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Six Top Prospects Who Could End Up With Steelers

As the Pittsburgh Steelers fall to 1-4 on the season, there are reasons for optimism moving forward.

Derrick Bell

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Let's quickly address the elephant in the room, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't a very good football team. It's very clear that 2022 is a rebuilding season for a very proud organization. Yes, as much as it pains this prideful fan base to say it, the Steelers are rebuilding and that's okay to admit. 

For years now, that one simple word has felt dirty to ever utter in the 412 but even great coaches and historic organizations go through these trying phases from time to time.

Mike Tomlin will almost assuredly be heading for his first losing season as a head coach but there is reason for optimism about losing. There's one bright silver lining that comes associated with losing a bunch of football games, you're granted a top pick in the NFL Draft. I think back to the 2020 sideline interaction between Tomlin and former top pick, Chase Young where he states that "he doesn't ever want to lose enough games to get a guy like you."

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Regardless of Tomlin's wishes, that's where we are likely headed as the Steelers could potentially be granted a top-ten selection for the first time since 2000, when they selected Plaxico Burress out of Michigan State. 

Picking this early in the draft should allow the Steelers to add a premier prospect from the talent pool, someone who can accelerate this transition period while being a building block for the future. In today's piece, we'll briefly break down several of the top prospects in next year's NFL Draft class in order to give you a good idea of who to pay attention to on Saturdays moving forward. 

Will Anderson Jr., EDGE (Alabama)

Rarely do you see a true freshman come right into a historic program such as Alabama and dominate right away, but that's exactly what Anderson's done since stepping foot onto campus. 

Anderson possesses a lightning-quick first step coupled with impressive strength and violent hands upon impact. The Crimson Tide superstar is an incredibly stout run defender despite being a tad bit undersized for his position. For all of his jaw-dropping physical traits, he also plays with a red-hot motor that never stops running in between whistles.

An exceptional athlete who's produced at an elite level in the toughest conference in all college football, Anderson is very much in play to be selected first overall come April and should be considered a top-five lock barring some unforeseen medical issues. 

With Alex Highsmith having a career year and entering the last season of his contract, Anderson seems like a perfect player to pair with T.J. Watt on the outside. Adding another refined pass rusher to the mix next season could help the Steelers alleviate their woes defensively. Anderson's a cheat code off the edge and the closest thing you'll find to a slam dunk in this class. 

Jalen Carter, IDL (Georgia)

If you watched last year's NFL Draft on TV, you probably noticed the ridiculous amount of Georgia Bulldogs that were selected. 15, which was an NFL record. 

The craziest part about stat is that Jalen Carter might be better than all of those guys including his former defensive line teammates, 

Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, both who were first-round picks. Carter showcased flashes of dominance as a sophomore thanks to his supreme explosiveness off the ball coupled with impressing play strength to manhandle oncoming blockers. Last season's performance against Kentucky was legitimately one of the most dominant displays of greatness that I've seen from a defensive prospect in a very long time.

Unfortunately, Carter was the recipient of a dirty block which has left him saddled with an MCL sprain, limiting his play time early on this season. 

While Carter works his way back into the fold here soon, he has more than enough tape to validate his status as arguably the top interior defensive lineman in this year's class. 

A unique mover for his size, Carter could eventually develop into one of the most disruptive interior defensive lineman in all of football if he can maximize his unbelievable potential. Pairing Carter with All-Pros such as T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward along the defensive front would be a scary proposition for opposing NFL offenses. 

Paris Johnson Jr., LT (Ohio State)

Johnson had a nice season in 2021 playing out of position at right guard for the Buckeyes offense and has made a seamless transition back to his natural home at left tackle. 

A high-pedigree player who was the number one ranked tackle coming out of high school has been a super pass blocker throughout his time in Columbus. He has now amassed over 600 pass pro reps without allowing a sack, per Pro Football Focus. 

An outstanding athlete who is extremely comfortable operating on an island, Johnson can anchor and redirect even the most gifted edge rushers on the outside. He's also a force in the run-blocking game and particularly stands out on zone-blocking tasks when asked to reach block down the line.

