2025 Steelers Curiosity Scores: Tight Finish

For a number of years now, I’ve stored a private operating spreadsheet in the course of the draft course of. The purpose was to be taught concerning the gamers via info gathering. I’ll share a visible and a few takeaways from the info factors I create annually, merely referred to as curiosity and athletic scores, with explanations to comply with.

As Dave Bryan and Alex Kozora focus on recurrently, the Steelers have a sort of participant they search for, and what the scores try to realize is seeing who checks lots of these bins, or vice versa. You’ll discover most of the inspirations for these scores come from their research of Pittsburgh’s draft developments over time, and have fared properly in who Pittsburgh has finally drafted.

Whereas there isn’t any good technique to predict the 2024 Steelers alternatives, I really feel nice about what the info factors measure and, after all, would love to listen to suggestions. Additionally, there may be solely a lot time within the day and extra issues I’d wish to measure, so I give attention to the essential and/or sensible decisions.

Now for extra clarification to how the scores come collectively. The most important level I need to make is this isn’t a giant board or spherical projection view, relatively making an attempt to pinpoint names the Steelers might choose no matter when they’re drafted. After I get a wholesome pool of names that I hear about or analysis, I start the scoring.

Curiosity Rating: Right here, I configured a factors system for the next vital components: school efficiency, physique kind, expertise, age, place, competitors stage, professional day attendance, pre-draft assembly(s), and Senior/Shrine Bowl invites/participation.

Athletic Rating: Merely 11 mix metrics, excluding wingspan, and whether or not or not they had been inside a threshold in every metric of any participant drafted at their place by the Steelers since 2013. Professional day numbers are solely included if the participant didn’t do the drill on the mix.

Clear as mud? Listed below are tight ends (TE) that had been mix invitations:

NOTE: When you don’t see a reputation, please ask, I’ve many extra non-combine gamers compiled however excluded them for a cleaner chart.

The highest curiosity rating is Pittsburgh’s Gavin Bartholomew (8.8), tied for thirty fourth in the complete draft class. Professional day attendance (Assistant GM Andy Weidl, TE coach Alfredo Roberts), age (21), expertise, mix assembly, and Senior Bowl are strengths. 2024 efficiency and physique kind had been decrease. 9 athletic, lacking the burden and arm size thresholds, true for a number of on this TE class. Lots inline snaps, and a few slot final yr. Day Three projection.

For context, Steelers TE Darnell Washington was chosen within the 2023 draft, and had a 9.6 curiosity (T-Fifteenth in that whole class) and ten athletic rating.

Second on this draft is Notre Dame’s Mitchell Evans (8.7). Excessive professional day attendance (HC Mike Tomlin, GM Omar Kahn, OC Arthur Smith), however a number of prospects Pittsburgh was doubtless eying. Measurement, age (22), expertise, casual mix assembly with Roberts, and Shrine Bowl are his greatest scores. Efficiency was a low mark. Ten athletic, lacking in arm size. Inline, slot, and a little bit of backfield alignment. Day Three prospect.

Third greatest is Clemson’s Jake Briningstool (8.1). Professional day attendance additionally (Tomlin, Smith), however lacked a dinner assembly that some teammates had. Age (22), expertise, casual mix assembly, and Senior Bowl are strengths. Efficiency and physique kind are decrease scores. 5 athletic, lacking in weight, arm size, hand dimension, and three DNPs (bench, shuttles). Comparable slot/inline snaps, barely extra of the previous. One other Day Three man.

Penn State’s Tyler Warren (8.0) lacked professional day attendance (scout) in comparison with the checklist thus far. Efficiency, physique kind, expertise, and formal mix assembly. Three athletic solely measured in, checking the peak, weight, and hand dimension thresholds, however lacking arm size. Primarily inline, with slot, and notable backfield snaps too—consensus first-rounder.

Just one TE landed within the seven-tier of curiosity scores: Alabama’s CJ Dippre (7.9). Professional day attendance (Tomlin, Kahn), dimension, age (21), expertise, and Senior Bowl are positives. Efficiency and lack of conferences on the opposite aspect of the coin. 9 athletic, lacking the arm size, and three-cone bins. Primarily, inline snaps. Day Three chance.

Gamers with decrease curiosity scores that met with Pittsburgh had been North Carolina’s Bryson Nesbit (5.2 curiosity, eight athletic) and Texas Tech’s Jalin Conyers (4.7, 9). Each had been casual mix conferences with Roberts. Doubtless late-round/undrafted candidates, emphasizing much less curiosity and want for the Steelers on the place.

Clearly, the TE place is sured up greater than different spots on Pittsburgh’s roster. The Steelers’ offense and OC Arthur Smith worth the place. In the event that they do choose one, the clues level to a late-round participant, doubtless one which Smith and/or Roberts had been concerned with. One factor’s for certain: I can’t wait to see the way it all pans out.

Do you assume Pittsburgh will draft one of many names listed above? Who’re a few of your favorites? Thanks for studying, and let me know your ideas within the feedback.