Due to the combination of their top needs and expected available players when they make their choice, the Pittsburgh Steelers are most likely to draft a wide receiver or defensive tackle 21st overall in April’s draft. These positions are two of their biggest needs and there should be some talented players available at both spots at 21. Focusing on wide receiver, there are three prospects the Steelers will have on their radar in the first round. Here is how each of the three players would fit in Pittsburgh.
How Top Wide Receiver Prospects Would Fit With Steelers
Matthew Golden – Texas
Kicking off the trio of potential Steelers wide receiver prospects is a player whose draft stock skyrocketed in the College Football Playoffs. Matthew Golden’s name was never mentioned as a top prospect earlier in the college season; now, it’s hard to find a mock draft that doesn’t have Golden being selected in the first round.
At 6’0″ and a hair under 200 pounds, Golden isn’t huge for NFL standards, but his size isn’t much of a concern. His biggest selling points are his track star speed and his route running abilities. Golden can take the top off of a defense and also reliably get open underneath and in the intermediate part of the field. He plays with good physicality and is a good contested-catch receiver.
Two potential drawbacks for the Steelers are Golden’s concerns with drops and weakness as a run blocker. For better or worse, Arthur Smith is in charge of Pittsburgh’s offense. Receivers need to block in Smith’s scheme. That said, Golden can line up at any receiver position. He has the ceiling of a future WR1 and is ready to be a day-one contributor. Pittsburgh would be thrilled to have Golden as a weapon for Justin Fields.
Emeka Egbuka – Ohio State
After capping off his excellent collegiate career with a national championship, Emeka Egbuka is another one of the Steelers top wide receiver prospects. While his ceiling isn’t quite as high as most of the other first-round receivers in this draft, Egbuka is about as pro ready as they come.
Egbuka’s bread and butter is his route running. He gets open effortlessly. Being able to consistently get open is one of the best traits a wide receiver prospect can have. Egbuka also has great hands, has a high motor, and is a high-character prospect. Given the Steelers recent troubles with their top wide receivers, a player with Egbuka’s maturity would be a welcome addition to the locker room. He is also a quality run blocker, which would serve him well in Smith’s offense.
One of Egbuka’s flaws is that he probably won’t line up anywhere like Golden will in the NFL. While Egbuka could get some snaps on the boundary, he will spend most of his time in the slot. He also doesn’t have the straight-line speed to reliably beat teams over the top. Egbuka might not have the highest ceiling in the class, but he is ready to contribute with his route running and YAC abilities right away.
Luther Burden III – Missouri
The third and final installment on the list, Luther Burden is the least likely of these wide receiver prospects to be available when the Steelers make their pick. Despite his 2024 season not being as productive as his 2023 campaign, Burden is still widely expected to be a top-20 pick.
Burden is a do-it-all kind of receiver. He’s a fine route runner, has the speed and ball-tracking abilities to succeed down the field, and can line up at multiple spots, including in the backfield. Burden would be a very fun receiver to pair with George Pickens in Pittsburgh’s offense. In that case, Burden would become more of an underneath, safety blanket kind of receiver. While he can certainly win over the top, Burden’s best work in college came as a YAC guy.
Main Photo Credit: Syndication: Palm Beach Post
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