Breakfast with Benz NFL Draft preview: Little reason to think secondary will be primary target for Steelers

For the finale of our pre-NFL Draft podcasts with former pro and college scout Matt Williamson, we didn’t exactly save the best for last by waiting until Wednesday to discuss the secondary.

That’s true both in terms of the depth of talent available at the position and the likelihood of the Pittsburgh Steelers making a splash with the potential prospects in that group.

Especially at safety.

“Signing (Juan) Thornhill. I still have a lot of hope for (Ryan) Watts. You know Miles Killebrew is going to make the team. You have your two starters (Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott). I don’t think Minkah Fitzpatrick is getting traded,” Williamson said. “I just don’t think the Steelers will be super involved in this (draft) group, nor is it a great group. Maybe it’s a seventh-round guy who tries to make it on special teams. But I don’t think this is a group that people need to know extremely well for Steelers reasons.”

That said, the Steelers did bring in South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori for a visit. He’s generally considered the best player at the position. But Williamson is dubious of what that really means.

“I don’t understand it. He’s going to be a highly drafted safety,” Williamson said. “He’s a much better tester than he is a football player. Not that he’s a bad player. He’s a total freak. He’s 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, runs a 4.38 with crazy-long arms and jumps. He doesn’t change direction as well. He might be a dime linebacker, a deep safety for you — a tight end eraser. I just don’t know how that fits in. I was shocked that he came in for a visit. I wonder if that’s a smoke screen.”

Nick Emmanwori vs. some of the league’s best WRs ????

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At cornerback, the Steelers could use some help. But with the signings of Darius Slay and Brandin Echols, Williamson doesn’t see that position as much of a priority either.

“I’d love to see them add one more outside corner. Somebody with length. A (Joey) Porter, (Cory) Trice-type. But if they don’t, because of the shortage of picks, I would understand it. I’m thinking fourth round,” Williamson said.

“Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish is a smaller slot that could also play outside. Nohl Williams is more of an outside corner from Cal. Louisville’s Quincy Riley, all these guys have traits. Dorian Strong from Virginia Tech is a guy I like quite a bit. Caleb Ransaw from Tulane. We’re starting to talk (about) getting (into) that fourth-or-fifth-round neighborhood.”

Also, in Wednesday’s podcast, we discuss a potential late-round roll of the dice on Pitt safety Donovan McMillon (Peters Township).

Don't blink or you might miss it ????

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We examine the draft prospects for Penn State safeties Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston. And we dive deep into how Slay will help the Steelers secondary in 2025.

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