Steelers 2024 Draft: 5 First Round Names That Could Be Targeted In April By Omar Khan

The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base will join 29 others who will not be watching their team play in Super Bowl LVIII. The 2024 offseason has essentially arrived, and fans are quickly shifting into mock draft mode. There are already countless simulations to try to correctly identify who fans’ favorite teams will pick at the end of April. Steeler Nation is no different and social media is buzzing with all kinds of draft rumors.

Omar Khan and Andy Weidl have multiple options at pick number 20, and it will be fascinating to see where the dynamic duo goes in their second attempt at the NFL Draft. The offensive line is still a pressing need, along with a running mate for Joey Porter Jr. and maybe some reinforcements in the front seven. Pittsburgh would love to find an answer at quarterback, but at pick 20, it’s looking more like a third go-around for Kenny Pickett.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Meets With A Big Name Georgia Wide Receiver That Could Fix Depth Chart Issues

Pittsburgh will have pick number 20 in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft in April. Mike Tomlin has been hard at work at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL, evaluating talent. He makes waves every time he shakes a prospect's hand or talks with one after a drill. Tomlin is the most hands-on NFL head coach in these settings, and his activity can sometimes lead to wild conclusions.

Here are five potential names that fit Pittsburgh's needs that fans should keep an eye on in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft in April.

JC Latham - Tackle -Alabama Crimson Tide

Pittsburgh needs a right tackle to allow Broderick Jones to move back to the left side, where he belongs. JC Latham fits the bill after a successful career for the Crimson Tide. Latham is versatile and found the field as a freshman at right guard despite being one of the top tackle prospects in the country.

Latham started nine games as a right guard as a freshman and 25 at right tackle over his last two collegiate seasons. In 34 SEC starts, Latham allowed two sacks. He was First-Team All-SEC and earned recognition as a Second-Team All-American in 2023. He is an imposing 6’6” and 360 pounds. Pairing him with Jones would give the Steelers a set of young bookend tackles to protect whoever is going to take snaps in 2024.

Nate Wiggins -Cornerback - Clemson Tigers

On the surface, starting a rookie cornerback next to a cornerback entering his second season in the NFL seems like a bad idea. However, any doubts should melt away when the cornerbacks in question are Porter and Nate Wiggins. The two players are a carbon copy physically. Both are 6’2” and play a very similar brand of football.

Wiggins is a more polished prospect than Porter was in 2023, and the Steelers may have to duplicate last year's first-round trade to get him. It would provide Pittsburgh with two cornerbacks who want to jam receivers and play aggressive man-to-man coverage. It would also give the Steelers serious cap flexibility to have two potential franchise cornerbacks on rookie contracts.

Jackson Powers-Johnson - Center - Oregon Ducks

The Steelers center is a unique position in NFL history. Maurkice Pouncey has a solid case to join Dermonti Dawson and Mike Webster in the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible. Pittsburgh has not had a solid option since Pouncey retired, and another season with Mason Cole in the middle would frustrate the fan base beyond measure. It isn't sound draft practice in 2024 to select a center in the first round. Since the Steelers drafted Pouncey in 2010, only eight centers have been picked in the first round. Jackson Powers-Johnson is likely to be the ninth. 

Powers-Johnson has opened more than a few eyes in Mobile, AL. Yes, he interacted with Tomlin after an impressive practice at the Senior Bowl, and he has moved up dramatically on the Pro Football Focus big board. He is now projected as a first-round draft pick. He did not give up a sack during his collegiate career. Powers-Johnson is versatile. He played right guard during his first two seasons and moved to center for his junior year. It is rare for a center to declare as an underclassman, but so is his talent. 

Amarius Mims - Tackle - Georgia Bulldogs

The last time Amarius Mims was paired with Jones at left and right tackle, the Georgia Bulldogs won a national championship. Mims is an extremely athletic specimen, standing at 6'7" and weighing in at a svelte 330 pounds. He has an incredible seven-foot-one-inch wing span. He played both right tackle and left tackle for the Bulldogs. Injuries are a concern, however. He was hampered by a high ankle sprain in 2023 that required tightrope surgery. 

The scary thing is that Mims is still growing into his frame. Scouts already consider him an elite reach blocker with the potential to become a phenomenal drive blocker. He does not have Latham's resume, but the key buzz on Mims is potential. Assuming he can stay healthy, the upside is off the charts. The growing contingent of former Bulldogs on the current roster would provide a solid support system for Mims while he develops. 

Brian Thomas Jr. -  Wide Receiver - LSU Tigers

Diontae Johnson has one year remaining on his contract and is owed $10 million for the 2024 season. After a rocky 2023 campaign, the bloom is off the rose for Johnson. He is a bargain based on the out-of-control wide receiver market and could be an attractive trade candidate for a team desperate for wide receiver talent. The Steelers have a number one wide receiver in George Pickens and a new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith, who loves big, physical receivers. Brian Thomas Jr. is tailor-made for Smith's offense.  

Thomas is 6'4" and is an outstanding route runner, which is unusual for big receivers at this stage of their development. He is explosive after the catch and scored 17 touchdowns in 2023. Thomas doesn't have the hype of Odell Beckham Jr., Ja'Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, but based on the recent history of the receivers coming out of LSU, he may be too tempting to pass up. The Allen Robinson II experiment did not work out in 2023. Drafting Thomas and letting him acclimate behind Pickens and Johnson would give the Steelers an explosive trio in 2024.

Barring a sudden drop by Jayden Daniels, the Steelers seem unlikely to spend a first-round draft pick on Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. Neither player was impressive during the Senior Bowl practices, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo. Based on what will be available, it is time to say the quiet part out loud: Pickett will likely be the opening-day starter in 2024. Khan may work a miracle with a huge trade, but a quarterback change seems less and less likely with each passing day. 

Khan and Weidl have created enormous expectations with the success of the Steelers' 2023 draft class. Pittsburgh filled multiple roster holes last season but is still at least one more good draft class away from erasing a five-game playoff losing streak. It will be interesting to see what they prioritize in free agency, and it could provide valuable insight into which name they will call in April. 

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you see one of your favorite names on this list, or are you hoping for someone else? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.

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