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Pittsburgh Steelers: Don’t knock the pick of Chukwuma Okorafor

By Noah Strackbein

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: Western Michigan offensive lineman Chuks Okorafor speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: Western Michigan offensive lineman Chuks Okorafor speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Chukwuma Okorafor isn’t a starting tackle in the NFL, but the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t need a starting tackle.

With the 92nd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers made another surprising pick. Instead of grabbing an inside linebacker, which many people believed they would, they went with a developmental tackle out of Western Michigan.

Okorafor isn’t anything special. His 6’6, 320 lb frame is perfect for the NFL, but his technique is something that needs to be worked on before he succeeds in the pros. As someone who hasn’t faced his fare share of NFL-caliber pass rushers, Okorafor isn’t a player who’s ready to see the NFL stage just yet.

This is only as a starter, though. Okorafor cannot take on a complete game workload and keep this team competitive. He’d get swallowed up by edge rushers using double moves and quickness he’s never seen before.

He’s not expected to be a starter for years in Pittsburgh, though. Behind Marcus Gilbert and Alejandro Villanueva, all Pittsburgh needed was a backup. Someone to replace Chris Hubbard. Someone like Okorafor.

If he didn’t have time to develop, this would be an awful pick. A third-round selection for a player who can’t start for at least two or three years is terrible. But for a player who’s replacing a backup, Okorafor has enough promise to make this pick worthy of acceptance.

It’s a waiting game, but one worthy of waiting. If Mike Munchak can correct this rookie’s flaws, he’ll be a dominant NFL starter on the right side one day. He has the size and strength to out muscle any defender, which makes him a product with upside.

You can’t get too harsh on the pick, yet. Pittsburgh saw something in this guy that they wanted to grab. Picking him at the bottom of the third wasn’t much of stretch. The only real argument is that they could’ve went inside linebacker, but clearly there’s someone worth waiting on.

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Okorafor is a quality backup for the time being. He adds depth to the tackle spot, which Pittsburgh needed after losing Hubbard. So, the pick isn’t a waste. Not every draft pick is an immediate star, and late in the third-round, finding someone with a ton of promise is just as good as finding an immediate starter.

Pittsburgh did well with the pick. It’ll work out long-term. This team should be excited for that.

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