Steelers' Team Needs to Fill in 2024 NFL Draft
Change is coming to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. Head coach Mike Tomlin is still in charge, but Pittsburgh made some major moves in early free agency that have transformed the roster dramatically.
The Steelers jettisoned 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett and signed Russell Wilson to be their new starting quarterback. Pittsburgh also traded for Justin Fields, making Fields the new developmental signal-caller on the roster.
Pittsburgh also signed the likes of Patrick Queen and Van Jefferson while cutting Patrick Peterson and trading away receiver Diontae Johnson.
On paper, the Steelers roster looks more complete than it did a year ago, but needs remain. Pittsburgh has seven total draft selections with which to work, including the 20th overall pick.
Here, we'll dive into the Steelers' biggest remaining needs and some top draft prospects to consider in the coming weeks.
Center
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The Steelers parted with starting center Mason Cole in a cap-saving move, and they haven't found a suitable replacement yet. The team has interior lineman Nate Herbig as an insurance option, but drafting a high-end prospect would make loads of sense.
If Pittsburgh is willing to target a center on opening night, Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson could be an ideal option. The 6'3", 328-pound prospect has all the tools to become a longtime starter for the Steelers.
"He does have a few technical aspects of his game to clean up, but his physical traits and makeup should allow him to start right away at either center or guard without being dependent on scheme while providing Pro Bowl potential within his first contract," Brandon Thorn of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote.
Duke's Graham Barton and West Virginia's Zach Frazier are other center prospects to consider in Round 1.
If the Steelers don't address the center position immediately, prospects like Georgia's Sedrick Van Pran and Arkansas' Beaux Limmer would become logical Day 2 targets.
Offensive Tackle
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If the Steelers don't target a center in Round 1, it may be because they're looking for a long-term option at tackle. 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones flashed a lot of promise as a rookie while playing on the right side, but left tackle Dan Moore Jr. remains inconsistent.
Moore was responsible for eight sacks allowed in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.
One option could involve moving Jones over to the left side and drafting a new right tackle. Georgia's Amarius Mims would be a logical target in that scenario.
While Mims is a relatively raw one-year starter, his massive 6'8", 340-pound frame, agility and elite play strength made him a very intriguing prospect. It doesn't hurt that he comes from the same program as Jones and should have plenty of familiarity with his former teammate.
Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton is another right-tackle prospect Pittsburgh might consider in Round 1.
If the Steelers decide to keep Jones on the right side, they're probably not trading all the way up for Notre Dame's Joe Alt or Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu—the fifth- and sixth-ranked prospects on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board. However, a developmental tackle like Houston's Patrick Paul would make a ton of sense on Day 2.
Wide Receiver
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Two of Pittsburgh's biggest goals in 2024 should involve getting the most out of Wilson and determining whether Fields has a long-term future with the Steelers. Poor quarterback play was one of the team's biggest issues in 2023.
The Steelers have a budding star in George Pickens, Calvin Austin III has shown flashes, and Pittsburgh recently added Van Jefferson. After trading Johnson, though, the Steelers could stand to improve their receiving corps.
They probably won't do it in the first round because of other needs and, well, because that isn't how the Steelers operate. The last Pittsburgh wideout taken in Round 1 was Santonio Holmes in 2006.
If a top wideout like Florida State's Keon Coleman or LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. is available at No. 20, maybe the Steelers buck recent trends. However, a Day 2 prospect like Georgia's Ladd McConkey seems far more realistic—and entirely logical.
"McConkey can be a good slot/Z type in the NFL. He can play both inside and out, he is a highly effective route-runner and his hands are reliable enough," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.
Other receivers Pittsburgh could consider on Day 2 include Alabama's Jermaine Burton, Texas' Adonai Mitchell and Florida State's Johnny Wilson.
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