With just under one month until the 2023 NFL draft, we decided to take the Steelers roster, positional unit by positional unit and break things down as far as who the Steelers have, how high a draft priority the position is and based on that, who some potential targets are.
Next up are the cornerbacks.
Who do the Steelers have
It was tough seeing Cameron Sutton sign with the Detroit Lions. Sutton came into his own last season and developed into a true No. 1 cornerback. The Steelers signed veteran Patrick Peterson to replace Sutton for the next couple of seasons and he should pair up well with Levi Wallace and Arthur Maulet to round out the depth chart.
Beyond those three starters, the Steelers have James Pierre, Ahkello Witherspoon, Madre Harper, Chris Wilcox and Duke Mason to round out the roster.
What do they need?
On paper the Steelers have plenty of cornerbacks to start the season. If Pittsburgh keeps Witherspoon they have a fourth cornerback with extensive starting experience. The team also has a couple of young cornerbacks on the roster with some exciting potential.
Nevertheless, Peterson is a temporary replacement and based on the Steelers scouting, they are not taking for granted that any of the young guys will be able to replace him.
Potential prospects
It feels like the Steelers are all-in on committing a top draft pick to a cornerback, for better or worse. Here are the top prospects, one of which might be destined to end up with Pittsburgh.
Joey Porter Jr. – Penn State
Christian Gonzalez – Oregon
Devon Witherspoon – Illinois
Deonte Banks – Maryland
Kelee Ringo – Georgia