Steelers Focus On Both Sides Of The Line In First Mark Kaboly's First Mock Draft Of 2024

Immediately after the Pittsburgh Steelers fell at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round, fans started to turn their focuses to the new offensive coordinator search. That situation has been resolved after the announcement that former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Arthur Smith will be the next man up to lead the team's offense. The front office will now turn a ton of attention towards free agency, which begins in March, and the 2024 NFL Draft that will take place at the end of April. This is peak mock draft season and Mark Kaboly of The Athletic released his first of the offseason.

There are a plethora of needs for the Steelers, but an overwhelming belief is that the offense needs to fix up the line, while the defense needs to get a bit younger in the same area. That's exactly where Kaboly went with three of his first four picks. A name that might not be too familiar with fans was taken by the insider 20th overall in the first round: defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newtown out of the University of Illinois. He detailed his reasoning.

"Pittsburgh hasn’t used a first-round pick on a defensive lineman in 13 years, since grabbing Cameron Heyward at No. 31 in 2011. Adding a quality second-round pick in Stephon Tuitt a few years later pretty much took the Steelers off the board for a high-round defensive lineman for a while."

Fans can find the rest of his analysis on the first-round selection here. The Steelers need help on the defensive front and Newtown had 52 tackles, seven and a half sacks, on top of nine quarterback hurries in 2023 for the Illini.

In the second round, Kaboly has the Steelers going after the position that many have deemed to be the most important. Mason Cole was an utter disaster at center in 2023 and, as a whole, the team hasn't gotten solid production from that area since Maurkice Pouncey retired at the end of the 2020 season. Sedrick Van Pran from the University of Georgia might be next up.

"At 6'4", 310 [lbs.], Van Pran’s best fit is in the zone-blocking scheme, which [Arthur] Smith leaned on with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. Van Pran is a nasty and physical center, fitting into what the Steelers want their identity to be."

This would make fans extremely ecstatic. The snaps from Cole have become unbearable and there's no reason for the team to stay away from the position early on in the 2024 NFL Draft. It might even make sense for them to select University of Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson in the first round if he continues to impress throughout the draft process. 

Kenny Pickett may only have one year left to prove he can be the franchise quarterback of the future. The front office needs to put every piece possible around him to elevate his play in Smith's incoming offense. Investing in a center could completely change the dynamic of the unit and give the Steelers a go-to-guy there for years to come.

Steelers Round Out Kaboly's Mock Draft By Going After More Areas Of Need

Kaboly goes on to select a wide receiver in the third round, but goes right back to the big men up front in the fourth when he selects offensive guard Brandon Coleman out of Texas Christian University. He then jumps to the defensive side for the last three picks, targeting a cornerback, safety and inside linebacker to solidify an aging group. Fans can check out the entire analysis from Kaboly here.

What do you think of Kaboly's mock draft? Let us know in the comments below!

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