The Steelers hosted two more players today for pre-draft visits at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex: Illinois defensive tackle James Thompson and Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis.
Thompson is a Day 3 option at defensive tackle. He has good size at 6-6, 310 pounds, and primarily plays a typical 3-4 defensive end. He's a better run defender than pass rusher, even though he still recorded one sack and 13 pressures last seasons with Illinois. Thompson did not attend the NFL Scouting Combine, so bringing him in for a pre-draft visit makes sense if he's a guy the Steelers highlighted before the start of the draft process.
Louis is a local visit, so he doesn't count against the 30 slots for the pre-draft visits. He's an fast, athletic linebacker that might qualify as a linebacker/box safety hybrid. He's much more effective in coverage than in run defense. He's also coming off a pretty disappointing seasons considering how promising his 2024 campaign was. Either way, he's a likely Day 2 option.
PRE-DRAFT VISITS (7 of 30 allotted slots used)
• Markel Bell, OT, Miami (FL) (March 6) • Ephesians Prysock, DB, Washington (March 5) • Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati (March 16) • Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky (March 16) • Carson Beck, QB, Miami (FL) (March 17) • Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State (March 17) • James Thompson, DT, Illinois (March 19)
LOCAL PRE-DRAFT VISITS (Do not count toward 30 pre-draft visits)
• Khalil Dinkins, TE, Penn State (March 5) • Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh (March 19)
THE ASYLUM
Defense the focus of today's pre-draft visits
The Steelers hosted two more players today for pre-draft visits at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex: Illinois defensive tackle James Thompson and Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis.
Thompson is a Day 3 option at defensive tackle. He has good size at 6-6, 310 pounds, and primarily plays a typical 3-4 defensive end. He's a better run defender than pass rusher, even though he still recorded one sack and 13 pressures last seasons with Illinois. Thompson did not attend the NFL Scouting Combine, so bringing him in for a pre-draft visit makes sense if he's a guy the Steelers highlighted before the start of the draft process.
Louis is a local visit, so he doesn't count against the 30 slots for the pre-draft visits. He's an fast, athletic linebacker that might qualify as a linebacker/box safety hybrid. He's much more effective in coverage than in run defense. He's also coming off a pretty disappointing seasons considering how promising his 2024 campaign was. Either way, he's a likely Day 2 option.
PRE-DRAFT VISITS
(7 of 30 allotted slots used)
• Markel Bell, OT, Miami (FL) (March 6)
• Ephesians Prysock, DB, Washington (March 5)
• Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati (March 16)
• Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky (March 16)
• Carson Beck, QB, Miami (FL) (March 17)
• Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State (March 17)
• James Thompson, DT, Illinois (March 19)
LOCAL PRE-DRAFT VISITS
(Do not count toward 30 pre-draft visits)
• Khalil Dinkins, TE, Penn State (March 5)
• Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh (March 19)
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