Steelers should value money positions higher than interior offensive line
Spending a first-round pick on an interior offensive lineman may not be a bad idea — depending on where a team is selecting. However, with the Pittsburgh Steelers potentially owning a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, I would greatly oppose taking a guard or center this high.
We know that Pittsburgh can use just about everything, and there are hardly any positions that should be immune to upgrading. While James Daniels could be a long-time option at right guard, I think that Kevin Dotson will eventually need to be replaced, and Mason Cole may not be the best long-term solution at center.
Even considering that, I just don’t think this is a position that teams should value this high in the first round except under the rarest of occasions. The reasoning is pretty simple: offensive tackle is simply much more important. It’s so hard to have a successful offensive line if your tackles are playing poorly, and that has been the case recently for the Steelers.
Though I think all positions in the trenches matter, I would be a little bit upset if the Steelers decided to go with an interior offensive lineman with their top pick. Pittsburgh has a solid history when it comes to drafting guards and centers high, but when they are picking as high as they will be, an OT offers significantly more value.