Steelers should target one of the top 3 offensive tackles in the NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to get Kenny Pickett more help on offense and adding a premier offensive tackle is the best way to do so. Here’s who they can target in the NFL Draft.
Since the end of the 2022 season, Pittsburgh Steelers fans have gotten an early jump on the 2023 NFL Draft. Thanks to a mid-first-round pick and added draft capital this year due to the Chase Claypool trade, fans are excited to see which direction this team will go early when they are on the clock.
Pittsburgh certainly has plenty of needs — some of which will be filled in free agency prior to the draft. However, I’m a big proponent of targeting an offensive tackle in the first round this year, and these are the three prospects that the Steelers need to be scouting thoroughly.
3. Steelers should target Paris Johnson Jr.
As of now, this one certainly feels like the most unrealistic of the bunch. Many believe that Paris Johnson Jr. is the top offensive tackle in the 2023 draft class thanks to his impressive combination of size, length, and movement skills. He also comes from a very good football program at Ohio State — one that Mike Tomlin is extremely familiar with.
Because of their late-season surge, acquiring Johnson in the 2023 NFL Draft would likely require a trade-up. This isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility as the Steelers have done so in the past for far less important positions.
Thanks to his traits and upside, Johnson would certainly be an upgrade over Dan Moore at the left tackle position, and he has Pro Bowl upside. If he reaches his potential, he’s a 10+ year starter in the NFL as a team’s blindside protector.