Steelers look to fix blemish with a CB in recent 2023 NFL mock draft

The Steelers have not had a good track record when it comes to drafting cornerbacks, but here’s why they look to fix that in a recent 2023 NFL mock draft.

If there is one position Steelers fans typically want Pittsburgh to avoid like the plague in the NFL Draft, it’s cornerback. Admittedly, this franchise has really struggled when it comes to finding quality cornerbacks with high draft investments, so their fears are somewhat justified.

This is something that dates back even before Kevin Colbert. In 1993 the Steelers took Deon Figures in the first round of the NFL Draft. Sadly, the former 23rd overall pick out of Colorado would go on to start just 23 games with Pittsburgh and his tenure with the team lasted just four seasons.

Immediately after Figures departed in free agency, the Steelers pressed their luck again at the position by drafting Chad Scott with the 24th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. Scott was a physical corner who was a starter for 7 years in Pittsburgh, but his coverage left a lot to be desired and he was routinely picked on in the secondary.

After these two draft busts, the Steelers went a long time before working up the nerve to dip their feet back into the cornerback pool early in the NFL Draft. In 2016, they selected Artie Burns in the first round, but their efforts proved to be futile.

In a recent 2023 NFL mock draft by ESPN’s Matt Miller, the Steelers once again try to find the cornerback they’ve been looking for. Miller has them going with Georgia standout Kelee Ringo with the 6th overall pick. Here’s what he had to say:

"6. Pittsburgh SteelersKelee Ringo CB, Georgia*With rookie first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett on the roster, the Steelers could look to improve in other places. Ringo had eight pass breakups and two interceptions on a loaded defense last season, and you might remember his clinching pick-six in the title game. If the 6-foot-2 corner can make plays without 10 future NFL starters around him, his coverage ability and physical traits will put him in the running for CB1 in this class"

Listed at 6’2” and 205 pounds, Ringo is a long, talented cornerback coming from a great football program. While I don’t love the fact that the Steelers own the 6th overall draft pick in this mock (which means things didn’t go according to plan during the season), I do believe that Pittsburgh shouldn’t give up on their search for a top-flight cornerback.

Steelers should consider CB early in 2023 draft

Just like players at the other ‘money’ positions in the NFL, you don’t often see teams let talented cornerbacks hit the free-agent market after their rookie contracts. This means that if you want one of the best cornerbacks in the league, you either need to trade a king’s ransom for one (like the Rams did for Jalen Ramsey) or you need to draft one early.

While this hasn’t panned out for the Steelers in the past, this could also be due to a lack of effort. Selecting just one cornerback in the first round over the past 25 years isn’t exactly being diligent. Though busts are going to happen sometimes, Pittsburgh needs to be committed to getting a lock-down CB — and spending good draft capital to do so.

It’s also important to consider that each of their last three first-round CB busts have all been picked in the mid-20s. If the Steelers owned a top-10 pick (like they do in this mock), it’s much more likely they could finally draft a CB1 like they have been trying to do all along.

I know the Steelers have had some success with free-agent cornerbacks like Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, and Steven Nelson in the past, but they have been missing a premier cover corner since Rod Woodson in the 90s. I am all for them making this investment into one of the NFL’s most important positions, assuming it’s the right prospect.