3 pitfalls Steelers must avoid to cement a successful 2023 draft

As the Steelers embark on another NFL draft, I can't help but think about the myriad pitfalls that we must avoid in order to call the 2023 draft a successful one. Defining success is probably different for every organization but for us, I think success means that we will draft players who will become positive contributors to our winning efforts.

Although we currently have seven draft picks, we do not own, at least as of right now, a fifth-round pick or a sixth-round pick, which places what I would label as undo pressure on Omar Khan to make the selections in the first four rounds that much more impactful. That's not to say that Khan and company can't make that a reality, but, if we miss on any pick in the first four rounds, it will have long-lasting effects. Let's take a look at the third most important pitfall to avoid.

Steelers must avoid being unwilling to trade down to accumulate more picks

This may go without saying but there is no harm in trading down to accumulate more picks, particularly if a player we thought would be available when our turn comes around is not there. In that scenario, why not trade down? For example, if a team does not have a first-round pick but has multiple second and third-round picks this year and next year, we could not only gain more picks in this draft but also in future drafts.

Some may say that trading out of the first round is nonsensical, but I would argue that if a team presents an offer we can't refuse, so to speak, we would have to at least consider the offer. Let's say that our top priority is an offensive tackle and Peter Skronski is off the board, we could easily trade down, get more second or third-round picks and get a quality tackle in the later rounds. Let's take a look at the second most important pitfall we must avoid.