-
Follow Us
On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Pittsburgh Steelers completed their 2024 NFL Draft with a mix of both offensive and defensive picks. The Steelers are getting acclaim for their selections, and have put themselves in position to compete for the AFC North title with their new players. The team made three specific moves with their draft pattern, that will help the team considerably next season.
Adding strength to the O line
The Steelers focused heavily on their offensive line in the draft. The team picked up three offensive linemen at the event, starting with powerful offensive tackle Troy Fautanu from Washington in the first round. The lineman is a beast who helped pass protect for Michael Penix Jr. this past season, leading his team to the College Football Playoff national championship. The Steelers will rely on Fautanu right away to help protect new acquisitions Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Fautanu will add depth immediately for the Steelers at the tackle position.
That’s not all. The Steelers then picked up two more guys who will compete for starting spots in the offensive trenches. In the second round, Pittsburgh picked up center Zach Frazier from West Virginia. Frazier spent four years with the Mountaineers, pushing around some of the toughest defensive linemen in the Big 12 Conference. He finished as a First-Team All-Big 12 selection in 2023, helping the Mountaineers achieve a 9-4 record.
To add even more fuel to the offensive line fire, the Steelers used their fourth round pick to grab another lineman. Mason McCormick played for South Dakota State, and has a lot of experience. He is 6-foot-4 and 309 pounds, and has experience playing the guard position. Pittsburgh now has a guard, tackle and center who can make immediate impacts on the offensive side of the ball.
A target for the QBs
The Steelers parted ways with wide receiver Diontae Johnson this offseason, so it was only natural that the team should look for a replacement in the draft. They found that replacement in Roman Wilson, from Michigan. The receiver was taken in the third round.
Wilson is not a name that will excite many fans, as he wasn’t given the cachet that some other guys had in this draft, like Marvin Harrison Jr. Wilson does have experience, though, and played a key role on a Michigan football team that just won the College Football Playoff. He spent four years at Michigan, and has 1,707 career receiving yards. He also played for three different CFP teams in Ann Arbor, under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh had success in the NFL and in college, so he should be able to keep up with what the Steelers coaches need from him. He won’t be needed as the first receiving target in Pittsburgh, so that may help settle him into his supporting role moving forward.
Spreading the wealth on defense
Even though the Steelers picked up a lot of offensive players in the draft, the team didn’t ignore its defense either. The Steelers did a great job of plugging holes in their defense, selecting a mix of players at different positions. The Steelers took one linebacker, one defensive lineman, and one defensive back. It was a smart move, adding depth to each defensive unit.
The Steel City took linebacker Payton Wilson from North Carolina State in the third round. He was the highest defensive pick selected by the team. At North Carolina State, Wilson won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. He finished his final season in Raleigh with some very impressive numbers. He ranked fifth in the FBS with 138 tackles on the season, per The Fayetteville Observer. Wilson added six sacks, three interceptions, and six pass breakups. The Steelers simply got a steal at that spot.
The team’s final two draft picks were also defensive players. In the sixth round, the Steelers took cornerback Ryan Watts from Texas, and Iowa defensive lineman Logan Lee. Both of these players played for teams that went to their respective conference championship games. Pittsburgh has more options now at several defensive positions with these young men. That should help this team as it moves forward.
The Steelers got an excellent grade of A for their draft class, per Yahoo Sports. Clearly, their moves were impressive. Time will tell if the players are able to live up to this hype.
More must-reads:
- Rookie camp sheds light on Patriots' efforts to develop Drake Maye
- Bears coach provides massive update on QB Caleb Williams' progress
- The 'NFL MVP runners-up' quiz
Breaking News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
