Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh addresses pressing needs with early picks

Steelers mock draft round 2: OT Jaelyn Duncan

After a hot streak that concluded with a 7-2 record to close the 2022 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers may have played themselves out of contention for the first wave of offensive tackles. Chances are, at least two could go before the 17th pick in the draft, and Khan and Weidl could look elsewhere for help.

However, I have them returning with their original second-round pick to dip their feet into the offensive tackle pool. Jaelyn Duncan is a name that makes a lot of sense. In addition to having prototype size (6’6”, 320 pounds) and nearly elite athletic traits, Mike Tomlin has a ton of familiarity with Maryland, so the connections are already here.

Duncan has tremendous lower-body strength and a fantastic overall build for the position. He’s a true upside prospect with a relatively high floor thanks to his impressive traits.

In 2022, Dan Moore was far too inconsistent during his second season as the starting left tackle. Duncan could potentially compete with Moore during training camp for a chance to earn the starting LT job from day one. If he hits, Pittsburgh could find their left tackle of the future in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.