The Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting English offensive tackle prospect Travis Clayton on a pre-draft visit. Clayton reportedly at four other visits, and came up as a boxer. He worked out at USF pro day, running a 4.79 40-yard dash and having over 35-inch arms. Clayton is one of 18 players in the International Pathway Program.
Coming in at 6-foot-7, 301 pounds, Clayton has a fascinating build for his size. With elite athleticism, the team is taking a chance on developing Clayton into a special player if they select him. The most successful tackle to come out of this mold is Jordan Mailta, who the Steelers were interested in when he came in through the same means. Now, Mailata is one of the best tackles in football.
Mailata, 27, has blossomed into one of the best offensive tackles in the league after being selected by the Eagles in the seventh round (233rd overall) in 2018. Mailata will now make $22 million per season. Not bad for someone who didn’t even play college football.
Clayton could have a similar path to be considered late in the class. The Steelers’ bringing him in for a visit says they are legitimately interested in the prospects he brings to the table as a player. Clayton rounded out his testing at USF pro day by putting up a 26-inch vertical and putting up 19 reps on the bench press. With those long arms, that is a strong number, too.
He is an upside swing, but with that type of athleticism, the team could stand to take a shot on him and try to develop him into a top talent in the NFL. In addition to Clayton, Michigan inside linebacker Junior Colson and Penn State Hunter Nourzad are both visiting the team. Wednesday is the final day for pre-draft visitors for the Steelers, who now have used up all 30 visits.
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