What if I told you that quarterback Malik Willis was still on the board when the Pittsburgh Steelers were on the clock in 20th place?
What if I told you the Steelers are still turning him down?
That’s what happens in Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com tryout draft, released Tuesday afternoon. In fact, Jeremiah didn’t force Willis out in the first round, a month after he hit Pittsburgh. Instead, he has the team selecting corner LSU Derek Stingley Jr. who writes:
“It would be fun to fit into a supporting role for the Steelers. When Stingley is healthy and recruited, he is in the top five talents in that class.”
Stingley burst onto the college football scene early in his career and immediately became one of the top players. But the rest of his college career was unimpressive, battling injuries and inconsistent play. He has the traits and the talent to be locked up, the No. 1 corner, but it will take a good coach to beat that out of him.
In Dan Kitchen’s Stingley profile, he wrote:
“He played All-American like a real freshman at one of the biggest football schools in the country and helped lead LSU to a national championship. With his unbridled talent, ball skills and athleticism, he brings a lot to it that makes you think he’s been a real NFL quarterback since the first week of his rookie season… there are more advantages here than any quarterback in the class, but for that, for Stingley to achieve this, he must become a more physically fit player who can hold on to his man through break points on routes and better defend short passes such as the tilts and strikeouts he was beaten in in college. And above all, he must be able to stay on the field for the full 17 games.”
Pittsburgh re-signed Akello Witherspoon and added Levi Wallace to their quarterback room along with Cam Sutton to complete their top three. Witherspoon has the highest growth and reach potential, but even he is not in the elite class that Stingley can be. So in terms of “necessity”, adding Stingley makes sense when you’re dating Ja’Marr Chase twice a year.
That said, it’s hard to see a team overtake a guy like Willis in any corner, although I believe this article was written prior to Willis’ impressive Pro Day performance. In this simulation, Pitt’s Kenny Pickett really pulled out two spots ahead in 18th place, so he didn’t qualify for the Steelers. He was the only QB selected in Jeremiah’s last layout.
Given his merits and traits, it’s hard to imagine Willis dropping out of the first round entirely. At the very least, someone will trade him in the first round, as the No. 32 Baltimore Ravens did a few years ago. But given the Steelers’ need, talent, and interest, it’s hard to believe the team would pass Willis if he falls to 20. places. And I’m betting that Willis will appear in the first round of Jeremiah’s April tryout draft.
Elsewhere, he was Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson as the No. 1 overall pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Georgia DL Travon Walker coming in second. The first game on offense isn’t picked until fifth place, when the New York Giants capture OT NC State Iki Ekwon. Georgia LB Nakobe Dean ends the first round with the No. 32 move to the Detroit Lions, who acquired the pick from the Rams last year in a Matthew Stafford trade.
Check out our full Stingley report below.
2022 NFL Draft Player Profiles: LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.