Steelers 2024 Mock Draft: Pittsburgh land Kenny Pickett's replacement in Round 1

Steelers mock draft round 6: Zion Tupuoloa-Fetui, EDGE, Washington

At this point in the draft, you either reach for a need with a prospect that won't work out, go for a project player, or just take the best guy on the board. The Steelers go with the former here and take Zion Tupuoloa-Fetui out of Washington. That program had a quick rise to stardom and their defense had some quality players that were overshadowed by the offense.

The black and gold don't seem to need an edge rusher heading into the draft, but they might when you investigate things closely. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are the starters. Nick Herbig will likely see an increased role, but the fourth guy is currently missing. Markus Golden is a pending free agent, and if he leaves then this position just got that much more important.

After claiming Jeremiah Moon off the Ravens practice squad, the Steelers have someone who can challenge for a roster spot in training camp. Adding someone like Tupuoloa-Fetui would bring more bodies to that competition and someone who has quality experience in college. He has played in big games and has been able to help his team get to victory.

You would have liked to see Tupuoloa-Fetui show more in the stats department, especially this past season. He fits the bill for the physical size that the Steelers want in their edge rushers, and that should start the initial attraction between player and team. If Golden departs in free agency, then expect the edge rusher position to be in play during the draft.