Names To Look For In 2023 Steelers' Late-Round Draft Picks Who Could Be Hidden Talents

With the 2023 NFL Draft just over a month away, the Pittsburgh Steelers look to gain some additional talent this year. In the past, the Steelers have had some great and some not-so-great drafts, but one thing that they do very often is bring in late-round talent. For example, acquiring Antonio Brown in the 6th-round of the 2010 draft. Another example is when they miraculously gained Brett Keisel and James Harrison as a 7th-round pick and an undrafted free agent.

Steelers gained their franchise guy

In 2023, I have a feeling we may see some new gems come out of the draft late this year. The first position to look at is quarterback. The Steelers gained their franchise guy in 2022, but a backup could be something that they look at in 2023. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett is someone that really interests me when looking at this position. Sure, he is 25 years old and will turn 26 while in season, but the guy knows how to win. Undersized and old, something no team wants in a quarterback, but he wins. That is what I want as a backup, if Kenny Pickett for some reason goes down, can his backup get the team a win?

Two other potential backups I look at are Malik Cunningham from Louisville and Jaren Hall out of BYU. These are two other players I expect to be possibilities late in the draft, these are players that you can work with and have the ability to be talented in the NFL. The big get with these two prospects is their speed. Both players are very fast for the quarterback position and would be solid gets for the Steelers.

The linebacker position is somewhere else I believe that the Steelers can find great help late in the draft. One guy that really stands out to me is Ivan Pace Jr. from Cincinnati. Take a look at the highlights and his play speaks for itself. Pace hits like a semi-truck and is just electric to watch. The only factor why he is not higher on draft boards is his size. A relatively smaller linebacker standing at 6'0 is something that I am fine with for the electric energy that he brings when playing. With pick 120, Pace is a guy I would love to pick up. Two other potential linebackers I could see in Pittsburgh are Ventrell Miller from Florida and Aubrey Miller Jr. out of Jackson State.

The 2023 Draft seems to have one of the deepest defensive backrooms that I can remember to date. With that, there can be some solid players found late in the draft. Two players that I like are Safety Brandon Joseph out of Notre Dame and Mekhi Blackmon from USC. At one point in his career, Joseph was one of the top dogs in the entire NCAA, but over the last year, he hasn't produced what he once was. He was even considered to be a top-20 pick in 2022, but decided to come back for another year. Definitely a guy to look out for in this year's draft especially if he falls low. 

Blackmon had an impressive showing at the combine as well as during the Senior Bowl, which could easily improve his stock. As of now, he is a lower-end prospect, but that could easily change in the weeks leading up to the draft.

The Steelers could also possibly gain another wide receiver late in the draft. Andrei Iosivas from Princeton and Jadon Haselwood from Arkansas are two late-round guys to look at. Iosivas had a great showing at the combine, but that makes sense looking at his background with him being a Track and Field All-American as well at Princeton. He is one of my personal favorite players to look out for in this year's draft and is a guy I would love to see in Pittsburgh. Haselwood's size is very comparable to Iosivas, he plays like an acrobat and makes a catch as we have seen with George Pickens.

The last position I am taking a look at is the offensive line, specifically guard. Emil Ekiyor Jr. from Alabama and Jaxson Kirkland out of Washington. Ekiyor a starter on Alabama's offense since 2020 is an offensive lineman that I believe doesn't get enough credit. Being a starter in the SEC is all I need to hear. Being a multiple-year starter on a great Alabama team, this is a guy I believe could fill a hole in a desperate Steelers offensive line. Kirkland is very solid as well. The big thing about him is his big size. Standing at 6'7", he is a monster of a man and can easily be moved around from guard to tackle if the Steelers would like.

So, what do you think, Steeler Nation? Who would you like to see added during this year's draft? Are any of these players someone you would like to see in black and yellow?