give Brents issues. This guy has all kinds of upside.
7. DJ TURNER -- Michigan (5-11, 178)
Turner’s 4.26 40-yard dash was the best time of all the cornerbacks at the Combine. His jumps were also fantastic. Turner is obviously a spectacular athlete that has really come into his own as a player over the past two seasons, almost exclusively as an outside cornerback. He isn’t as physical as some others on this list, but no one is going to outrun Turner and he is as good from an off position as anyone in this draft. His run defense and physicality at the catch point aren’t ideal, but he is often glued to receivers, which could continue in the league.
6. EMMANUEL FORBES -- Mississippi State (6-1, 166)
Only 166 pounds! That is downright frightening. And looking at Forbes’ extremely lean lower half, you must question how well this player can hold up in the NFL, let alone in the AFC North. But Forbes just might have the best tape of any player on this list. He has very long arms and uses his length extremely well, as well as showing off great speed at the Combine. And that speed translates to the field. And wow, is Forbes productive. Over the past three years, Forbes has 14 interceptions and took six of those picks to the house. He has outstanding route recognition and ball skills. Really, the only glaring negative with this guy is his build and weight. Forbes is unlikely to go in the first round, but also unlikely to last until the 49th overall selection.
5. CAM SMITH -- South Carolina (6-1, 180)
Although a little lean, Smith has good size and decent length. He was near the top of the class with his 10-yard split and broad jump, demonstrating his explosive nature. He closes very well. Smith had six interceptions at South Carolina, aligning on the outside a very high percentage of his snaps. Last year, he was basically a shutdown corner when playing press coverage while also excelling when playing off. Smith isn’t a spectacular player, is just average against the run and you wish he had more bulk, but he is consistent and should translate quickly to the NFL. He makes the most sense at 32 for the Steelers.
4. DEONTAE BANKS -- Maryland (6-0, 197)
Banks has excellent cornerback traits. His running and jump numbers were outstanding at the Combine, and he has the size everyone is looking for at this position. Banks has pretty much exclusively been an outside cornerback in college and projects there at the next level. Banks aligned in press coverage a very high percentage of the time and was very successful doing so. He’s sticky in man coverage and is a consistent player overall that doesn’t hesitate to play the run, but his work as an off-coverage defender could still use some work.
3. JOEY PORTER JR. -- Penn State (6-2 1/2, 193)
The thing that immediately stands out most about Porter is his big, powerful frame and incredibly long arms. Well, for Steelers fans, maybe the thing that immediately stands out about this player is his lineage. Like his father, Porter is a very physical player with a nasty demeanor. He beats his opponent up at the line of scrimmage in what was often an unfair fight at the college level. Without question, where Porter excels is in man coverage, something that Steelers play with more regularity than most defenses. But playing in reverse absolutely is not Porter’s specialty and his backpedal needs work. Porter only intercepted one pass while at Penn State, but allowed very few completions and broke up a lot of passes. Banks and Porter should be both in play for the Steelers 17th selection, and both are players the team should know a great deal about.
2. DEVON WITHERSPOON -- Illinois (5-11 1/2, 181)
Witherspoon is very lean. But he is fierce. And his tape is exceptional from last year. He played quite a bit as a true freshman at Illinois and has been a major contributor over his four years of college. Just from looking at Witherspoon, you wouldn’t think he is much of a force in the run game. But that just simply isn’t the case. Witherspoon has great feet and oily hips. He can play the slot, and some may project Witherspoon there because of his playing temperament and size, but he was almost used exclusively on the outside at Illinois and should be able to do the same at the next level. But what Witherspoon did as a coverage player last year was just ridiculous, especially deep downfield. You won’t find many completions on Witherspoon’s 2022 tape.
1. CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ -- Oregon (6-1, 197 lbs.)
Gonzalez is the prototype physically for the cornerback position. He has tremendous size and is an amazing athlete with fantastic sprinter speed and great fluidity. And Gonzalez tested extremely well at the Combine, as everyone expected. Gonzalez played more snaps in the slot last year than he previously had and can do so in the NFL, but he has everything you are looking for physically for an outside cover man. While he is an excellent press man corner, Gonzalez really excels playing zone and is terrific deep downfield. He can be an unwilling tackler however and doesn’t always embrace the physical aspects of the game. Gonzalez often makes playing cornerback look easy. It is highly unlikely that Witherspoon or Gonzalez is on the board when the Steelers select at 17, but if either player falls, they absolutely qualify as no-brainer selections.
