Breakfast With Benz NFL Draft preview: Multiple reasons Steelers may go TE before WR

As our series of pre-NFL Draft podcasts shifts to the pass catchers, our former NFL and college scout, Matt Williamson, has a very different opinion of the talent available at wide receiver and tight end.

After Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter — who Williamson thinks is by far the best wide receiver and best cornerback in the draft — Williamson says the pool gets awfully shallow awfully fast.

“I don’t know when the next (receiver) is going to go. It’s either Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) or Matthew Golden (Texas),” Williamson said. “(They’re) the two fighting to be next off the board, which might not happen until the teens or even the 20s (of the first round). … This is the weakest receiver draft I can remember. (Pittsburgh) may not take one.”

That may be part of the reason why the Steelers appear to be inclined to hold on to George Pickens despite his looming contract uncertainty.

So if Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan and Andy Weidl want to spend a mid-round pick on a pass-catching weapon, it may be a tight end. After all, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves to implement multiple-tight-end sets, and it’s not as if the Steelers got a ton of production from that unit in 2024.

After Pat Freiermuth, the Steelers only got 31 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns from others at the position, despite how many times we saw numerous tight ends deployed together.

“This is one of the best tight end groups, start to finish, that I can remember,” Williamson said. “I don’t know that Donald Parham is guaranteed a roster spot. I don’t know that Connor Heyward is guaranteed a roster spot. If you keep four, there are only two that are guaranteed roster spots (Freiermuth, Darnell Washington). And if it’s a super deep tight end class, maybe in the fifth round, you grab one.”

Williamson’s top two prospects at the position are Tyler Warren of Penn State “followed closely” by Colston Loveland of Michigan.

“To put it in NFL terms, Loveland is more like (Travis) Kelce. Warren is more like (George) Kittle — more of an inline, physical banger. Loveland doesn’t block a lot. He’s a route runner. He’s good after the catch. Those two are going in the first round. Maybe both before the Steelers even pick.

TYLER WARREN'S SECOND TD OF THE DAY ''

He extends the lead for the Nittany Lions '' pic.twitter.com/kulMW52CNb

— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025

Colston Loveland had some memorable touchdowns with the Wolverines 〽️

Take a look back at all 11 from his three seasons with @umichfootball ''#TBT x #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/6Gw3mNOjZ8

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 17, 2025

Mason Taylor (LSU) and Elijah Arroyo from Miami, may go early as well. However, Williamson provided some other names to monitor if the Steelers try to take a tight end with their third-round pick or later.

“Mitchell Evans (Notre Dame) will do a little bit of everything for you. I’m a fan of his,” Williamson said. “A couple of my favorites that are just head-banger (Darnell) Washington-type players are Jackson Hawes from Georgia Tech. He’s a big-time blocker that loves it. A guy from Iowa, Luke Lachey. Jim Lachey was his dad. He was also a first-round pick (San Diego Chargers, 1985) at tackle. He plays that way.”

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Williamson’s list didn’t end there.

“I think you could be interested in a sixth-round tight end, possibly Thomas Fidone from Nebraska or Benjamin Yurosek from Georgia. He is my favorite sleeper who kind of got buried on a great Georgia team this past year,” Williamson added.

Should the Steelers retain Pickens and avoid taking a receiver until round three or four, Williamson had two other favorites to remember.

• Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor (6-foot-2, 206 pounds): “He is a hockey player from Canada that plays like a hockey player from Canada. He is my wide receiver No. 5, which is higher than anyone I’ve seen. If he’s sitting there in the third round, even if they don’t need him, boy, he’s a fun player. Blocks like crazy.”

ELIC AYOMANOR ARE YOU SERIOUS ''''''''''

'' ESPN#GoStanford @elicayomanor pic.twitter.com/VjrkZS44vW

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) September 20, 2024

• TCU’s Jack Bech (6-1, 214): “He is a guy I like a lot, a Cooper Kupp type of player. He’s a big, power slot. So it’s an obvious comparison, but he plays very, very similar. He didn’t run the 40 because he’s slow. But he is physical, a sharp route runner. Really tough to get on the ground.”

TCU WR Jack Bech with two different yet equally impressive plays, each screaming #Chargers Jim Harbaugh & Joe Hortiz ruggedness:

Play 1: High IQ, extended arms in traffic, w/ awareness to avoid contact

Play 2: Savvy YAC seeker w/ eagerness to finish on his own terms. pic.twitter.com/r4ug2NLEF1

— Dan W. (@DanWSports) April 13, 2025

Third-day possibilities include Virginia Tech’s Jaylen Lane, Chimere Dike (Florida), Pat Bryant (Illinois), Dont’e Thornton (Tennessee) and Isaac TeSlaa (Arkansas) from Arkansas.

Also, during the podcast, we discuss how Pickens and DK Metcalf will work off of each other in the Steelers 2025 offense, the draft prospects for Pitt’s Konata Mumpfield, and where Travis Hunter will improve at WR even if he continues playing on defense as well.