Steelers Fans Should Not Panic If Team Doesn't Take Top Center In Round 1 Of 2024 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have several holes they need to fill before the start of the 2024 season. One of the biggest was created at center when they released Mason Cole. Pittsburgh has always fielded strong, powerful centers that form the backbone of its offensive lines. The need has many analysts projecting the Steelers will go after one of the many centers available in the upcoming draft.  

Jackson Powers-Johnson from the University of Oregon is the center that seems to be most frequently mocked to Pittsburgh. He is also widely considered the best center in the draft. The Steelers' first pick is at 20 has created a bit of a dilemma, as most feel Powers-Johnson is a bit of a reach at 20. Those same analysts however, concur that he will likely not be there with their second-round pick at 51. 

Many fans have stated the organization must get him, even if it's a reach with their first pick; the team can't afford to let him slip away. However, Duke Manyweather from OL Masterminds reassures fans that there is no reason to panic. Recently, Manyweather joined Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports reporter Brian Batko on his podcast, Chipped Ham and Football, to discuss the Steelers' offensive line needs. Take a deep breath. He said the center class in 2024 is extremely deep. 

"I mean there's a bunch of guys, you know there's probably six or seven, maybe close to eight guys that you can draft at center and I think six of them have a good chance of maybe cracking the starting lineup immediately in the fall."

He says that players like Dominick Puni, out of the University of Kansas, have moved up and down the offensive line, as has Graham Barton from Duke. Both have impressed teams and are finding their stock on the rise. Manyweather stated that both players could legitimately play all five positions at a high level.   

Manyweather said that teams will also look at some lesser-known guys who have the "traits" they desire. He believes Puni is one of them, noting he will develop into a very special center. Mason McCormick, out of South Dakota State, is another who impressed team representatives at the NFL Combine. 

"There are definitely options at center. Just as there are options at tackle. So don't feel like if you don't get two or three names that are mainstream that all is lost. Because you could find a quality starter at center four rounds deep potentially."

Manyweather said it all depends in part on how fast you need that player to have an impact. They have many options if you can give them some time to settle in, as the Steelers did with Broderick Jones in 2023. However, if they need that player to be a day one difference maker, you are narrowed down to about four names. 

The Steelers tend to let the chips fall where they may and take the best player available within their circle of need. With so many other needs, including wide receiver, offensive tackle, and cornerback to name a few, they will have multiple options for every position. General Manager Omar Khan, Head Coach Mike Tomlin, and many scouts and coaches have all done their due diligence on these players. They have met with them and know who will best fit our system. Just because an analyst thinks the team should pick a player, doesn't mean that is at all their thought process. In fact, there has already been talk that the media has inflated Powers-Johnson's stock.

Steelers Might Skip The Center In Round One

With all of the incredible deals Khan has been putting together so far this offseason, it is hard to imagine him reaching for a center with their first-round pick. While they could always trade back, that also seems unlikely. This is still a team with a lot of needs. What feels more realistic is that they will address something else with that pick, perhaps an offensive tackle.

The Steelers moved up slightly in 2023 to draft Jones out of the University of Georgia, and they might consider doing that again for his former teammate Amarius Mims. Besides Powers-Johnson, Mims is the other player frequently mocked to the Steelers. It makes sense, as he has played with Jones, George Pickens, and Darnell Washington.  

If they could get Mims in the first round, they could focus on a center like Barton or Zach Frasier in a later round. It would be surprising to see Pittsburgh use back-to-back picks to select offensive players in the draft, but this is an offense-heavy class, and the Steelers are offense-heavy in the needs department.   

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