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2024 NFL Draft

Steelers Attend Illinois Pro Day to Scout Possible First Round Pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers were at Illinois pro day to see explosive Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton and others.

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2 months ago

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Illinois DT Jer'Zhan Newton

Pittsburgh Steelers director of college scouting Mark Sadowski attended Illinois pro day on Friday, Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot first noticed. Of course, this was headlined by defensive lineman Johnny Newton, but he did not work out because of a fracture in his foot.

For Sadowski, this is the last stop of the week on a tour of the midwest, where he attended Indiana, Purdue, and Northwestern pro days on the circuit.

But Illinois still has plenty of others to look out for from their team this season. For one, fellow defensive lineman Keith Randolph is a strong mid-round option to look at as a target. Randolph tested at the NFL Combine and was at the Senior Bowl and was largely an average athlete across the board at 6-foot-3, 296 pounds. But his tape and Senior Bowl were good enough to make him pop as a mid-round prospect on day three.

Meanwhile, tight end Tip Reiman lit up the NFL Combine, posting one of the best Relative Athletic Scores (RAS) of the entire bunch. He ran a 4.64 at 271 pounds in Indianapolis, making him one of the most athletic tight ends in the entire class.

There are two offensive linemen from Illinois. Offensive tackles Isaiah Adams and Julian Pearl. Pearl is injured and did not workout, while Adams might profile more as an interior offensive linemen at the next level.

But for potential Steelers targets, the wide receivers might be the ones to truly focus in on. Wide receiver Isaiah Williams showed out in Frisco at the Shrine Bowl. Just 5-foot-9 and only running a 4.57 40-yard dash, Williams makes up for it with excellent explosiveness and agility. He profiles as a prototypical slot receiver at the next level.

Lastly, another receiver to watch was Casey Washington. He also was at the Shrine Bowl, and while he did not make as much noise there, he did make some noise at his pro day. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash with a 39.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-7-inch broad jump that turned heads.

So, that is the run down from Illinois Pro Day. There has been no major stop yet on the trail, and Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan have yet to pop up. Expect that to all change on Monday, more than likely. Oregon, Oklahoma, and South Carolina are all holding their pro days, and the interest in Jackson Powers-Johnson and Tyler Guyton is key ones to watch.

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