Steelers conduct top-30 visit with Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins

Despite acquiring DK Metcalf to be their top wide receiver, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to explore the position in advance of the NFL Draft in April.

On Monday, the Steelers hosted Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins on a top-30 visit to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Higgins is the second receiver to visit the Steelers in recent days, following TCU’s Savion Williams on Friday.

Higgins also met with the Steelers at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Like Metcalf, Higgins is a big target, measuring 6-foot-4 and weighing 214 pounds. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds and he had a 39-inch vertical jump. He is considered a second-day draft pick.

Higgins had a breakout final season at Iowa State in 2024 when he finished 10th nationally with 87 receptions. He totaled 1,183 receiving yards and averaged 13.6 yards per catch. He also led the Cyclones with nine receiving touchdowns in 13 games.

“I think the biggest thing is just when the ball’s in the air, go and make plays,” Higgins said at the combine. “That’s the biggest thing, being big, just using your size, using your strength and just going out there and dominating.”

As a junior in 2023, Higgins caught 53 passes for a team-leading 983 yards. He averaged 18.5 yards per catch and had six touchdowns.

Higgins spent two years at Eastern Kentucky before transferring.

During the weeks leading up to the draft, each team is allotted 30 official visits from draft prospects to its facility (with some exceptions made for “local” players).

A list of the previous visitors to the Steelers:

March 14: Williams; Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson; Iowa DT Yahya Black

March 6: Louisville QB Tyler Shough; Mississippi DT J.J. Pegues; WVU OL Wyatt Milum**

** Denotes local visit.