Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh dips into QB pool in second round
By Tommy Jaggi
Interior offensive line. Fighting Irish . Jarrett Patterson. 5. player. 819.
Steelers fifth-round pick (comp.): IOL Jarrett Patterson
If the Steelers don’t double up on the offensive line earlier in the NFL Draft, then Jarrett Patterson makes sense at this point. The former offensive tackle recruit out of high school kicked inside to play center for the Fighting Irish, but he does have a bit of position flexibility.
Patterson doesn’t have any outstanding traits (which is why he isn’t being projected until day three of the draft), but he comes from an incredible offensive line program at Notre Dame and has been a solid starter during his college tenure.
Meanwhile, the Steelers have question marks all over the interior offensive line. Kevin Dotson looks like he could be a future starter, but Trai Turner is a free agent this year (who underwhelmed in 2021 for Pittsburgh) and Kendrick Green had a rough rookie season.
At 6’5” and 307 pounds, Patterson has a bigger frame than Green and excels as a run blocker. He would begin his career competing to be the primary backup interior offensive lineman and hope to become a starter a year or two down the line.