Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Week 1 of free agency

Round 2, Pick #32: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma (6’4”, 315)

Frankly, I’m somewhat skeptical about whether the Steelers will (or should) use one of their first three picks on an offensive lineman. I know the offensive line was far from perfect last year, and they certainly won’t be able to avoid injuries as they did in 2022. But the offensive line took significant steps forward together as the season progressed. They also signed two guards in free agency (Nate Herbig and Isaac Seumalo) that could be starters opposite James Daniels. 

Furthermore, they have many other glaring needs (cornerback, defensive line, inside linebacker) that need immediate attention in the form of Day-1 starters. The best offensive linemen that could come in and be Day-1 starters will likely be gone by the time the Steelers pick. Plus, given how the line continued to improve as they played more together, I would rather the team work on filling other needs instead of using a high pick on a player that isn’t guaranteed to be an immediate starter.

Nevertheless, this is excellent value for a player of Anton Harrison’s caliber. I’m higher on him than most and think he should go in the first round. But in the mock I did for this exercise, he fell to the Steelers’ pick at 32. Harrison is much like the Steelers’ current left tackle, Dan Moore. But he’s stronger and much more consistent in pass protection. His best qualities come in run blocking, which the Steelers seemingly want to lean on more. Given the signings of Herbig and Seumalo, I would argue that Dan Moore is in the most vulnerable position of all the offensive linemen. Plus, this team needs some depth at offensive tackle. 

If this pick were to happen, Harrison could supplant Moore as the starter at left tackle. This would allow Moore to compete with Seumalo, Herbig, and Kevin Dotson at left guard, a position where he might be more comfortable given his prowess as a run blocker and his struggles as a pass protector. Conversely, if Harrison can’t supplant Moore, he could spend the year learning behind Moore and Chuks Okorafor and possibly replace them in 2024. Harrison just turned 21 in February, so he is a young rookie that can afford to sit behind some veterans.