The wide receiver position has been a major need for the Steelers for nearly a calendar year. Ever since they traded Diontae Johnson last March to the Panthers, there's been a major void next to George Pickens.

While free agency and trade candidates are one way the team will likely address the position, this year's draft class has some very intriguing names.

This crop of receivers doesn't have the star power as some previous classes. However, there are about a dozen players that'll be available through the first two days of the draft who could all still give the room some extra juice.

Leading the way of the group, and perhaps the receiver most tied to the Steelers, is Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka. He's currently projected to potentially be in Pittsburgh's range at 21st overall, though there's a very good chance he's taken prior. 

That isn't deterring the Steelers from getting to know him. Egbuka formally met with the Steelers this week at the Combine, meaning he met with Mike Tomlin, who he called an "amazing guy."

Should Egbuka be available at No. 21, the Steelers could be adding a legitimate talent to the receiver room. While he's primarily played in the slot at Ohio State, he's got the size at 6-1, 205 pounds to play outside. He's a polished route runner who knows how to manipulate zone coverage, giving the quarterback an easy target to throw to consistently. He's also very smart. His high football IQ comes naturally, but also from being an admitted perfectionist regarding every detail of his game.

Egbuka comes from a program that's been a wide receiver factory. The likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Chris Olave all left Ohio State within the last three years. Those are some great receivers to play alongside and compete with throughout a college career.

"It's hard not to learn from those guys," Egbuka said. "Just being in the room, all the time with them."

Texas' Matthew Golden is another potential first-round option with whom the Steelers and Tomlin formally met.

"(Tomlin)'s cool. He's a great dude. That coaching staff is tremendous," Golden said. "When I went in there, we didn't talk a lot of ball. They just wanted to get to know me as a player off the field. I just let them know my story. That's where it went."

That's typically the Steelers' strategy throughout the Combine process. They've already done their homework on the player. They want to get to know the person. That helps with getting a better feel for things such as how well a player will take to coaching and contextualize any character concerns.

Golden is a versatile receiver that can line up anywhere on the field. He isn't the most polished route runner, but his start-stop ability helps him produce at all three levels. He's also very good in making contested catches downfield and takes a lot of pride in how he prepares for opponents and critical moments:

"Just understanding who we're playing that week. What type of defense they're like. If their corners are physical. I try to do that every day. Get as much film in as I can. When I prepare the right way, it allows me to go out there and play fast."

Golden also said one thing Friday that will make the Steelers, a run-first team, very happy.

"I also like to be in the run game," he said. "I take a lot of pride in blocking."

Of course, the first round isn't the only place the Steelers can find a receiver. They've had meetings with Stanford's Elic Ayomanor, TCU's Jack Bech, Miami (FL)'s Xavier Restrepo, TCU's Savion Williams, Ole Miss' Tre Harris and Colorado State's Tory Horton. 

Williams is a big-bodied receiver, standing 6-5 and weighting 225 pounds, and screams versatility. He's a former high school quarterback that transitioned to receiver and helped run the wildcat for the Horned Frogs. 

Bech catches anything thrown his way. He was one of four receivers across the FBS and FCS to have at least 1,000 receiving yards and only one drop. Those hands showed up at the Senior Bowl, where he stood out during practices and was named the game's most valuable player.

Even guys who the Steelers haven't met with yet can be interesting. Golden's teammate at Texas, Isaiah Bond, made a declaration for the receiver workouts taking place on Saturday.

"I'm going to break the record tomorrow, for sure," Bond said of the 40-yard dash. "I anticipate running 4.20 or possibly, if I'm feeling great, I might run a 4.1."

Kansas City's Xavier Worthy, who also played at Texas, set the record at the Combine with a 4.21 40-yard dash. While he wasn't a star, he absolutely became a dangerous weapon in the Chiefs' offense. There's no substitute for elite speed.

The Steelers shouldn't solely rely on the draft to add a receiver to the room. Free agency or the trade market need to be part of that strategy, and that's what the team plans to do. However, while it's not a class that boasts a surefire future All-Pro, there are enough good players that can upgrade the room in Pittsburgh.