The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2024 NFL Draft with the goal of continuing the roster upgrades they have been busy with during the offseason. Pittsburgh did a complete overhaul of its quarterback room, which now includes Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. The franchise also set out to avoid another frustrating campaign by bringing in Arthur Smith as the new offensive coordinator. With so much positive turnover, Mark Kaboly doesn't see a path to disappointment on draft night.
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Former University of Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu gets ready to block on the right side of the line during a collegiate football matchup.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Steelers have shown the desire to add talent to their offensive line, select another shutdown cornerback, or even bulk up the defensive line. With a deep class of prospects, the Steelers will have plenty of options when their time comes. Kaboly, who covers the Steelers for The Athletic, is confident that whichever direction Pittsburgh decides to go during the draft, the correct choices are plentiful and right there for the taking.
"The best-case scenario would be an offensive tackle like JC Latham or Troy Fautanu dropping down the board. I don’t think there is a worst-case scenario. There are enough tackles and centers in the first round, and that pretty much ensures they get somebody they need and want. Maybe if there’s a crazy run on linemen and it leaves a cornerback out there for them to draft like Wiggins, but that wouldn’t be ideal. They would likely trade back if that happens, even if a cornerback is a big need."
Throughout the draft process, teams have been high on JC Latham, the former Alabama offensive tackle. Latham is 6'6" and 359 pounds, both ideal for teams searching for their next starting offensive lineman for the next decade. Troy Fautanu, another top-rated offensive tackle, is on the smaller side for elite linemen (6'4 and 317 pounds), but two solid seasons as a starter at Washington have him considered an NFL-ready brawler. Either would be a great fit for the Steelers; it just depends, as Kaboly stated, on where the positional runs occur during the draft.
Pittsburgh, after letting Mason Cole go, is certainly in the market for a viable center for the 2024 season and beyond. With more than a few excellent center choices in another deep part of the draft class, the Steelers might not have to use their first-round pick to fill that spot. Jackson Powers-Johnson, the 2023 Rimington Trophy winner, stood out at Oregon as one of the top prospects at his position. Zach Frazier, out of West Virginia, is another center who could slide right into an NFL offensive line ready to start.
The Steelers would consider themselves set up for future success if any of those prospects ended up wearing black and gold in 2024, but the question is, how much draft value has Pittsburgh attached to each one? Kaboly sees the situation as an all-upside scenario, which certainly takes the pressure off the Steelers' front office. With an excellent 2024 offseason so far to build on, going into the 2024 NFL Draft with so much hope has to feel good in Pittsburgh.
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Former Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson celebrates after a play
Steelers Could Still Go Cornerback
While Kaboly sees the center and offensive tackle positions as plentiful, that doesn't mean the Steelers don't have their eye on a first-round cornerback. After finding their next franchise cornerback in Joey Porter Jr. with their second-round pick in 2023, the Steelers could be looking to repeat that same kind of defensive success. With such a deep draft class, Pittsburgh will be able to mix in patience and strategy to ensure they find the right player for their situation.
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Former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins points after making a play during his collegiate career
Nate Wiggins is certainly an intriguing prospect, as Kaboly mentioned. Wiggins is often placed among the top few cornerbacks in the 2024 draft class, and the former Clemson defender certainly seems ready to back that up.
Cooper DeJean out of Iowa is a name that has been linked to the Steelers during the evaluation process, though many have the talented cornerback at the very top of his positional group. The bottom line is that if the Steelers determine that the best player for them at the moment is a cornerback, it is because anything else would have been a step down.
Who will end up being the first two players picked by the Steelers in 2024?
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