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Pat Narduzzi says Steelers will have to trade up to get Trae Waynes

Former Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi knows Trae Waynes. Now the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, he's close enough to the Steelers to be bluntly honest.

By Jeff.Hartman
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Everything the Steelers won't want to do is what it will cost to move up to select Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes.

According to Waynes' defensive coordinator at MSU, current Pitt Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi, the Steelers will have to move up higher than the 22nd pick in order to land the talented cornerback.

Narduzzi spoke with the media for a bit after Pitt's Pro Day Tuesday, and left having earned the quote of the day.

Waynes is an excellent cornerback prospect and one that may not last past the top 15 in April's draft. The Steelers hold the 22nd pick and won't likely feel the trove of picks they'd need to move up eight to 10 spots would be worth it.

If he makes it somewhere right around 15 and above, maybe it's a different story. The Steelers do not trade up often, but have done so in the past. They landed Troy Polamalu in 2003 via a trade up with Kansas City, and moved ahead to grab Santonio Holmes in 2006, scoring a deal with the Giants.

The Steelers attempted to trade up from 24 to 16 with the Jets to get David DeCastro in 2012. Fortunately, that trade didn't go down.

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