The Steelers still need to sign a free agent safety as the starter for the 2022 team to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick in the secondary.
Terrell Edmunds still being available along with options like Tyrann Mathieu and Landon Collins would make for interesting additions, but wouldn't preclude management from adding a young star safety on the first and second rounds of the NFL Draft. Even if a veteran signs a free agent contract to stay around for another two-to-three years, having a young talent under a rookie contract who could make for an athletic safety combination for the next several years with Fitzpatrick.
There are four clear top options at safety in this year's NFL Draft class who look like prospects who could contribute immediately to NFL teams. The clear top prospect of the class is Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton, who some experts like ESPN's Todd McShay have ranked as the top overall prospect of the class. Behind him is a mix of three different styles of safeties in Georgia's Lewis Cine, Michigan's Daxton Hill, and Penn State's Jaquan Brisker.
Any one of these prospects would be a welcomed addition to the Steelers' secondary and if teamed up with Fitzpatrick and another veteran safety signed in free agency, could quickly adapt to being starting safety for the Steelers in the coming years. But finding the right one of the group will be tricky while the Steelers look at quarterbacks, cornerbacks, wide receivers and defensive linemen in the early rounds.
Hamilton is the only prospect of the group who the Steelers would have to trade up to get. He's projected by some to get picked in the top ten, and others even in the top five. But his 4.59 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine caused some to doubt his athleticism in his transition to the NFL, which has caused a drop in his perceived value. While that time ranked last among safeties at the combine this year, Hamilton's playmaker abilities on the field are unmatched in this class. His eight interceptions over three seasons at Notre Dame are more than either of the three safeties in the tier beneath him of this class.
At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Hamilton has the size to compete with any receiver and tight end. But what stands out about him is his production on tape. Hamilton displays elite-level instincts with how to play different situations, read opposing quarterbacks, and make big plays for his defense. Watch this play he made while covering the opposite half of the field, reacting to Florida State's quarterback rollout, and then snagging an interception on the opposite sideline:
Those are the types of plays he makes that seemed almost expected because of how often he would be around the ball.
Despite any drawbacks of Hamilton's lack of raw speed, he's still a player that should be expected to be picked no later than the Vikings' 12th overall pick of the NFL Draft. If the Steelers hope to add Hamilton, it would require a trade-up much like they did for Troy Polamalu back in 2003. Hamilton appears to be a safety who has the potential to be of that caliber, and could be worth it as a strong safety option with Fitzpatrick. Adding him would give the Steelers a second potential X-factor playmaker at safety paired with Fitzpatrick.
Hamilton would be under his rookie contract for the next five seasons, which would mean the Steelers wouldn't have to make a long term financial commitment to him until Fitzpatrick was 30 years old. Financially, a deal like that to potentially give the Steelers the best safety pair in the NFL would be ideal and then give the Steelers Hamilton on his first veteran contract to carry on when Fitzpatrick might fade out of his prime. And by that time, Hamilton himself will be 25 years old himself, adding his age of 20 coming out of Notre Dame as another asset to picking him.
But again, the cost of doing that could be too steep for the Steelers in a year they need to address several other positions.
Each of the safeties in the tier below Hamilton should be available to be selected by the Steelers without any trade-up from their 20th overall spot. Cine is an ideal fit at strong safety as a hard-hitting fast option with good size. Combine his 6-foot-2, 199-pound frame with his 4.37 time from the 40-yard dash and you have a dangerous combination of a safety who was part of the national championship Georgia team.
If you want to see how Cine uses his athleticism and explosiveness to deliver a big hit on Alabama's running back in the national championship. You'll see him flying up from the secondary in the later part of the play:
Despite linebacker Quay Walker also being in range, that hit was all on Cine. And he does that often.
Cine doesn't have many interceptions with only two over his three years with Georgia, but he had nine pass breakups in his junior season during 2021. Cine doesn't have the top tier instincts of Hamilton, but he does know how to play textbook coverage as a safety from different angles. Watch how he closed on his man against Clemson coming out of the slot. You can see him keep the passing window tight for the ball to fit, then him make a play on the ball to break up the pass:
Cine isn't the most adept at ball skills in coverage of this class, but he's got enough ball skills to combine with his athleticism to make him an ideal physical strong safety in the NFL.
Hill, however, is a bit different in his skillset. He's more a rangy free safety who can also double as a slot cornerback and plays the ball very well. Hill has four interceptions and 15 passes broken up in his three years with Michigan. He also floated between man-to-man coverage over the middle pretty regularly while also being comfortable in zone coverage as a safety who roamed and read the quarterback.
Watch this play when he locked onto his man for the entire route, was in comfortable position to attack the ball and tip it away. He even stuck with the pass after his initial bat of the ball to ensure the interception to finish the play:
The Steelers could use a versatile safety who could also play in the slot with Hill's kind of ball skills. Hill would not only fit that bill, but also well-sized prospect at 6-foot-0, 191 pounds. with great speed with his 4.38 second time in the 40-yard dash. He also ran the shuttle drill in 4.06 seconds, which was the best on his class, and displayed his proficient ability to change direction quickly and get to top speed.
While a less physical safety than Cine, Hill as a prospect would offer a different variety of skills to help the Steelers in coverage.
Brisker is a solid mix of both skillsets between Cine and Hill. He's shown better examples of ball skills than Cine, but not as much as Hill, while also being a better tackler than Hill while not being able to have Cine's stopping power.
Still, Brisker is another prospect worthy of the Steelers' attention for being a contributor at safety sooner rather than later. Brisker ran a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash and boasts a 6-foot-1, 199-pound frame. He recorded five interceptions and 14 passes defensed over his three years with Penn State and showed very good instincts in reading quarterbacks and reacting to various passing concepts.
Watch this crucial interception he made to help save Penn State against Wisconsin. You can see him come up from his deeper starting position on the play, waited for the pass to come over the middle and finished with a good interception and a return that gave Penn State's offense space to breathe:
Brisker is another player who could be an interesting prospect to pair with Fitzpatrick.
Each of the top four prospects are younger players Hamilton at 20, Hill at 21, with both Cine and Brisker at 22. In a year with strong, athletic safety options who show either special ball skills to create turnovers or the propensity to be a major asset in run defense. Either way, adding one of these prospects as a partner for Fitzpatrick would have the potential to give Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin a dangerous safety combination along with which ever free agent they sign.
While the Steelers will have to trade up for Hamilton, each of the other prospects may even be around towards the end of the first round and could be reason for the Steelers to consider trading back to pick up additional picks in the earlier rounds. If that happens, it may be the key or the Steelers finding a new safety, defensive lineman and a wide receiver in the first two rounds.
