Steelers All 90: Hard Work Recipe for Cory Trice after Draft Slide

The Pittsburgh Steelers felt like they got a steal when they drafted Cory Trice in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Some draft boards had Trice going as early as the third round but eventually fell to the seventh round due to medical concerns surrounding the 23-year-old cornerback.

Trice’s official medical examinations were not released but it is public knowledge that he had a history of leg injuries prior to the Steelers drafting him. Trice broke his ankle during his senior year of high school and then in 2021 at Purdue, Trice suffered a high ankle sprain and then tore his ACL during that same season.

Trice returned to action last year and played in all 13 games but a knee brace hindered his production.

Now that Trice is healthy again, he is already impressing the coaches and his fellow teammates on the practice field. With a three-pass breakup and one interception day at the team’s OTAs, Trice stated that the love that he felt from his teammates goes to show how good of a culture the Steelers have.

“This all, right here, it feels good,” Trice said. “Just seeing the guys be happy for me. Seeing everybody have the same goal and just to win and get better every day. Definitely a good culture around here, and I’m just to build to it and get better.”

Even with his early success, he stated that he is just taking each day as it comes and is working diligently to improve on the field and through the film room.

“We’re just taking it day by day, rep by rep, and trying to get better every day,” Trice said. “The first thing for me is really just retaining information from the film room, so when I go out to the field, as soon as I go out there, as long as I know my job, I just try to go out there and make plays.”

Trice enters the league with another Big Ten cornerback that is similar in size and how they play the game, Joey Porter Jr. The benefit for Steelers defensive backs coach, Grady Brown, is that he can work with Trice and Porter at the same time due to them both playing outside cornerback. While it helps Brown, Trice is focused on himself and all of the ways that he can improve individually.

“It is (nice), but I just try to focus on my craft and focus on getting better every day,” Trice said. “(Coach Brown) loves my press technique, so I’m just trying to better that every day, learn the scheme, and play as hard as I can.”

Even though Trice is a seventh-round draft pick, he is likely to make the team’s final roster due to the potential that he has. While Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, and Porter will all be above him on the team’s depth chart, Trice will have the edge to make the team’s final roster over guys such as Luq Barcoo and Madre Harper.

27 • Cory Trice, Cornerback, Purdue
6-foot-3, 215 pounds, 23 years old, 1st Season

Acquired: The Steelers drafted Trice with the 241st pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft after he fell down draft boards due to pre-draft medical concerns.

Last season: Trice bounced back in 2022 after a torn ACL ended his previous season early. He played in all 13 games for Purdue and tallied 34 tackles, two interceptions, a career-high 12 passes defended, and two tackles for loss. His pick-six against the Indiana Hoosiers helped seal the Big Ten West title outright for the Boilermakers.

Following the season, the league’s coaches named Trice an honorable mention All-Big Ten nominee.

Purdue cornerback Cory Trice (23) celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers on Nov. 26, 2023.

College: Originally from Kentucky, Trice committed to the University of Purdue to continue his football career. As a freshman in 2o18, Trice appeared in three games for the Boilermakers and recorded one tackle against Minnesota. Due to his limited playing time, Trice preserved his red shirt.

As a redshirt freshman, Trice appeared in 11 games for Purdue and notched five starts at cornerback. On the season, Trice recorded 35 combined tackles, three interceptions, four defended passes, and one tackle for loss. His three interceptions led the Boilermakers in 2019. In a game against Maryland, Trice hauled in two of his three interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.

Purdue cornerback Cory Trice lines up before a play.

During the shortened COVID season in 2020, Trice started all six of Purdue’s games and tallied 31 tackles, two defended passes, and one tackle for loss. In 2021, Trice started the first two games of the season before suffering a torn ACL that ended his season. Through the first two games, Trice tallied four tackles and two passes defended.

Over his five-year career at Purdue, Trice played in 34 games and logged 24 starts in the Boilermakers’ secondary. He finished his collegiate career with 105 total tackles, five interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, 20 passes defended, and four tackles for loss.

Salary cap and future: Trice is entering the first year of his standard four-year rookie contract with the Steelers. In 2023, Trice will cost $771,109 against the team’s cap space. His cap hit includes a base salary of $750,000 and $21,109 in bonus money.

Trice is signed with the team through the end of the 2026 season when he will become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

The rest of the 90: