The 2023 NFL Combine is over, so now the Pittsburgh Steelers will begin to put their complete draft board together. Offensive line was seen as a major need heading into the offseason, specifically offensive tackle. Surprisingly though, the front office seemingly met with more interior offensive linemen throughout the week in Indianapolis. USC offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees was an example of that, as the team formally met with him.
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports
Steelers general manager Omar Khan smiles while at Acrisure Field in Pittsburgh, PA.
Unfortunately, he suffered a leg injury while doing drills. On Monday, the feared injury came to the worst possible news, as it was officially ruled a torn ACL. On a positive note, it was a clean break of the ACL for the USC lineman according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. That means he didn't have any other ligament damage in his knee, and he should be able to return to his old self after the recovery.
It is a clean ACL tear for Andrew Vorhees, source said. He then did the most reps in the Combine this morning... after the injury. https://t.co/nQK52U7cda
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2023
Could Steelers still pursue USC OL Andrew Vorhees?
Most impressively, he managed to still do the bench press drill after the injury. At 225 pounds, Vorhees put up an incredible 38 reps. The lineman was projected to go in the first few rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, so this is obviously a devastating injury. For his final collegiate season in 2022, Vorhees switched from left tackle to left guard. His versatility was seen as a strength heading into the NFL, as he can play a multitude of positions on the offensive line.
Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Barring a rapidly quick recovery, which is entirely possible in today's era, he will likely miss a majority, if not all, of his rookie campaign. Obviously that will drop him in the draft, but he still remains a candidate for the later rounds.It could present the scenario for general manager Omar Khan and the front office to get a talented player late in the draft.
It would obviously be a high-risk, potential high-reward pick, as Vorhees will be coming off a major knee injury. He could be a potential Swiss Army knife for Pat Meyer and his offensive line group.
Do you guys think Khan should still have Vorhees on his board late in the draft? How good of a potential steal would that be in the later rounds? How impressive is it to still put up 38 reps with a torn ACL? Share your thoughts on this in the comments below, yinz!
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