NFL Network Draft Analyst Thinks Steelers Should Target LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.

As of right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bottom-tier wide receiver corps. Diontae Johnson departing to the Carolina Panthers via a trade last month has really hampered the group, especially since the Steelers did not find a comparable replacement in free agency. Luckily for the Steelers, this is a deep wide receiver draft class.

NFL Network draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks had an in-depth discussion on the Steelers’ wide receivers situation on their latest episode of Move The Sticks. Jeremiah thinks it’s imperative that the Steelers scoop up a blue chip prospect at receiver in the draft.

“There’s not enough here,” Jeremiah said. “There is not enough firepower, especially in the AFC that’s as stacked as it is. I don’t know if it’s at 20, we’ve been talking about offensive line for them potentially at 20. Maybe they go another direction. They need some impact. They need an impact wide receiver, man. Bad.”

After hearing Jeremiah’s remarks, Brooks threw out a name that certainly would give the Steelers wide receivers room a spark and a legit talent to pair with George Pickens. None other than LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

“So what I’m hearing is you’re saying you wanna try out Brian Thomas Jr. and George Pickens,” Brooks said. “What did Russell have when he was at his best, right? So the you look at, oh, he had a long receiver like D.K. Metcalf when he was throwing those deep balls. So maybe that is the way the Steelers go, saying, we’ll get outside. We can come come back and get an interior blocker, a tackle or whatever in the second round and be able to do it.”

Thomas is considered by most to the No. 4 wide receiver in this year’s draft class and should be taken right around when the Steelers draft at No. 20 in the first round. The Steelers had a formal interview at the 2024 NFL Combine with Thomas, but Steelers general manager Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin skipped his pro day, which suggests that their interest in him may have cooled. The Steelers had scouts at the LSU pro day, however.

Thomas’ height, weight, and speed combination allows him to win on the outside and vertically, but more than anything, he is a guy who gives 100 percent on every play. Even though the profile reads like Pickens, he is different than him, too. Thomas has some Matravis Bryant traits in his game.