Re-grading the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2018 draft class
Chukwuma Okorafor
Okorafor was not a “sexy” pick by any means but a necessary one. After losing Chris Hubbard in the offseason to free agency, it was needed to replace that depth.
His size and strength are perfect for the NFL. He had experience at both tackle spots at Western Michigan and that is something the Steelers love in their linemen is versatility.
The pick made a lot of sense to me after seeing Marcus Gilbert miss most of 2017 with injuries and a suspension. It makes all the more sense after seeing him miss most of this season once again and landing on injured reserve late in the year.
Okorafor was expected to be an emergency lineman outside of some heavy sets he was packaged into. He was just that for most of the year until Matt Feiler couldn’t go against Denver.
Chuks was forced into a starting role in the worst possible week for a rookie to get his first start. He was tasked with manning the right tackle spot opposite none other than Von Miller.
He did very well for most of the game against one of this generation’s most prolific pass rushers. He had help from chipping tight ends and running backs but he held his own for much of the game. His ability to show promise over the season and learning from Mike Munchak is huge for Pittsburgh in deciding the future of Marcus Gilbert.