Early Thursday morning, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
In doing so, Pittsburgh is trading away its number one outside corner going back to his rookie year in 2023. Porter's length and physicality made him an ideal man corner for Pittsburgh who could match up against the league's best wide receivers.
With Porter gone, cornerback is going to have to become one of the Steelers' focuses when it comes to the 2027 NFL Draft.
Joey Porter Jr. trade creates a long-term hole for Steelers
Beyond Porter Jr., Pittsburgh has other questions in the cornerback room heading into 2027. Asante Samuel Jr., who has helped fill the void with Porter sidelined, is an unrestricted free agent. And Jalen Ramsey, who is playing the nickel for Pittsburgh, has no guaranteed money on his contract next year, making him a prime cut candidate.
2026 third-round pick Daylen Everette will hope to prove he is worthy of a starting spot over the course of his rookie year, but that remains to be seen.
With so much still unknown, Pittsburgh will once again have to look to the draft to bolster the position in 2027.
Steelers have a complicated NFL Draft history at cornerback
Historically, cornerback has been a difficult position for Pittsburgh to nail in the draft, and the Steelers haven't taken many swings. Since selecting Artie Burns in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh has used just five picks in the first three rounds on cornerbacks, with Burns and Porter being the only two selected within the first 32 picks.
Burns never fully developed and ended up with a long career as a special teamer. The same was true for 2019 third-round pick Justin Layne. Cameron Sutton, a third-round pick in 2017, was a role player and became a solid short-term starter, but after leaving in free agency in 2022, he ran into legal trouble. A brief return to Pittsburgh in 2023 was the last of his days in the NFL. Everette is the most recent selection.
Pittsburgh has taken another four cornerbacks on Day 3 in that span. Brian Allen and Trey Norwood stuck on the roster for just two seasons each, while Cory Trice and Donte Kent have struggled to find their way, in part because of injuries. Kent is still on Pittsburgh's PUP list.
For the cornerback position, this is a shockingly low investment number, especially at the top of the draft, with Burns as the only first-round pick during that span. Porter, of course, was technically a second-round pick despite being selected No. 32 overall. Everyone else was selected in the third round or later.
Everette notwithstanding, none of these players are current options for Pittsburgh in 2027. So Omar Khan and the Steelers front office might need to look to the draft to find their next CB1.
2027 NFL Draft could give Steelers another shot at finding a CB1
At this point in the process, there aren't a lot of slam-dunk first-round picks at corner in the upcoming draft, but there are several names Pittsburgh could consider in the top two rounds.
Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Obviously, Leonard Moore is the top cornerback in the class. The 6-foot-2, nearly 200-pound junior is already viewed as a potential top-10 pick in the draft.
Moore has all of the size, athleticism and skill traits a team could want in a corner. He's big and fast, with great IQ and technique, and can play in press-man coverage. That final point is key for Pittsburgh, since that is the type of player the Steelers are losing in Porter.
There isn't a team in the NFL Moore wouldn't be a fit for, and with a clear need at corner he should be on Pittsburgh's radar. The only question is whether the Steelers will be drafting high enough to take him.
Last year, the first corner taken was Mansoor Delane with the sixth overall pick. The 2027 class obviously has the wild-card quarterback situation, which could push Moore anywhere within the top 10.
Adding a consensus Day 1 number one cornerback to an already veteran and expensive defense would be well worth the high draft pick for Pittsburgh.
Ashton Hampton, Clemson
Ashton Hampton is another first-round cornerback candidate who could work his way further up draft boards during the 2026 season. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior is an interesting target for Pittsburgh for multiple reasons.
Number one is the size. Pittsburgh, even without Mike Tomlin, has targeted taller corners to play man on the outside. Everette and veteran Jamel Dean, whom Pittsburgh signed just this offseason, are both 6-foot-1.
So Hampton has the size Pittsburgh is looking for, but he also has the physicality. He's regarded as a very physical corner when the ball is in play as a tackler - either against receivers at the catch point or in the run game. This will definitely endear him to the Pittsburgh decision-makers.
And finally, Hampton has shown some ball skills during his time in college with 21 passes defended and four interceptions.
A tall, physical, playmaking prospect Pittsburgh could potentially target later in the first round, Hampton should definitely be on the Steelers' radar come draft season.
Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
Kelley Jones is a 6'4, 205-pound prospect out of Mississippi State. So we can check off the height. He's also an explosive athlete, drawing the easy comparison to Riq Woolen, who came out in the 2022 draft.
Jones was more raw entering college as a cornerback, so he's taken time to develop. But as a full-time starter last year he had 11 passes defended, two interceptions, and was named to the All-SEC third team.
Jones is still a developmental player, but he can use the 2026 season to play his way up boards. Right now, Pittsburgh could see him as a potential second-round option if the Steelers bypass cornerback in the first round. But they might not be able to do that for long.
With his size, speed, increasing production and experience, Jones could play his way into being taken on Day 1 of the draft. But these qualities should give Pittsburgh all the more reason to consider him.
It looked like Joey Porter Jr.'s time in Pittsburgh could become a storybook tale. Between following in his father's footsteps, falling to the Steelers at pick No. 32 and Pittsburgh somehow owning that selection because of the Chase Claypool trade, everything seemed to line up.
But that's the NFL. It rarely includes storybook endings.
Now, Pittsburgh could find itself looking for its next answer at cornerback, and the 2027 NFL Draft may be where the Steelers find it.
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