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The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed some needs with Day 1 starters and depth pieces via free agency, but with 20 days to go until the 2023 NFL draft, there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
Though All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson is one of those Day 1 starters who will be an impactful component of Pittsburgh’s roster, the corner corp remains a concern. They’ve done their due diligence for several months on secondary prospects, but things are getting serious as the draft draws near. The courtship ends soon; they’re about to get married. Steelers courtship process was headlined by top cornerback Christian Gonzalez — who many believe will be the first at his position off the board — who was invited for a top-30 visit on Thursday, April 6.
South Carolina’s Darius Rush, considered a Day 2 pick, also met with the team on Thursday. The Steelers can get him with picks No. 32 or 49 because it’s not his natural position. He converted from wide receiver three years ago and is a more raw prospect that requires development. That’s the last thing Mike Tomlin and company need, as they’re historically subpar at developing corners. If they’re looking for an immediate-impact franchise player, Gonzalez would be the way to go. Rush is faster (4.36 40-time) and bigger (6-foot-2, 198 pounds) than Gonzalez at 6-foot-1, 197 pounds — so he’s got that going for him.
Pre-NFL History of Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
It is no surprise that Christian Gonzalez was a Swiss Army Knife at Texas’ Colony High School, where he starred on offense, defense and special teams. He signed with the Colorado Buffaloes as a four-star recruit. He started all six games of their pandemic-shortened 2020 season (25 tackles, five pass breakups) and all 12 in 2021 (53 tackles, 5.5 for loss, five pass breakups), earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 accolades.
For his final collegiate season in 2022, Gonzalez transferred to Oregon, following his cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin. Four interceptions, seven pass breakups, 50 tackles and blocked a kick (12 starts) earned him first-team All-Pac-12 honors.
Gonzalez has all the traits of a superstar lockdown defender, ready to dominate from the get-go. NFL draft analyst Lance Zeirlein noted in his scouting report: “Explosive outside cornerback possessing a rare blend of physical and athletic traits. Gonzalez plays with fluid hips and blazing top-end speed, which should help him match against top-end targets in the future.”
“He can rough up the release or use mirror-and-match footwork from press-man coverage, and he has all the tools to become a highly capable route shadow,” Zeirlein continued. “His technique will get away from him at times and he doesn’t play with the level of instincts or ball skills that should make heavy ball production automatic. His testing numbers could send his draft stock skyrocketing, but the ingredients are already present to become a feared CB1 if he plays to his gifts.”
What Would the Steelers Need Give up to Trade for Christian Gonzalez in NFL Draft?
There’s one problem if Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are married to landing Christian Gonzalez: He’s not expected to be on the board where they currently stand at No. 17. Top players can fall, but the Oregon product isn’t projected as one of them.
With this being general manager Omar Khan and assistant general manager Andy Weidl‘s first draft, they’ll aim to make a good first impression. And what an impression that’d be trading up for a player who’s likely to be a future All-Pro and potentially the face of the cornerbacks group for a decade-plus?
According to Draft Tek‘s draft chart, a tool that assigns point values to picks, Pittsburgh’s No. 17 pick is worth 950 points, No. 32 590 points and No. 49 410 points. To move up to No. 10 (Philadelphia Eagles, 1300 points) or No. 9 (Carolina Panthers, 1350), the Steelers only need to send their original first-round pick and their second second-round pick (49). Thanks to the Chase Claypool trade, they’d still have No. 32 to select the best available offensive lineman or wide receiver. If that package works for either Philadelphia or Carolina, there’s a reasonable chance Pittsburgh could trade up and grab Gonzalez.
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