Steelers Top Draft Target Amarius Mims Could Be Stolen A Few Picks Ahead By AFC North Rival

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been making some noise since the start of free agency. They traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, signed linebacker Patrick Queen, re-signed special teams ace Miles Killebrew, and perhaps biggest of all, signed quarterback Russell Wilson. While they have addressed some needs on defense, other than Wilson, they haven't done much on offense. This means that two of the biggest areas of need, center and tackle, are still in flux. 

The offensive line has been a weak area for Pittsburgh the last few years and regardless of who is at quarterback, they have not been setting them up for success. The team moved up and drafted offensive tackle Broderick Jones, out of the University of Georgia with their first-round pick last season. Now the team is reportedly looking at a former teammate of Jones, Amarius Mims. Unfortunately, the Steelers are far from the only team interested in Mims, and their top competition could be a division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Recently, Georgia hosted their Pro Day and head coaches, general managers, and other representatives from all 32 teams made the trip to Athens to scout talent. This is hardly surprising since Georgia has become such a dominant force in the SEC, with eight players being drafted in the first round over the past two years. Even though Mims is nursing a hamstring injury and wasn't very active, he is one of the players Head Coach Mike Tomlin and new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith were interested in seeing. Tony Pauline spoke about the team's competition for Mims in a recent article for Sportskeeda. 

"Where could he land? The Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted Mims' teammate Broderick Jones last year, have shown a ton of interest in Mims, as did the Cincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh owns the 20th selection of Round 1, with Cincinnati picking 18th. The team to keep an eye on is the Las Vegas Raiders, who hold the 13th pick and are in desperate need of a right tackle, and I'm told Mims is one of their targets," wrote Pauline.

The Steelers may have to move up like they did with Jones if they really feel confident that Mims would be a difference-maker for this offense. However, the question being asked by analysts is just how confident are people in Mims? Mims only started eight games at the college level, having suffered a high-ankle sprain in September. This kept him on the sideline until November. 

He seems to have all the qualities a team could ask for. He is enormous at 6'7" and about 340 lbs., with a mind-blowing 7'1" wingspan. While he may not have played multiple full seasons, he has shown that he is a hard worker, who is passionate about playing. Mims has has even played a little defense. 

Those long arms make it easier for him to reach out and nab those opposing defenders. Like Jones, when he enters the league, Mims will still have some work to do, but his ceiling appears high, especially in pass blocking. This elite lineman is expected to go in the first round and would complement Jones perfectly. 

Steelers' Broderick Jones Needs To Go Where He Belongs

During the 2023 season, Tomlin got his rookies off to a slower start. Despite fans screaming for him to start, he appeared to want them to have time to develop behind some veterans. When Dan Moore Jr. was injured in October, Jones got his chance, coming in for him on the left side of the line. He returned to back up when Moore was healthy, until Tomlin benched Chukwuma Okorafor and Jones came in for him permanently on the right side. 

The right side isn't Jones' natural position, but as an elite athlete, he was able to adapt and still perform at a high level. However, General Manager Omar Khan and Tomlin have been quite vocal about their plan to move Jones back to where he belongs (the left side). They released Okorafor, but Moore is still on the roster, despite being tabbed as one of the worst offensive linemen in the NFL in 2023. 

If the Steelers really do draft Mims or another tackle, it will be interesting to see how that plays out with Moore. The Steelers may keep Jones on the right side since Moore is not at all flexible. Would Moore compete for his spot, or would it be handed to him with the rookie having to watch like Jones did early last season? 

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