The Pittsburgh Steelers have a golden opportunity coming up in the 2023 NFL Draft. Thanks in large part to the Chicago Bears, the black and gold have three top-49 selections in the upcoming draft. It gives general manager Omar Khan and assistant general manager Andy Weidl the perfect situation to revitalize this roster. There are several needs, including shoring up the talent and toughness in the trenches.
Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
For those who recently watched Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, it was evident how good those two are in the trenches. It’s a formula that Weidl helped the Eagles with, and now the Steelers need to do the same. In Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus’ recent mock draft, he has the Steelers doing just that, and then some. To start, he has the Steelers taking offensive tackle Darnell Wright out of the University of Tennesee.
In fact, Sikkema suggests that the team move Chukwuma Okorafor back to left tackle, where he played in college. Wright is a natural right tackle and has the talent to become an elite lineman in the NFL. There are several offensive tackles that have starting potential in this draft class, but Wright has elite size and important experience in the SEC. With the Steelers' second pick, 32nd overall and the first selection of the second round, Sikkema has cornerback Kelee Ringo going to Pittsburgh.
Ringo played in several big games in college, shutting down some of college football's best wideouts. Cornerback is another major need for the Steelers, particularly if they can’t bring back Cam Sutton in free agency. Even if they do, they could still use one of their first three draft picks on a corner. While Joey Porter Jr. and Christian Gonzalez have been the more popular picks in mock drafts, they may not be available for Khan.
Credit: Curtis Compton
Steelers Upgrade Several Positions In Latest Mock Draft
In this mock, Gonzalez and Porter went sixth and 16th overall, respectively. Last but not least, back to the trenches. The Steelers scoop up defensive lineman Bryan Bresee with their 49th overall pick, their third selection from the first two days. Not too long ago, Breese was seen as a consensus future top-10 pick. A torn ACL in the 2021 season hurt those talks, as some concerns in his game, including his lack of size and ineffectiveness in the run game, have dropped him a decent bit.
Still, that would be a huge potential value pick, as the Clemson defensive lineman has the tools to become dominant. Getting a guy like Bresee in the middle of the second round has massive potential to pay off, although he will need to add some weight in order to be effective at the NFL level. Overall, this would be quite the haul for the black and gold. There is some risk with each of the three selections, specifically with the lone first-round pick in Wright. The upside is there though, and Khan and Weidl need to swing for their fences with this draft.
What would be your thoughts on this draft class? What position do you think is at the top of the priority list? Who do you want most with the 17th overall pick? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites!
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