The USFL is now over after the Birmingham Stallions knocked off the Pittsburgh Maulers in the championship game. So, some will start to join NFL teams, and that includes the Steelers. Who are some of the players that could strike the interest of Pittsburgh in the USFL?
LB Kyahva Tezino, Maulers
Everyone talks about Reuben Foster as a potential guy that the Steelers should go after. Well, that is not a bad idea, but I think the guy who plays next to him deserves some love. Kyahva Tezino was an unsung hero and the leader of a Maulers defense that was the league’s best. Coming out of San Diego State, there were some coverage concerns, but that is where he excelled this year with the Maulers.
Tezino ranked 2nd in tackles and tackles for loss that included 13 tackles in the championship game. There’s a lot to like about Tezino’s game. I still think the Steelers need to foster a bit more competition at that position, even after adding Nick Kwiatkoski. Tezino could be an intriguing add to the roster that I think could make a really solid addition to the lower part of this roster.
EDGE JoJo Tillery, Stallions
I put a lot of stock into guys that affect the game in more than just the usual way as an edge rusher. Sacks are great, but pressures can often lead to the really impactful plays. Just ask T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, or anyone that is an elite edge rusher. Finishing is a skill, but I value guys that simply know how to make the quarterback feel them and create significant problems for those guys.
Enter JoJo Tillery, who does just that. Against the Maulers, he had the game-clinching sack but I can’t tell you how many times I saw him collapse the pocket and make the quarterback uncomfortable. It was a frankly dominant performance and most of his USFL tape backs this up. He’s a small-school guy out of Wofford, but I think Tillery really has something that is intriguing to him.
C Jake Lacina, Generals
One player that stuck out in a good way was Generals center Jake Lacina. He did not surrender a sack the entire season and the tape shows a center that has prototypical NFL size and length. Lacina is a small school guy who caught on with the Vikings for a short while, but never fully entrenched himself there. There could be something there to a guy who has good mobility, a solid anchor, and quick hands.
The Steelers might need a guy who could come in and compete at backup center. Lacina seems like a guy who has some extra seasoning on him at the age of 26 and could really push for a potential spot there for Pittsburgh. It would not surprise if they circle around and went after him.
RB Reggie Corbin, Panthers
The only other spot I can think that’s not on this list that could pop the eye for the Steelers would be the running back position. There are some guys, like Wes Hills, that I like a lot. But Reggie Corbin of the Panthers is a guy that fits what they could be looking for in that spot. Corbin is a home run hitter with truly elite speed that can help in the return game as well.
If they want to spruce up that spot, maybe they look to round it out with someone different. However, it seems they want some serious speed with the competition they have added. Corbin has that in spades and his tape shows a guy who got better from his time at Illinois to now.