How early could Steelers take an offensive lineman in the NFL Draft?
By Tommy Jaggi
The NFL Draft is just around the corner, and it’s still very much unknown which direction Pittsburgh will look in round two. Could the Steelers go offensive line?
The NFL Draft is just weeks away, and I have been grinding my gears trying to figure out which direction the Steelers could go with the 49th overall pick. Edge defender is something that is on the table with, and Pittsburgh is rumored to be interested in a few second-round prospects. The Steelers could also be looking for a replacement for Javon Hargrave early in the draft.
Though the offensive line isn’t something that has been highly mocked to Pittsburgh in round two, perhaps it should be.
The Steelers brought in Stefen Wisniewski this offseason, but they lost Ramon Foster to retirement and B.J. Finney to the Seattle Seahawks.
Perhaps, even more, pressing is their need for a long-term option at offensive tackle. Alejandro Villanueva turns 32 years old at the start of the season and is playing under the final year of his deal. In fact, Chukwuma Okorafor is the only tackle currently under contract for the 2021 season.
Even if Okorafor turns out to be a success, the Steelers still need more options at the position. I predicted earlier that Okorafor and Zach banner will be given the opportunity to battle for the right tackle job this year, but it’s possible that neither will be the long-term answer for Pittsburgh.
Because of this, the offensive line is something that has to be on the Steelers radar early in the 2020 NFL Draft, and shouldn’t be ruled out as high as the second round.
Though the top five offensive tackles in Jedrick Wills, Andrew Thomas, Tristian Wirfs, Mecki Becton, and Josh Jones will all be off the board before the Steelers pick, players like TCU’s Lucus Niang or Auburn’s Prince Tega Wanogho could be available. Pittsburgh also reportedly had a dinner meeting with Boise State offensive tackle, Ezra Cleveland, and his 92nd percentile athleticism could be too enticing to pass on.
In the interior, it’s harder to predict which players will be off the board. Some of the top prospects at center and guard this year include Cezar Ruiz, Llyod Cushenberry, Matt Hennessy, Jonah Jackson, and Tyler Biadaz.
The Steelers have a lack of youth on the inside of their offensive line, and Maurkice Pouncey is coming off arguably the worst seasons of his NFL career. If the right player falls to them, Pittsburgh could look to an interior offensive lineman as soon as the second or third round.
dark. Next. Is JuJu Smith-Schuster heading into his last season with the Steelers?
At the end of the day, no position should be ruled out as an option for the Steelers early in the draft – especially without being able to track their interests in offseason activities. Pittsburgh is going to need to find future starters very soon on the offensive line. Perhaps they will look to fill that need early in the 2020 NFL Draft.