The Pittsburgh Steelers had their best draft class in a decade in 2023. Omar Khan and Andy Weidl selected Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton with the first three picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. All three look to be long-term pieces of the Steelers' future despite being held back by the coaching staff for a significant portion of the season. Darnell Washington was rarely utilized as a pass catcher, but had a solid rookie season as a blocker. Nick Herbig didn’t get many opportunities, but when he did, he flashed significant ability.
The Pat McAfee Show
Steelers GM Omar Khan and HC Mike Tomlin joined the Pat McAfee show to discuss their 2023 offseason
The 2024 NFL Draft will be the second bite at the apple for Khan, Weidl and Mike Tomlin. There are still holes in the roster that need to be filled. They are very similar to 2023 for different reasons. Pittsburgh’s draft needs include offensive line, defensive secondary and linebacker. They have also piled on needing a franchise quarterback, but are picking too low in the draft to find one.
Steelers' Tomlin Unsure About Acquiring Quarterbacks In Free Agency Or NFL Draft In 2024
Daniel Jeremiah, a draft guru from The NFL Network, released his first 2024 NFL mock draft on Friday. It is not a complete seven-round mock draft, but merely a teaser of the first round. Jeremiah has the top three quarterbacks in the upcoming draft flying off the board with the first three picks. He thinks Caleb Williams will force Justin Fields out of Chicago and into the open arms of the Steelers. He didn’t say that, and more importantly, Tomlin did not say it, but Steeler Nation can dream, can’t it?
Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times
Steelers could benefit if Chicago decides to select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the NFL draft.
Drake Maye to the Washington Commanders and Jayden Daniels to the New England Patriots follow close behind. Bo Nix, according to Jeremiah, will complete the quartet of first-round quarterbacks at 14 for the New Orleans Saints. Pittsburgh currently has the 20th pick in the upcoming draft. With the very intriguing skill sets of Cooper DeJean and Kool-Aid McKinstry still available for the black and gold, Jeremiah goes in a different, but familiar direction.
"The Steelers go back to back Georgia after selecting Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington last year and George Pickens in 2022," Jeremiah wrote. "[Amarius] Mims would join Jones to give Pittsburgh a pair of athletic bookends with prototypical size."
Pittsburgh has a serious need on the offensive line, and recreating the back-to-back National Champions offensive line is a strategy that could serve Pittsburgh very well in years to come. Amarius Mims is a very solid choice at pick number 20. He is not quite the physical specimen that Jones is, but Khan will not have to trade up to get him. Mims and Jones at tackle for a decade in Pittsburgh would solve a lot of problems as long as they actually play him. No matter how it looks in training camp, Dan Moore Jr. should be, at best, a backup in 2024.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Steelers potential first round solution at tackle, Amarius Mims.
A cornerback tandem of Porter Jr. and either DeJean or Mckinstry might be too tempting to pass up for Tomlin, and he would be right to argue for it. The Steelers also have to find another tackle and Jeremiah recognizes the draft is the best place to do that. The Steelers should also seek the long-term answer at center in the draft. Sedrick Van Pran of the Georgia Bulldogs and Zach Frazier of West Virginia should be available in the second and third rounds of the upcoming draft.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers assistant general manager, Andy Weidl speaks to the media.
Weidl came from the Philadelphia Eagles, whose recent draft philosophy has been pick the best defensive player from Georgia. Pittsburgh is compiling former Bulldogs on the offensive side of the ball. Tomlin is very comfortable with players from Kirby Smart's program and should seriously consider poaching some of his coaching staff. The 33-year-old defensive co-coordinator and linebackers coach, Glenn Schumann, is a great option with intriguing and effective concepts to slow down mobile quarterbacks.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is fixing the offensive line a top priority, or if a solid option to create an elite cornerback tandem presents itself, should they go in that direction? Let me know what you think and comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
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