Steelers mock draft round 2: TE Darnell Washington
Because of the trade back with Dallas, I really wanted the Steelers to grab the best player available on the board, and more specifically find Kenny Pickett another weapon to throw to. I wasn’t impressed with the receivers available, but Darnell Washington was just sitting there and thus became the pick.
The Steelers don’t need a tight end, as Pat Freiermuth is an ascending player there, but there are some questions behind him, especially if Zach Gentry isn’t retained. Washington would be a huge upgrade there regardless. He has great size, can block (a task he did regularly at Georgia), and has soft hands that make him an asset in the passing game.
The Steelers heavily used their tight ends in 2022, and I think that trend will continue as Pickett hasn’t proven to be a dynamic passer deep yet. Having a strong tight end room would go a long way in this offense. Again, this is a luxury pick that I allowed with the extra draft capital, but Washington would be a great fit in this offense moving forward.