Senior Bowl Takeaways: Steelers Four Biggest Standouts
MOBILE -- Three days have come and gone, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have wrapped up their scouting at the 2024 Senior Bowl.
It's all about finishing strong. Whether a player started the week off on a terrible note or flat-out dominated early, it's important to see them finish it out. Which players put together a complete week of practice, and which ones were able to finish strong that might've caught the attention of the Steelers brass? Time to find out.
Max Melton
If you're looking for a feisty day three cornerback in this year's draft class who possesses that character, that fluidity, and also the patience to read the hips, look no further than Rutgers cornerback Max Melton. Melton has gotten better every single day of practice, with him initially struggling on the first day, but that did not deter him.
Melton has competed hard at the catch point in one on ones, while remaining sticky in the hip pocket of receivers. He definitely has the skill set that could translate from him moving from the outside corner to the slot. That is something Pittsburgh desperately needs.
Melton is actually very much on the Steelers' radar, with Mike Tomlin actually being acquainted with his father and said that they have met with them twice. He would be a terrific fit in the black and gold.
Christian Haynes
Offensive guard has probably been one of the weaker positions down in Mobile if you're not counting the few reps where Jackson Powers-Johnson was playing at guard. Christian Haynes, on the other hand, flat-out piledriver and pissed off some defensive linemen with how stout his play was.
Haynes plays with really good hand usage, has plenty of shock on contact, and has a big-time mean streak as a finisher. He's asked to pull and get on the move a ton on those gap/power scheme-type runs, and he shows plenty of athleticism to be able to make those plays in space but also just punish second and third-level defenders.
Not that Pittsburgh would be looking at guards, but if they were to explore the option of moving James Daniels back to center, a player like Haynes might be the right idea to make that happen. There are only so many great centers in this year's class and it's important to account for a backup plan.
Spencer Rattler
Once again, it wasn't Bo Nix, nor was it Michael Penix leaving the lasting impression, but rather it was Spencer Rattler. Rattler has managed to string together the best practices by far, with him getting better every single day. He was aggressive on day one, he had a pick because of it, but he never stopped taking chances and actually got smarter as the week progressed.
Rattler had a lot of buzz coming into the week as potentially a guy that scouts liked more than most fans and analysts, which he seemed to prove them right. He layered the ball into tight second windows, managed the pocket fairly well and delivered tight leverage throws in the redzone. It's hard to say how he interviewed when he was down here, but on the practice field, it was hard to say there was a better quarterback.
Kingsley Suamataia
Kingsley Suamataia is one of those Day 2 potential offensive tackles that could be worth cultivating into a starter. He got moved around a ton throughout the week and seemed to be struggling with muscle memory, which had him thinking more before each rep. That said, he really settled in on the last day and put together some fantastic reps.
Suamataia is a player I hadn't really studied his tape going into the week, so I didn't really know what to expect out of him, but I thought he looked explosive out of his sets and showed more refined handwork than I expected. Showed potential versatility to settle in on the right side as well, with his play getting better each day. He is definitely someone who will have me rushing back to the tape to watch.
Conclusion
It's been an incredible week. A lot of players really showed out, and some took advantage of more well-renowned names struggling. It's always important to remember, though, that when you're in the stands, your eyes are traveling from one side of the field to the other, and it's unlikely that you'll catch every single detail.
Stay tuned for my final practice thoughts as I dig deep into the practice tape over the weekend.
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