Yes, it’s the Underwear Olympics. No, most of what transpires does not literally translate to an NFL playing field. Yes, many of the players who excelled at last week’s NFL Combine will be marginal in the pros.

Thanks for the reminder, Captain Buzzkill.

Still, from the perspective of a Steelers fan, it’s hard not to be excited by much of what went down in Indianapolis the past few days. The Steelers could use help in several areas — most notably on the offensive and defensive lines, and at cornerback, inside linebacker, wide receiver and… quarterback? That last area is not likely to be addressed through the draft, at least not early on. But the others are all in play when Pittsburgh makes its picks on days one and two, where teams often find their best players.

In last year’s draft, the Steelers landed four impact players in the first three rounds — offensive tackle Broderick Jones, cornerback Joey Porter Jr, defensive lineman Keeanu Benton and tight end Darnell Washington — and added a fifth, edge rusher Nick Herbig, in Round 4. Their selections demonstrated an ability on the part of the new front office regime of Omar Khan and Andy Weidl to identify talent and marry it to the scheme in Pittsburgh. All of these players should be fixtures at their positions for the foreseeable future and provide the Steelers a strong young core around which to build.

Based on what we saw at this year’s Combine, that core should get stronger after the draft.

It’s no secret the Steelers will seek offensive line help. Many signs point towards them taking a center early. If that’s the case, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson could be the man in Round 1. Powers-Johnson measured in at 6’3-328 pounds. While he did not participate in on-field drills or run the forty-yard dash, teams gushed about his physicality and his cerebral nature. For those whose lament the Steelers passing on Creed Humphrey back in 2021, Powers-Johnson could be a nice consolation prize.

(Zach Frazier, by the way, the West Virginia center whom many view as an attractive target in Round 2, did not work out at the Combine as he recovers from a leg injury sustained during the season).

Another Round 1 target could be the tackle position, where Georgia’s Amarius Mims has been linked to the Steelers. Mims was fantastic in Indianapolis, running an absurd 5.07 in the forty while measuring 6’8 and weighing 340 pounds. That’s an incredible time for a man of that size. Mims proved his athleticism was no fluke by broad jumping 9-3. Pairing Mims at tackle with his mentor, Broderick Jones, is a tantalizing prospect for Steelers fans. Unfortunately, Mims may have been too good in Indy, elevating himself onto the radar of teams picking higher than Pittsburgh’s spot at number 20. If he is available, the Steelers may run his name to the podium.

Beyond the top-ranked prospects, the Combine revealed this to be a deep draft for offensive linemen. If the Steelers are intent on addressing the unit, they should be able to land a solid player somewhere in the first three rounds.

If it’s defensive linemen the Steelers covet, the Combine showcased some potential future stars. Byron Murphy II of the University of Texas was powerful and fluid in his on-field workouts. Murphy II weighed in at 308 pounds and ran a 4.87 forty. He reiterated that explosion in the on-field drills, showcasing a blend of quickness and power that could make him the draft’s first interior lineman off the board. A run on a position group like quarterbacks or receivers could cause Murphy II to fall, however, and if he does the Steelers would be tempted to snap him up. Pittsburgh could also wait to select a defensive tackle in Round 2, where Florida State’s Braden Fiske was sensational in Indy. Fiske confirmed the explosiveness he showed on film in 2023 with a relentless performance. Fiske weighed in at 292 pounds, which may be a little light for the Steelers, but was lean enough to suggest he could handle adding some weight to his frame.

If it’s a corner the Steelers are seeking, they can take comfort in the fact that this was the Combine’s best position group overall. The elite ones in this draft like Terrion Arnold, Quinyon Mitchell and Nate Wiggins are likely to go early. But Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry, whose physical style of play and effectiveness in man coverage would make him a nice compliment to Porter Jr, is likely to be on the board at 1:20. If Pittsburgh waits until Round 2, they may have a shot at Mike Sanristil of Michigan, a slot corner who improved his draft stock with a lights-out Combine performance. Max Melton of Rutgers stood out, too, running 4.37 in the forty and leading all corners in the broad jump. Melton has been compared to Tyrique Stevenson, who was drafted 56th overall by the Bears last season and turned in a solid rookie year. The 6’0-190 pound Melton could be a great trade-back target in Round 2 or even in Round 3 if he falls.

There are attractive options at inside linebacker, too. Payton Wilson, a tackling machine who amassed over 400 in his career at North Carolina State, ran an eye-popping 4.4 in the forty, cementing his status as a Top 50 pick. Wilson is 6’4-235 pounds and looks like a guy the Steelers were thought to be high on in last year’s draft — Iowa’s Jack Campbell — only with better range. If Wilson is still on the board in the 40s, the Steelers may consider trading up in Round 2 to get him. If they wait, they could target Kentucky’s Trevin Wallace in Round 3. Wallace, a superb athlete at 6’1-237 pounds, ran a 4.52 forty in Indianapolis, which was third best among all linebackers, and had the second best vertical leap and broad jump. He would be a nice off-ball backer for the Steelers as a compliment to the more physical Elandon Roberts.

Then there’s the wide receiver position. Pittsburgh did not select one last year, and they haven’t gone back-to-back seasons without drafting a receiver since 2003-2004. The odds they will take one are high. The Steelers usually opt for receivers in the early rounds, and talk emerged last weekend that Pittsburgh is extremely fond of University of Washington star Rome Odunze. So fond, in fact, that they may be willing to trade up in Round 1 to draft him. Odunze headed a stellar group of pass-catchers at the Combine. The 6’3-212 pounder ran 4.45, had a vertical leap of 39 inches and wowed scouts with his fluidity in on-field drills. He also impressed everyone in the building by staying late to try to break the Combine mark of 6.6 seconds in the three-cone drill. Acquiring Odunze would be a coup for the Steelers, as pairing him with George Pickens would provide Pittsburgh one of the league’s most dynamic 1-2 punches on the outside. If Pittsburgh is committed to helping Kenny Pickett improve, a move for Odunze would be a great way to do so.

#Washington wideout Rome Odunze lingered on the Lucas Oil Field late Friday, long after the stadium had emptied out, trying to break 6.6 seconds in the three cone drill. This dude. pic.twitter.com/K6F1ZqN9Jn

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 3, 2024

If not Odunze, there will be some talented receiver options in Round 2. Chief among them may be two slot receivers the Steelers could target — Michigan’s Roman Wilson and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey — both of whom ran sub-4.4 and looked exceptional in drills.

The nice thing on all of these prospects is that the tape matches the numbers. None of these players qualify as “workout warriors” or guys who looked better in shorts than in pads. The Combine merely confirmed what the tape suggested, which leaves the Steelers flush with options come draft time.