On Friday, the wide receivers took the podium at the 2019 NFL Combine, and with that came news that the Steelers had met or planned to meet with at least five of the top receivers in the draft class.
On Saturday, Arizona State’s N’Keal Henry was added to that list, giving Kevin Colbert and company a half dozen prime targets to track as they went through the workouts on Saturday.
Marquise Brown (Oklahoma) isn’t running, as he’s still recovering from foot surgery, but here’s the results from the workouts as the receivers took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.
40-YARD DASH
D.K. Metcalf 4.33 seconds*
Deebo Samuel 4.48 seconds*
A.J. Brown 4.49 seconds
N’Keal Harry 4.53 seconds
Riley Ridley 4.58 seconds*
*-unofficial time
VERTICAL JUMP
Riley Ridley 30.5 inches
A.J. Brown 36.5 inches
N’Keal Harry 38.5 inches
Deebo Samuel 39 inches
D.K. Metcalf 40.5 inches
BROAD JUMP
D.K. Metcalf 134 inches
Riley Ridley 124 inches
Deebo Samuel 122 inches
N’Keal Harry 122 inches
A.J. Brown 120 inches
3 CONE DRILL
Deebo Samuel 7.03 seconds
Riley Ridley 7.22 seconds
D.K. Metcalf 7.38 seconds
20-YARD SHUTTLE
Riley Ridley 4.28 seconds
D.K. Metcalf 4.50 seconds
BENCH PRESS
N’Keal Harry 27 reps
D.K. Metcalf 27 reps
A.J. Brown 19 reps
Deebo Samuel 15 reps
Riley Ridley 13 reps
ANALYSIS
It looks like the Steelers certainly have a type, as most of the receivers are big, physical, and with straight-line speed, a combination that is easily projectable as an outside deep threat at the NFL level. That’s interesting, because that’s not the kind of receiver Antonio Brown is at 5-foot-10 and more known for quickness than strength.
But speed trumps all at the receiver position, and Brown certainly has that. For comparison’s sake, he ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at his combine.
NEXT UP
The Steelers have or will also meet with a pair inside linebacker targets in LSU’s Devin White and Alabama’s Mack Wilson, according to Joe Rutter of the Tribune-Review.