Thursday’s “First Call” advances some late draft rumblings from Steelers headquarters. A potential Ravens trade may influence the Steelers’ draft options. And we are keeping an eye on a possible first-round playoff opponent for the Penguins.

Second-hand endorsement

This will make Poison singer Bret Michaels happy.

According to NFL Network personality — and former No. 1 overall pick David Carr — the Steelers have an interest in Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral.

One of Carr’s QB coaches while he was with the New York Giants was Mike Sullivan, who now holds that title with the Steelers.

Speaking on Dave Dameshek’s “Minus 3” podcast, Carr said he’s had a conversation with Sullivan, who expressed an interest in Corral.

Which about-to-be-drafted QB does Steelers QB coach Mike Sullivan like?@DCarr8 says...⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/JA4rXASImc

— Dave Dameshek (@Dameshek) April 27, 2022

Carr claimed he initially brought up the name of Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, but then Sullivan redirected the conversation to Corral.

“I just randomly threw out there, because I like Malik Willis, I’m like are you guys going to take Malik Willis, of course he’s not going to tell me,” Carr said. “He’s like ‘do you know who I actually like, I like the kid from Ole Miss, what’s wrong with him?’ “

Carr added, “He has a sneaky good arm and he’s a tough sucker, too.”

Carr went on to tell Dameshek that Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin told him Corral is the best quarterback he’s ever coached. Kiffin and Carr were roommates at Fresno State.

Of course, Sullivan didn’t necessarily say that the team liked Corral more than Willis or Pitt’s Kenny Pickett. Or even that he’d lobby for Corral over any of them. But it is something to keep in mind if Corral is chosen over either of those two or if he is still on the board in Round 2 if the Steelers go with another position in Round 1.

Late look

The Steelers may feel less inclined to go with a safety in Round 1 of the draft now that Terrell Edmunds has signed a new contract with the team. But if they want one later on, a new candidate is emerging.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network, Wisconsin safety Scott Nelson has caught their eye.

Wisconsin safety Scott Nelson (4.38, 39.5 vertical), a rising Day 3 draft target, had virtual meeting today with 49ers, per league source. Previously had Zooms with Bengals, Dolphins, Steelers, Chargers, Broncos, Texans; worked out privately for Lions, Packers

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 27, 2022

Nelson had 125 tackles, four interceptions, 15 pass breakups and 1.5 sacks during four years at Wisconsin.

If nothing else, perhaps he could be a contributor on special teams.

Ripple effect

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Baltimore Ravens are a team that may be interested in trading up in the first round of the draft.

The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec recently theorized that if Baltimore does trade up, the target may be Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

“The Ravens are always reluctant to part with draft picks, but if Thibodeaux is still there in the 8-10 range, it wouldn’t be surprising if DeCosta at least made a call to gauge the cost of moving up in the draft,” Zrebiec wrote Thursday.

That could be interesting for the Steelers because one player they could use is Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis. But many think if he is on the board at pick No. 14, the Ravens will select him.

Then again, if both Davis and Thibodeaux are on the board, they may lean toward the edge rusher.

Get ‘em at the right time

The Penguins may still play either the New York Rangers or Florida Panthers in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

If they wind up with the Rangers, the Penguins may actually be getting them at the right time. New York has now lost three games in a row. The team dropped a 4-3 decision to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. That was Montreal’s first win after losing nine in a row.

Defenseman Jeff Petry scored twice for the Habs. His second was the game-winner with 31 seconds remaining.

Petry en ajoute!

Petry adds another!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/goCDKFrEc0

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 28, 2022

Alexandar Georgiev was in goal for the Rangers Wednesday. Igor Shesterkin absorbed the previous losses against the Boston Bruins on Saturday (3-1) and the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday (4-3).

The Rangers finish their season Friday against the Washington Capitals. The Caps also play Thursday night against the New York Islanders. Both of those games are in New York. The Penguins finish their season Friday at home versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Penguins have 101 points, currently good for third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals have 100 in fourth place. The team that finishes with more points will play the Rangers. The team that finishes in fourth place will draw the Florida Panthers, who won the Eastern Conference’s regular-season crown with 120 points.

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