At the 2023 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't seem to focus on offensive tackles too much. That was a mild surprise, given the fact that tackle seemed to be one of the team's biggest needs this offseason. Dan Moore Jr. has started all 34 games at left tackle over the past two years, which has come with up-and-down performances. He failed to take a step forward in his sophomore campaign, but he may get one more year to prove himself.
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The left side of the Steelers offensive line could see a makeover this offseason, which includes tackle Dan Moore Jr. and guard Kevin Dotson.
The Steelers front office met with several interior offensive linemen in Indianapolis, showing their lack of confidence in left guard Kevin Dotson. It seems one offensive tackle stood out though, and it's obvious as to why. Ohio State has two NFL tackles in the form of Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson Jr. According to Ryan Fowler of Draft Network, the Steelers are one of seven NFL teams that have a visit scheduled with Jones:
Ohio State OT Dawand Jones has Top 30 visits scheduled with the following teams, per source.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 8, 2023
• Commanders
• Eagles
• Colts
• Steelers
• Browns
• Bengals
• Seahawks
Jones' immense size has appealed to several NFL teams, the Steelers included. At the Combine, he weighed in at 374 pounds. While Johnson got all of the hype and praise during the 2022 season, it seems Jones is now climbing draft boards. Now, he could be drafted higher than his college counterpart, who was once a unanimous top-10 selection before the 2022 campaign. While Jones played right tackle in college at OSU, he's seen as a left tackle at the professional level.
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Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr. has seen his draft stock fall a bit over the last year.
Would Jones be an upgrade at LT for Steelers?
The fact that seven teams are meeting with Jones for a top-30 visit signifies that he has a good shot at going in the first round. Just under two months away from then, his stock may only continue to rise. Even if he somehow fell to the second round, Jones would be a phenomenal option for the black and gold to open up Day 2. As we know, the Steelers are quite methodical in their pre-draft process, although it'll be interesting to see how differently Omar Khan and Andy Weidl run things.
What would you think about taking Jones with one of the team's first two picks? What do you think is the biggest need along the offensive line? Does Moore deserve one more season at left tackle? Share your thoughts and opinions down below, yinz!
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