The Pittsburgh Steelers' formal meetings at the NFL Combine made it clear that general manager Omar Khan is interested in improving wide receiver and cornerback early in the NFL Draft. However, this team has a sneaky need at offensive tackle after Broderick Jones' season-ending neck injury.
The Steelers have to decide on Jones' fifth-year option, and it appears the team is on track to decline. Thus, the 2023 first-round pick would be entering the final year of his contract. Unfortunately, Khan admitted that Jones isn't anywhere near ready to play.
Entering the Combine, Monroe Freeling looked like a potential replacement for Jones, if the Steelers were open to taking an offensive tackle in Round 1. Like Jones, Freeling is a Georgia product with outstanding tools and athletic traits for the position.
Sadly, Freeling could be well out of reach for Pittsburgh after a stellar Combine showing.
The Pittsburgh Steelers likely won't have a shot at Georgia OT Monroe Freeling in the 2026 NFL Draft
Freeling wasn't perfect during Combine drills. He lost his footing on more than one occasion and had to move to the back of the line. But that won't stop him from flying up draft boards in the weeks leading up to the draft.
During weigh-ins, Freeling caught the attention of NFL talent evaluators when he measured in at 6'7 3/8'' and 315 pounds with 34 3/4'' arms, 10 3/4'' hands, and a massive 84 1/2'' wingspan.
That was only the beginning.
Freeling proceeded to drop jaws after running a 4.93 40-yard dash (1.71 10-yard split) while posting a 33.5'' vertical and a 9'7'' broad jump. The collection of his size and athletic testing earned him a fascinating Relative Athletic Score of 9.99, per RAS.football.
There are already whispers of Freeling landing inside the top-10 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, thanks to his rare combination of size and athletic traits for the position. The athletic offensive tackle isn't bad on film either. Though he's been a starter for just one full season at Georgia, he showcases quick feet and remarkable pass protection ability on tape during the 2025 season... and he's only scratching the surface of his potential.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were unlikely to go with an offensive tackle in the first round, regardless. Wide receiver is being viewed as a greater need by the team, and that was reflected in the Steelers' formal Combine meetings.
But with Broderick Jones potentially on his way out after the 2026 season, Monroe Freeling would have made a ton of sense as a long-term option. Now, Steelers fans can already kiss this dream goodbye.