6 unlikely players I want the Pittsburgh Steelers to take in the 2023 NFL Draft

1. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Will Darnell Washington end up being the Steelers pick? Despite a late visit with the team, I find it unlikely. Despite being a unique build and a potential top name at tight end, Pittsburgh has a lot of needs in this draft and has a secure starter in Pat Freiermuth. Add in the desire to trade the 32nd overall pick and Washington’s odds of becoming a pick are slim.

That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be fun to have him here. Washington cut his cloth in college as a blocker, using his frame and strength to serve as essentially a sixth offensive tackle. He isn’t a bad receiver though, as he is a sneaky good athlete and has good hands. There is a lot of development that needs to be done with his route running, but Washington could become a unique threat.

For a Steelers team that has shown the desire to get more physical up front and focus on the run game, Washington would make sense. It would lead to more two tight ends sets and heavier personnel, but it would also give Kenny Pickett another big receiving threat to utilize.

Again, given the desire to get bigger and more physical up front, Washington makes sense for this offense on paper. Given his draft value and the likelihood of a trade at pick 32 though and it seems unlikely that he ends up with the team. It would be a lot of fun to have him land with the Steelers in the draft though.

While there is more mystery than usual surrounding the Steelers draft this year, these six prospects seem like pretty safe bets to not end up on the team’s roster this year. That said, I think each of these players would be a fun addition to the roster, and while it would be impractical, a small part of me irrationally hopes they draft these players.