While the focus of everyone is on the future of the Steelers right now, it is also a good time to reassess the talent that was added to the team last year. The draft featured a strong class of players who hoped to make an instant impact on this team and build around for the future.
It wasn’t all perfect though from this group.
While the Steelers got a slew of starters, it also looks like some of the names from this class won’t pan out as we expected them to. While rookies typically take four years before you can accurately grade them, I wanted to give a 1000-foot overview of the future perspective of this draft class.
This will even include my outlook for the rookies who spent most of the year on injured reserve. In the case of this class, that was half of the picks. Based on what we saw, what we heard, and what we expect the team to do this year, here is my early look at the 2024 draft class.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 draft class: A year in review
Steelers first pick: Troy Fautanu
We didn’t get to see much of Troy Fautanu as a rookie, making this judgment tough. He struggled with injury during the preseason, and while he was slated to take over the right tackle job early in the season, he messed up his knee and was lost for the remainder of the year.
That said, some breadcrumbs make me think this team is high on Fautanu. For starters, despite the Steelers typically allowing their tackles to sit before starting (as was the case with Chukwuma Okorafor and Broderick Jones), the team was eager to get Fautanu on the field.
So much so that he was going to replace a fellow former first-round pick, Broderick Jones. While some would argue that may be more telling of Jones as a player than Fautanu, it is a clear sign of trust. Now, with Jones shifting to the left side, Fautanu will play on the right side unopposed.
Because of the injury, I can’t give him a star ranking yet. That said, I think at worst Fautanu will be a good, base hit. He screams long-term starter, even if the accolades aren’t always there for him.
While I still have some reservations about his height, he will have the chance to prove me wrong. Even if his height is an issue at tackle, he can shift inside and should be a great guard. I have him as a hit right now projecting that he lives up to the expectations, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up ranking higher than that.
Steelers Grade: Hit
Steelers second pick: Zach Frazier
At the time, most viewed the Steelers second-round pick as a very safe, high-floor, low-ceiling option to solidify the center position. Zach Frazier lacked the upside of Jackson Powers-Johnson and Graham Barton, but he was experienced and steady while at West Virginia.
Count myself as shocked to see just how good he played as a rookie last year. While not yet in the top-center conversation, he was easily top five last year. It seemed like a snub that he missed out on the Pro Bowl as an alternative this season.
He graded out well on PFF as well. His 76.8 grade made him the sixth-highest-rated center in the NFL. His run blocking was his strength, and he flashed dominance there right away as a rookie. His pass blocking was far better than what he showed in college as well, leaving very few flaws in his game.
I fully expect him to keep climbing as a sophomore as he should get stronger and more experienced as a player. He is likely close to his ceiling given his age, but if that is a top center in the NFL, you are doing something right. He has stardom written all over him.
Steelers Grade: Future Star
Steelers third pick: Roman Wilson
I was thrilled that the Steelers landed Roman Wilson in the third round of the draft. He was a strong contributor in college and had a great pre-draft process. While he lacked the top-end traits of an elite receiver, he looked like a capable option that would provide something in the short and intermediate passing game.
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He never quite got moving though. Like Fautanu, he had some nagging injuries and was ultimately lost for the season after spending most of his healthy time as a weekly inactive. To be frank, it is concerning that Wilson struggled to see any snaps given how weak this receiver room was last year.
Now, a receiver is expected to be addressed with either a premium free agent or a top draft pick (or potentially both). This leaves Wilson’s standing with the team in question. Frankly, I don’t like his odds of becoming something special for this team.
Steelers Grade: Miss
Steelers fourth pick: Payton Wilson
Payton Wilson fell right into the Steelers lap late in the third round, and it already looks like adding him was the right move. While he only saw four starts as a rookie, he quickly worked his way into significant playing time, ending the season with 45 percent of the total defensive snaps played.
The question for Wilson was never his ability. He was a freak athlete and strong competitor in college, but injuries to both of his knees made him a liability. Everyone knew he could play, but the question would be how long.
Thankfully, injuries didn’t impact him as a rookie, and the expectation is that he and Patrick Queen will run this room in 2025. I see him making some significant jumps, as we saw his play pick up later in the season. The Steelers got a good one here, and I think he will make a push as a top linebacker in the league sooner rather than later.
Steelers Grade: Future Star
Steelers fifth pick: Mason McCormick
While taking three offensive linemen in the first four rounds of the draft seemed like overkill for the Steelers, the move certainly paid off. Once James Daniels was lost for the season with his injury, Mason McCormick quickly established himself as the best replacement.
His play was exactly what you saw in college. Explosive, violent, but erratic at times. He was never a major liability on the line, but he also failed to consistently dominate the game. Considering his status as a fourth-round pick, that wasn’t shocking, and the fact he held up as well as he did is a good sign.
Now firmly in control of a starting job, the question is just how much better can he get. Ultimately, I think you have a very capable starter on your hands who will never ascend into the upper echelon of linemen. Think of a Ramon Foster-type of player who can anchor his spot for years, even if the accolades and awards always allude him.
Steelers Grade: Hit
Steelers sixth pick: Logan Lee
Logan Lee was my least favorite pick from this class, and considering where I view him as a player, that is quite the compliment of this class. He was your typical late-round defensive line prospect for the team, tall but lacking in most other physical ways.
The team essentially got him on a redshirt season as they placed him on injured reserve early in the year and he never returned. I’m not sure if that helped him though, as the team seems poised to rebuild this defensive line this year and he may fall behind.
He lacked the traits to be a starter, and the hope was always that he could turn into a capable backup to rotate in. Now, he could quickly get shuffled off the roster if some free agents and high-pedigree rookies are added to the team. The potential was never there, and his odds of sticking around aren’t exceptional.
Steelers grade: Miss
Steelers seventh pick: Ryan Watts
Ryan Watts joined the other slew of Steelers rookies on injured reserve, but unfortunately, his injury seems far more severe. He suffered a neck injury late in the preseason and was deemed out for the year shortly after that. He posted a scary-looking update after the season had wrapped.
While there still isn’t a lot known about just how severe this injury is, there is a real chance Watts never plays an official down in the NFL. It looked like the Steelers liked him, and they were trying him out in some different packages to get him on the field as a rookie.
The hope is that the injury won’t impact him long-term, and ideally, he can recover to full health sooner rather than later. If he does make it back onto the field, there is a need at safety depth, so a role could be there. That said, the odds don’t look great for him.
Steelers Grade: Miss