A new rumor circulating in the NFL suggests the Pittsburgh Steelers could attempt to trade their way into the top 10 to take the player many see as the best defensive prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers head into this year’s draft in an interesting position. Despite having to break in a rookie quarterback for much of the season, head coach Mike Tomlin was still able to guide the team to a solid 9-8 record in 2022. It means that while they may not be title contenders soon, they may not be that far off either.
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That is why their top pick in April’s event could be key in helping take them to a higher level next season and beyond. However, with the Pittsburgh Steelers not getting on the clock until pick 17, it gets a little harder to find a game-changer talent. But, there are some whispers around the league that the team might be willing to move up on April 27 to grab an impact player that could be an anchor of the defense for years to come.
Pittsburgh Steelers record (2022): 9-8, third place in AFC North
In a new edition of Peter King’s “Football Morning in America” column, the long-time NFL insider reported on various rumblings from around the league, and he had a very interesting piece of intel about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ potential plans in Round 1.
“Best rumor of the week: Steelers trading up from 17 to nine if [Jalen Carter’s] there. There could not be a more perfect coach for Carter than Mike Tomlin,” King wrote.
Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, the Georgia Bulldogs star was viewed as the top defensive player in this year’s class. However, an arrest and plea deal last month over his involvement in a fatal crash in January, as well as a poor performance at an open workout has reportedly diminished Jalen Carter’s value.
The player many thought would go at least in the top five could fall to the back of the top 10 and put him in striking distance for the Steelers. Adding Jalen Carter to the likes of Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith could easily give the Pittsburgh Steelers the best front seven in the AFC next season.