We’ve speculated for months on who the Steelers should select in the NFL Draft. But what’s the evaluation of some of the draft eligible Pitt Panthers?
During a conference call Thursday, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah was asked specifically about Pitt as a program and about some Panthers products who are getting some buzz on draft boards.
Here are his thoughts:
On Pitt as “a proving ground for NFL prospects”: They’ve done a really nice job. They produced quality NFL players. To me they have a degree of toughness that they all seem to possess, which is always going to be well received and positive. To me that’s a pretty good spot to be in.
On Calijah Kancey (DL): I’m curious to see where he ends up going. On my final list, he ended up being my 26th overall player. Ed Oliver was my comparison for him, who went much higher than that.
The twitch, the quickness, the ability to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
I do think he needs to win early. He doesn’t have real long arms. I think he is a (pick) 25 to (pick) 35 type. I think that’s probably where he ends up going off the board, somewhere in the late portion of the first round, maybe into the second round.
On Israel Abanikanda (RB): He has big-time juice. He wasn’t a huge asset in the passing game, but I think there’s more there. He is really slippery, makes you miss. He has good vision, and he is really, really explosive. I thought he did a nice job as a route runner, just didn’t get as many opportunities there.
On SirVocea Dennis (LB): A really good player. When you talk to the guys (at Pitt), they rave about how smart he is. He rushed the passer. Does a lot of different things. He is going to have to play primarily off the ball at the next level, but his off-the-ball timing as a blitzer and his ability to kind of just slither through blocks and make plays is impressive.
He is intriguing. I would say you are talking about him in the fourth-round range, somewhere around there. It’s a good group.
On Brandon Hill (S): The safety is intriguing as well. Somebody in a safety class that’s not that great. He is my seventh safety. I think he will factor in somewhere on Day 3.
On former Panther turned USC Trojan Jordan Addison (WR): Addison, end of the process, as he started it for me, is my top receiver.
I wish he was heavier. I don’t love the 173-pound aspect, but this guy made more big plays down the field in ‘21 than anybody in the country. I know he can make big plays. He can get over the top. He is a talented guy. After the catch, he is not going to be able to break many tackles. Not really physical, but he can make you miss and run away from you. I think he plays fast.
So smooth, fast, fluid guy. I’ve dropped him down a little bit from where I initially had him overall. He ended the process as my 15th player. I think he is somebody that’s going to go off the board.
He might be the second (receiver) to go. There seems to be more support for Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) around the league as a top receiver with more teams. Some have Addison, but I would say more than likely that Smith-Njigba is the first one, and he is the second one.
