Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh doubles down for offensive line help
By Tommy Jaggi
Pittsburgh could go a number of directions early in the 2023 NFL Draft, but here’s why I have them getting back to their roots in my latest Steelers mock draft.
It’s hard to ignore the obvious players who come to mind when we think of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2023 NFL Draft. This team has a big need at cornerback, and it just so happens that Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. could be available with the 17th overall pick. Likewise, former Pitt WR Jordan Addison makes a lot of sense for a team that struggled in the passing game. He would offer Kenny Pickett and the offense an immediate boost.
While I do think that the Steelers will be intrigued by some familiar faces who could go somewhere in their draft range, I have Pittsburgh going in a different direction early in my latest seven-round Steelers mock draft.
Steelers mock draft round 1: OT Peter Skoronski
I think the Steelers have seen enough struggles in the trenches for their liking over the past few seasons. While Pittsburgh’s offensive line did improve throughout the course of the year, it wasn’t drastic enough to make Art Rooney and the new general managers believe that they should ignore the offensive trenches once again.
Though the line played decent as a unit, this team is lacking a stud on the OL, and it’s been over a decade since they last invested a first-round pick into an offensive lineman of any kind (David DeCastro in 2012). The Steelers would love to be able to land a long, athletic offensive tackle like Paris Johnson Jr. or Broderick Jones with this pick, but I have them being drafted prior to the 17th selection when Pittsburgh is first on the clock.
As a consolation prize, I have them getting Peter Skoronski from Northwestern. Skoronski was a menace during his three seasons in the Big Ten. While some are concerned about his lack of length, Skoronski is a plug-and-play starter in several positions on the offensive line. If he doesn’t work out at tackle, he could be a high-end guard at the next level.