The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for a tackle in April. It is not a secret; they will likely use pick 17 or 32 to get a new and what they hope will be an improved version of a left tackle to protect Kenny Pickett’s blindside for the next decade. The problem for Pittsburgh is that the three best left tackles are off the board in most mock drafts by the time they pick in the second half of the first round.
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
Top left tackle prospect former Georgia offensive lineman, Broderick Jones.
Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson Jr., and Broderick Jones are flying off mock draft boards and rarely last to the pick 15 at this point. The four quarterbacks at the top of the draft are getting all the attention, but with questions surrounding the wide receiver crop this season, the incoming cornerbacks and tackles have taken over the top of the draft.
Last season's draft was extraordinarily deep with wide receiver talent and six receivers went in the top 18 picks of the NFL Draft. 10 wide receivers in total went before George Pickens at pick 52 and two immediately following the former Georgia Bulldogs star. A dozen wideouts in total went in the first two rounds. The NFL has placed a premium on the position with the advent of the passing game and unlike last season this class is considered thin and teams that need a solution at least in mock drafts don’t know who the top player at the position will be.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens will be tasked to produce as the big dogs in the offense next year.
The Houston Texans, according to two mock drafts released most recently by ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum and Bucky Brooks from the NFL Network agree they will pick a receiver at 12. They don’t agree on who. ESPN selected Quentin Johnson from TCU and NFL Network has them taking Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Ohio State with the pick. Both project well to the NFL, but would instantly be at the top of the depth chart in Houston.
The Texans are most often linked with Bryce Young from the Alabama Crimson Tide with the second overall pick as the quarterback of their future. Young is a celebrated college quarterback who is undersized and there are real questions if he can stand up to the significant pounding that he is going to take while Houston develops around him. John Metchie should help if he returns to his previous level of play at Alabama, but it is a lot to put on an essentially rookie-rookie receiving corps.
Jared Wickerham Pittsburgh Steelers
Diontae Johnson running downfield vs Indianapolis.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Candidly Responds That He Will Not Make Excuses For Diontae Johnson In 2022
Young desperately needs a number one receiver that can thrive in an offense that will likely have to rely on short routes and the receiver’s getting separation and it just so happens that the Steelers according to ESPN have the best player at getting open in the NFL in Diontae Johnson. Johnson will be 27 in 2023 and would give the rookie quarterback a viable target that could help keep him upright. Johnson’s contract expires in 2024 and with the emergence of Pickens, it is unlikely that he will be retained at his current price tag long-term in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers could package Johnson and pick 32 or 49 to dangle in front of the Texans who have multiple needs with pick 12. Based on the pressing need for a wide receiver, a Pro Bowler who can build a relationship with a rookie quarterback far away from Matt Canada’s offense should appeal to Johnson. He is light years ahead of any rookie in this draft and would immensely help Young as his primary target. If it goes well the Texans could easily extend him with their ample cap space.
Johnson has two years of team control left. He was not happy in Canada’s system last season, and he did not score a touchdown with Pickett forcing him the ball near the goal line. The Texans have a history of making questionable trades, but this one would help both sides.
Carlos Osorio / AP
Ohio State offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr.'s foundation won the 2022 Armed Forces Merit Award Friday. Johnson, one of the nation's top offensive linemen, is a Princeton High School graduate.
The Steelers would be in a position to snatch Jones or Johnson to solve the left tackle issue and at pick 17 they could address the loss of Johnson with another wide receiver. Pickens is an alpha and Johnson is not going to give up that position willingly. He has a tendency to sulk, and Canada has issues with featuring multiple wide receivers in a game plan. It is better to head the sulking that is going to occur off before it starts, and Pickens has more upside as a receiver.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Should the Steelers dangle Johnson to try to move up in the first round? Please comment below, or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