This was a player that I was particularly enamored with in the offseason and he's lived up to the hype and then some. Johnson has the required combination of size and athleticism to be a true franchise left tackle for an NFL team, something that every organization covets but few actually have. The Steelers hope to have their quarterback of the future in Kenny Pickett. What better way to set up a signal caller for success than to give him a lockdown blindside protector early on in his career. 

The Steelers haven't taken a single offensive lineman in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft in a decade and an infusion of top-end talent up front could accelerate the development of this group moving forward. 

Bryan Bresee, IDL (Clemson)

Nicknamed 'The Hulk' by his teammates, Bresee is a "made in a lab" type of prospect in the trenches. Blessed with an intriguing physical profile, standing 6'5, weighing over 300 pounds with plus length, Bresee's a force to be reckoned with upfront. 

He's at his best when allowed to shoot gaps and can be awfully disruptive as a penetrator as he carries his weight extremely well for his size. Bresee's length causes problems for offensive linemen as he's capable of stacking and shedding blocks on the way to the ball carrier.

An athletic specimen who's flushed with traits, Bresee's explosiveness really pops on film. The only thing that's really slowed him down over the course of his college career has been availability as his sophomore campaign was cut short due to an ACL injury and he's missed time this year with a kidney infection. It's important to note that when he's been in the lineup, Bresee still looks like the same guy post-surgery, as his explosiveness and lateral agility look completely intact, showing no ill effects from the operation. 

If you're looking for upside and athletic traits to bet on, Bresee is an intriguing prospect as a running mate next to T.J. Watt. 

Kelee Ringo, CB (Georgia)

One of the youngest prospects in next year's class, Ringo doesn't turn 21 until well after draft day. 

If you watched the National Championship against Alabama, you remember Ringo sealing the win with a pick-six, running down the right sideline. Ringo possesses a magnificent blend of size and speed, a boundary corner that can run with pretty much anyone while showing flashes of impressive physicality. He's going to blaze a sub- 4.4 time in the 40-yard dash at next year's NFL Combine and there are also high-level flashes in run support making him a complete cornerback prospect. 

Ringo has the necessary athletic tools that will make NFL teams believe they can mold him into a true number-one cornerback at the next level. In the future, there is a scenario where he could flourish as a press cover guy that could follow the opposing team's best weapons all over the field. 

Already a really good player, there is a lot of untapped potential with Ringo as he's still learning some of the more technical aspects of the position. At 20 years old, Ringo offers elite upside at one of the game's most important positions and could give the Steelers' defense their first true shutdown corner since Ike Taylor in his prime. 

With all of the high-powered offenses in the AFC, having a guy that can win one on one matchups on the outside would be a luxury.

Isaiah Foskey, EDGE (Notre Dame)

As each NFL Draft cycle comes and goes, there are inevitable players that analysts fall in love with during the evaluation process. Admittedly, Foskey is one of those that I want on my football team on Sundays no matter what. 

A supremely gifted pass rusher who combines explosiveness with refined hand usage, Foskey has turned himself into one of the more successful pass rushers in the land. He has a myriad of different moves at his disposal with various swipes and plus power to run through tackles, all while playing with a detailed pass-rushing plan on every rep.

With 10 sacks and six forced fumbles last season as a catalyst for the Irish defense, Foskey was a bit of a surprise to return to school. A twitched-up edge rusher, Foskey is a long-limbed weapon with a mesmerizing blend of speed and power. His technical prowess signals a level of readiness in the immediate future, meaning the Steelers wouldn't have to wait very long for him to contribute on defense. 

With Alex Highsmith earning a nice payday in free agency down the line, Foskey can step right into that role and the Steelers front shouldn't miss a beat. This is one of the more complete defensive prospects available and someone that should be considered inside the top ten.

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Derrick Bell
DERRICK BELL

Derrick Bell is a University of Louisville grad who's covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2019. Prior to AllSteelers, Derrick contributed to Steel City Blitz. 

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