NFL legend’s son named as potential draft option for Steelers.
Over the years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have done an admirable job at drafting wide receivers.
Since the late 1990s, the franchise has seen Pro Bowlers after Pro Bowlers come and go.
They have maintained their success in recent years.
The Steelers’ current wide receiver depth chart features Diontae Johnson, a former Pro Bowler, and George Pickens, who has 1140 yards this season. Both were drafted by the Steelers.
This year, they could try to build on that success with the son of an NFL star, as Jerry Rice’s son, Brenden Rice, is in the 2024 draft class.
Even with two good receivers in Johnson and Pickens, they may find themselves hunting for another receiver during the draft.
Despite making it through the first round of cuts, Allen Robinson is unlikely to remain on the roster for long.
This will leave the team seeking for a third receiver.
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic compiled a big board for each of the Steelers’ first three picks in the 2024 draft.
Round three’s large board includes rice.
Brenden Rice’s College Production
Rice wasn’t the collegiate star his father was, but he was able to carve out a solid role for himself by the end of his college career.
He struggled to make an impression at Colorado during his first two seasons of college. In two seasons with the Buffaloes, he only caught 27 passes for 419 yards.
That prompted him to transfer to USC and join forces with the expected top choice in this year’s NFL Draft.
He soon established rapport with Caleb Williams. Rice caught 39 passes for 611 yards and four touchdowns during his first season with the Trojans.
He went on to have an even stronger senior season. Rice had 45 catches for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023, since Jordan Addison was no longer available to hog targets.
That growth in college, combined with his solid stature and legendary pedigree, has made him an intriguing possibility heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.
Do the Steelers Really Need a Receiver That Early?
For most NFL clubs, Johnson and Pickens would be enough to convince them not to pursue a receiver early in the selection.
The Steelers are unlike most teams.
They have a history of being reticent to pay receivers once their rookie contracts expire. Mike Wallace left Pittsburgh after four years to join the Dolphins. Emmanuel Sanders traveled to Denver.
They only gave Juju Smith-Schuster a one-year contract after his rookie contract expired. Even Johnson received only two years from the Steelers on his second contract.
Johnson’s contract just has one year left on it. There is no guarantee that they will be willing to spend whatever it takes to keep him around.
With that in mind, the Steelers should consider drafting a receiver with upside in the middle rounds to be the WR3 in 2024, and then maybe replacing Johnson in 2025.
If that’s the path they decide to go, they couldn’t do much worse than draft the son of the greatest receiver in league history with their third-round pick.
