The Pittsburgh Steelers are rolling through the 2024 offseason. With free agency greatly affecting roster construction, it will be followed by the NFL draft in April. For the Steelers, the events since the beginning of the league year have changed their draft needs multiple times. With player pro days and team visits coming to a conclusion, team’s big boards will enter the last stages of finalization before the draft.

When talking about mock drafts or NFL free agency, one first has to first identify the team’s main needs for the offseason. Before any gains or losses in free agency, there are some who wanted to see the Steelers go with either offensive line or defensive line with their first-round pick. Others feel wide receiver or cornerback now could be on top of the list. With the opportunity for the Steelers to shape their roster prior to the draft, their goal is usually to get into position to draft the best player available rather than target a specific position. When it comes to what position the team will select with their first pick, it is certainly up for debate.

In a recent seven-round mock draft by cbssports.com, they have the Steelers addressing the cornerback before anything else. The Steelers are lacking numbers at the cornerback position, and finding another quality young player to pair with Joey Porter Jr. would be valuable. Since the Steelers could go in any number of directions with their first selection, it is important to look at all the possibilities presented by various mock draft outlets.

Check out the Steelers 20th pick:

20. Pittsburgh Steelers | Terrion Arnold | CB | Alabama | Soph. |

Even as the draft process rolls on, there may be some players most fans are not familiar with. If this is the case, here is a breakdown of Arnold according to thedraftnetwork.com:

Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama       

Size:

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 189 pounds
• Arm Length: 31 5/8″
• Hand Size: 8 7/8″

Accomplishments:

• First Team All-American (2023)
• Freshman All-American (2022)

Strengths:

• Explosive athlete 
• Ball skills 
• Physical presence in run game 
• Functional strength
• IQ/Awareness 

Concerns:

• Patience in press coverage 
• Nuanced receivers can speed up technique in press

Film Analysis: 

Terrion Arnold profiles as an elite-level athlete who entered the Alabama program as a safety and made the transition to playing the cornerback position. Arnold became a starter entering the 2022 season and continued to develop his skill set through the offseason, putting together one of the best cornerback seasons and becoming one of the biggest rising 2024 NFL Draft prospects. Arnold’s elite athletic traits combined with his technique allow him to be an impact player in both pass coverage and in the run game. 

In pass coverage, Arnold is scheme-versatile in that he can play both press-man and zone. In man coverage, Arnold showcases great lateral agility in that he can successfully mirror receivers at the line of scrimmage, disrupting their releases. When the timing is right, Arnold can shoot his hands to jam receivers and disrupt them. Into the route, Arnold’s athleticism and fluid hips are shown in how he can stay in phase with receivers whether they are running quick in-breakers or running vertical routes down the field. In the deeper portions of the field, Arnold has shown the ability to turn and locate the football, allowing himself to make a play on the football for a PBU or INT. 

In zone coverage, Arnold’s explosiveness/short-area quickness is on display. On plays where Arnold is playing off coverage in a zone scheme, he shows the ability to quickly plant and drive downhill to receivers to disrupt plays and make plays on the ball. Arnold has also shown to be a good IQ player in zone in that he understands how to pass off routes and will occasionally take a chance on jumping a route to make a play on the ball. 

As a run defender, Arnold has plus-level reps as a corner. Multiple times during the 2023 season, Arnold was able to shed blockers on the perimeter and step up to make the tackle. He can be a player that’s consistently utilized in run support. 

The improvements for Arnold center around his consistency against the pass in both man and zone situations. In press, Arnold will occasionally have lapses in his technique which result in him being out of position and losing the rep. In zone situations, Arnold will appear to give too much cushion or bail too early at times, giving receivers unchallenged free access into the short-to-intermediate routes. These lapses could simply be due to Arnold making the transition to corner for just a few years and needing more reps at the position. 

Overall, Arnold is as physically gifted as any corner in the 2024 NFL Draft class. If he clears up a few technique issues, there is a clear path for him to be a high-level corner in the NFL. 

Prospect Projection: Day 1 — Pro Bowl Caliber 

For all you who are preparing yourself for the draft, what do you think of the selection? Would you be on board with the Steelers taking Terrion Arnold with their first pick? Or do you feel there is a better player at this position, a different one who may still be available, or that Arnold will not make it to the 20th pick? Personally, I think Arnold is one of those players that if he happens to be available at 20, you are happy to get a player you didn’t expect to be there. Of course, there still could be other players the Steelers like at 20 who would be available as well. But if they went with Arnold, I would not complain with the Steelers trying to lock down the cornerback position for the next several years and hopefully beyond.