Steelers Could Be Setting Themselves Up For A Disastrous Decision In Round 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be making a crucial decision with the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft which will decide the trajectory of the remainder of their picks. Pittsburgh has obvious holes at both center and tackle on the offensive line, and they also need help at wide receiver and cornerback. Due to the amount of areas to address on the current roster, and the amount of talented prospects at each position of need for the Steelers, their first round selection will say a lot about how they plan to attack the 2024 NFL Draft. 

With the way that Pittsburgh and General Manager Omar Khan have gone about their business throughout the pre-draft process, it seems the pick in the first round will likely be a tackle for Pittsburgh. More specifically, a right tackle, which will allow Broderick Jones to go back to his natural position at left tackle and boot Dan Moore Jr. from the starting lineup. In a situation that could be a blessing, or a curse, the Steelers will have more than one name to choose from, which means it is of the utmost importance that they select the right prospect. 

Former college scouts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks spoke about the two closely graded right tackles, Amarius Mims and Tyler Guyton, on their podcast Move The Sticks. 

"Mims is just massive man. Super extra large, but he has the athleticism, raw ability. I think Guyton is probably more ready to play today, even though he has some stuff that he has to clean up, I would go with Guyton over Mims. I think Guyton is probably more ready to play," said Brooks. "I have it the same exact way," Jeremiah agreed.

This could be bad news for the Steelers, as so far it has seemed that they are leaning towards selecting Mims in the first round. The organization will certainly do its due diligence with both prospects, insuring they make the right selection. Pittsburgh had Guyton in for a pre-draft visit on Thursday, and had already met with Mims earlier in the month as well as at the NFL Combine. The Steelers also sent a lot of staff members to Georgia's Pro Day, where Mims did not participate due to an injury. Overall, the Steelers have seemed to be the most interested in Mims out of any other tackle prospect in the draft.

Both Brooks and Jeremiah have plenty of experience as scouts. Granted, they are not currently a part of any NFL organization, their opinions on these prospects should still be valued by fans due to their past experience. Jeremiah spoke more about which right tackle is the better prospect, and ultimately why he would choose Guyton if he had to choose between the two tackles.

"I had this conversation with somebody over the weekend. We were talking about this, and he said, 'Look, tomorrow's not promised, today is. Where is the trust-meter?' If you phrase it that way, I would give Guyton the edge over Mims. Mims just hasn't posted, he hasn't been out there."

There is a real possibility that both prospects will be on the board when the Steelers make their selection at 20th overall, meaning they would need to choose between the two. Guyton has more experience at this point in his career; he played 661 snaps at right tackle during the 2023 season, while Mims played just 297. Mims played in just seven games in 2023, while Guyton played in 10 and showed that he is currently better prepared for the NFL. 

Steelers Could Select Mims And Sit Him Until He Is Prepared To Play At The NFL Level

Guyton is more NFL ready than Mims, but that doesn't mean Mims couldn't still be a good pick for Pittsburgh. Mims could sit to begin the season, get his feet wet, and start once Head Coach Mike Tomlin feels he is ready. This happened in 2023 with Broderick Jones, who the Steelers selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Jones played sparingly to begin the season, but when Chukwuma Okorafor was unexpectedly benched in Week 7, Jones was thrust into the starting lineup at right tackle, which is not his natural position. 

There are many downsides to drafting Mims with the expectation of sitting him to begin the year. It would mean the Steelers' starting tackles to begin the year would remain Moore Jr. at left tackle, with Jones continuing to play out of position on the right side. Moore Jr. has proven he is not a starting-caliber left tackle, which would certainly stall the offense, while Jones would grow even further removed from playing left tackle, which would make the transition back even more difficult for the second-year player. 

Would you rather the Steelers draft the proven player in Guyton, or take a chance on Mims? Let us know in the comments below!

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