On a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has struggled mightily over the past two weeks, one defender has stood out—CB Cory Trice Jr.
The second-year corner—drafted out of Purdue University with the 243rd pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft—saw his draft stock plummet after teams were worried about his injury history.
To make matters worse, before Trice could prove to the NFL that teams made a mistake letting him fall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round, he tore his ACL during training camp in 2023, ending his rookie season before it even began.
An injury that forced starting CB Joey Porter Jr. to miss Week 17’s contest against the Kansas City Chiefs put a tremendous amount of pressure on Trice, and the young CB delivered.
PFF paid respect to Trice’s elite play—which saw the CB allow only two receptions for 12 yards—with an impressive grade of 90.1, the second highest among all Steelers defenders in Week 17.
Trice could provide the Steelers with an affordable option at corner if the team moves on from CB Donte Jackson in the 2025 offseason.
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