The Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting Oregon guard Steven Jones for a pre-draft visit on Thursday. Jones is the first known guard to be coming in for one of the 30 visits the team will have before the NFL Draft. It now seems likely that Pittsburgh could at least draft a guard late in the class.
Jones joins Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey and Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins on a pre-draft visit. Part of the 2018 recruiting class, Jones spent six seasons at Oregon and will be a massive guard if they select him. He came in at 6-foot-5, 340 pounds, and that type of build certainly lends itself to the run-mauling mentality that the team has looked for in the position.
Jones has played on the offensive line, including at left tackle. So, his versatility could certainly be a draw that the Steelers like in his game. He started all last season at right guard for the team, helping guide a top Oregon offensive line to a prolific season with the weapons around him.
Jones moves well for his size, and surprisingly, someone who moves like he does has not received any more hype. Either way, his testing at Oregon pro day left some things to be desired, but he is a massive player. His numbers, per Ducks Wire were as follows:
Vertical Jump: 21-inch
Broad Jump: 7-feet-9-inches
40-Yard Dash: 5.43
Bench Press: 23 reps
He is a strong player, so that is not surprising. Jones measured in with 34 5/8-inch arms, which would mean he could probably stick there even though he played on the interior, with experience at both tackle spots. That is well within the range that the Steelers look for in their tackles, too.