Steelers have 2 cornerbacks in the NFL’s Top 32 for 2025 according to PFF
As the 2025 NFL offseason progresses into the summer months, there will constantly be a barrage of lists and rankings from various outlets. While some fans will have preferred places where they look for particular rankings, others will just avoid the information altogether.
Over the next two weeks, I will be reporting on the members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who landed in the top 32 players at various positions according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). I know there are many who like to criticize PFF rankings, with me being one of them, it doesn’t mean that their information is always incorrect. While they used rankings for some of their reasoning in placing the players on these list, it was not their ultimate deciding factor and instead was the opinion of the various authors depending on which position group was being covered.
Whenever I cover various things from PFF, I often give the disclaimer reminding people that their grades are merely an opinion. One thing PFF should be commended on is that they collect an immense amount of data, particularly looking at each player on every snap, in order to form their opinion. But more data doesn’t automatically deliver a correct opinion. Regardless, it is still a great point of discussion to see where the Pittsburgh Steelers rank and the various positional groups.
Next up, let’s look at PFF’s rankings at the cornerback position where the Steelers have two players in the top 32.
21. Darius Slay, Pittsburgh Steelers
Slay bounced back from a poor 2023 season (65.4 PFF coverage grade, 83rd in PFF advanced coverage grade) with a 75.5 PFF coverage grade and a 17th-ranked PFF advanced coverage grade. The 34-year-old Slay’s best days are behind him, but as his 2022 and 2024 seasons showed, he still has great play left in the tank.
Although many Steelers fans look at Joey Porter Jr. as the team’s CB1, it’s newly acquired Darius Slay that lands higher on the list. After spending the last five years in Philadelphia, Slay joins the Steelers in the hopes of being a significant upgrade over Donte Jackson. While many Steelers fans have shrugged off this signing, mainly because they still feel burnt by the aging Patrick Peterson experience, Darius Slay could be a huge piece in the Steelers defense in 2025.
As for Joey Porter, he was not far behind on the list…
26. Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Porter’s 56.3 PFF coverage grade in 2024 doesn’t look great, but his PFF advanced coverage grade is much better (21st across the past two seasons). Better on-ball production may be coming for the former first-round pick.
It’s important to remember that Joey Porter Jr. has not received very much love from PFF through his first two seasons. Still, having another solid cornerback across the field from him is likely going to help matters.
When looking at other players on the list, particularly cornerbacks in the AFC North, the top cornerback was Marlon Humphrey of the Baltimore Ravens who came in 7th. Additionally, newly signed Raven Jaire Alexander was 9th on the list, but this was prior to him being released from the Green Bay Packers. PFF has always shown a lot of love for Alexander, regardless of him failing to see the field very often over the last several seasons. It’s unclear if he would pull the same ranking as a part of the Ravens and uncertainty with his role at this time.
There was one other player in the AFC North who landed in the top 10 of the cornerbacks list in Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns. Otherwise, there was no other player from any AFC North teams with the Bengals not being represented at all.
Other position groups covered:
Center
Edge Rusher
Tight End
Interior Defensive Line
Wide Receiver
Linebacker
Guard & Tackle
