Discussing how great the Pittsburgh Steelers, led by General Manager Omar Khan, did with their 2023 NFL Draft picks would be just piling on at this point. Of course, it is impossible to accurately grade draft picks until some time has passed and we can evaluate their performance. However, just from an initial perspective, the Steelers knocked it out of the park, obtaining players of high value without breaking the bank on draft picks.
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Steelers' Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin.
In fact, it has been pointed out that the team's first four draft selections were all names that were mentioned as being possible first-round picks. And while not a first-round name, a player that appears to be one of their best values is Cory Trice Jr.
Trice was originally a safety that shifted to cornerback while he was playing at Purdue University. During the 2020 season, he had 31 tackles and 2 pass breakups.
A knee injury sidelined him in 2021 and he missed the majority of the season. However, he bounced back in 2022 and led the team with 10 pass breakups, 34 tackles, and 2 interceptions.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers selected CB Cory Trice in the 7th round.
Trice was often discussed as a possible sleeper pick with many analysts feeling like he dropped further than he would have if he had not had the injury. He was widely listed as going somewhere between rounds three and round five.
According to Ryan Wilson, a draft analyst for CBS Sports, who joined Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on The PM Team w/ Poni & Mueller, he felt Trice would go earlier and said obtaining him in the seventh round was a huge win for the Steelers.
"Cory Trice, I had him as a mid to late third-rounder. He ended up going near the bottom of round seven. I saw him play in person when they played Syracuse. He is a big thick corner, and he ran sub 4.5 and his three-cone and short shuttle was off-the-charts-great for someone that size."
Steelers Insiders Also Sing Cory Trice's Praises
Now former Steelers offensive guard Ramon Foster and his podcast co-host Dejan Kovacevic talked about Trice on their show. Foster's show, The Ramon Foster Show, airs via DK Pittsburgh Sports.
"I think Trice is the guy," says Foster. "I mean you get something out of him, you win and you win big. That's low value for a guy with high output."
Kovacevic, an insider that has been reporting on the Steelers for years, said he obtained some inside information on Trice recently. He also compares Trice's size to that of a Steelers legend.
"I got some information on Cory Trice over the weekend. Let's just say that there is a sentiment both within the Steelers and within the Trice camp that is beyond belief that he fell the way he did, to the seventh round, he does not come with flaws, he had a knee issue at Perdue, but otherwise you're talking about someone who has 'rare air' to use a Mike Tomlinism. When it comes to size 6'3" - the biggest corner they have drafted since Mel Blount and he can move."
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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Mel Blount, a 3rd round pick, was a driving force in the team's success in the 70s.
Foster asked Kovacevic if part of why he fell is because he is a "product of Purdue," meaning they aren't typically known for football players outside of a few quarterbacks and offensive linemen.
"What if this was a scouting mistake by the 31 other teams," questions Foster. "And we capitalize on a guy like this?"
Cory Trice holds no ill will on dropping to the 7th rd:
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) April 29, 2023
"I am just happy to be here (headed to Pittsburgh). I am happy they took a chance on me... and the Steelers and Steelers nation, they will not regret it."
Kovacevic says that in light of Foster's question, he feels he needs to add a caveat to the prior statement. You can't assume the player fell and no one noticed. While other teams were passing on him the Steelers were as well.
"So don't ever give too much credit in that scenario because they're gonna get it for Darnell Washington, they're going to get praised into infinity, but they also passed on him. Then they had another chance to take him at 80, they still traded down another 13 spots."
The Ramon Foster Show on DK Pittsburgh Sports
Former Steelers OG Ramon Foster and co-host Dejan Kovacevic.
Foster and Kovacevic seem to feel confident in Trice's abilities after watching him on tape. Of course, they note, there is no guarantee for any player when they enter the NFL. There have been plenty of first-round picks that have flopped and late-round picks that have soared. Regardless, from a fan perspective, Trice certainly feels like a steal for the seventh round.
What do you think about the selection of Trice? Is he a bargain in the seventh round? Why do you think he fell? Click to comment below.
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