There are tons of rumors surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers right now about potential upgrades at quarterback. Many believe that the club will add to that positional group either through free agency or possibly the draft. The offseason has just started after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl this past weekend.
Pittsburgh has plenty of holes to fill, but quarterback remains the most important position in football. The Steelers are going to make changes in that group and give Kenny Pickett a fighting chance to retain his starting job next season. It depends on what level of talent the team brings in this offseason to push Pickett and his job so the club can reach more success.
Steelers mock draft round 1: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Night one of the NFL Draft rolls around and the Steelers are sitting in a pretty good position when their pick arrives. There are plenty of quality prospects that remain at cornerback, tackle, and center. One thing that happened that the Steelers didn't expect was J.J. McCarthy slipping into their hands. They decide they are comfortable enough with using their top pick on him.
The Michigan product has his name called and the NFL world loves the theatre of the pick. Pickett's days as the starting quarterback are numbered as the rookie could beat him out for the job. McCarthy ran a similar run-first offense in college and won a lot of football games. He should slide into Arthur Smith's offense well.
McCarthy was able to show poise in big moments and the ability to compliment a strong run game with his arm. One of his best qualities is the accuracy and location of his passes. He was one of the most accurate in college football ever since becoming the starter for Michigan. McCarthy will be a first-round pick, and the Steelers did enough homework on him here to feel comfortable enough going with the young prospect.
Steelers mock draft round 2: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
After taking a quarterback in round one, the Steelers start to turn their attention to other positions of need. With a young guy at quarterback, Pittsburgh decides they need to find different ways to protect him. Center will be the main focus throughout the draft as the Steelers are more likely to address the position there rather than paying someone in free agency.
Mason Cole is still on the roster and could be a cap casualty if certain scenarios transpire. It is unlikely that he will get cut as the black and gold always like to have experienced players on their club to fall back on if certain additions don't work out. An upgrade over Cole has to happen and the Steelers are able to find that here as they take Zach Frazier in round two.
It's rumored that Pittsburgh loves Frazier. He is a local guy coming out of West Virginia and would fit in Smith's offense like a glove. He has a lot of starting experience at center and should be a realistic possibility in the second round. Frazier would jump onto the team and immediately start nipping at Cole's heels for the starting job.
With how the Steelers operate, it seems probable that Frazier would start off as the second center behind Cole at the start of the preseason. Unless Cole falls off a cliff, which isn't out of the question, then he will probably be the starting center in Week 1 no matter how well Frazier does. He might get the Broderick Jones treatment, but he would start before the season concludes.
Steelers mock draft round 3: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
No matter how much people might hate the idea of Dan Moore Jr. remaining as the starter at left tackle next season, they need to get real. There is a real possibility that he will be the starting left tackle for the Steelers unless they take one early in the draft. It is unlikely that they will sign a right tackle in free agency, so fans better pray for a top draft pick.
Even if Pittsburgh would take a tackle high in the draft, don't be shocked if they take a while before they get the top job. Anyhow, the Steelers remain committed to addressing needs in the draft and they take a high-ceiling prospect with Blake Fisher out of Notre Dame. This mock draft is off to a pretty good start considering they took a quarterback in round one.
Fisher is still a young player who shocked many NFL teams by announcing his decision to leave school so early into his collegiate career. He has most of his starting experience at right tackle, so he doesn't have to make that switch like some other tackles in this class might. The main issue with this tackle coming out of college is the project that he imposes.
This offensive tackle is a good get in the third round and a realistic possibility if the Steelers can't secure one in the top two picks. He has a high ceiling but needs to continue to work on his technique at the next level. The good news is that he is young and has a lot of room to grow which could turn into a quality starter at right tackle. The bad news is that Moore and Jones would likely remain the starters for next season.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Another member of the Fighting Irish enters this mock draft. Cornerback is a position of need for the Steelers even though they hit on their selection of Joey Porter Jr. last season. They need an upgrade on the opposite-side cornerback. They also need to try and find upgrades for options to fill the slot cornerback role.
With Levi Wallace becoming a free agent, it seems like this position could shoot up the list of needs for the black and gold. Cory Trice Jr. had a strong start to training camp last year, but he cannot be relied on with his medical history and inexperience in the NFL. Drafting another corner seems to be the most likely option to help this spot.
Pittsburgh uses their first fourth-round pick on Cam Hart. He has the ideal size for an outside cornerback and should be able to challenge for that starting spot. He had a strong week at the Senior Bowl, and we know Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan were involved during that event. It is possible that they saw Hart and envision him on this roster come training camp.
The good thing about Hart is his ability to not panic in coverage. He can also play in the slot, so if outside corner doesn't work out for him then he can slide into the slot role. He has great size for a corner, but his lack of production with interceptions in college will be a knock on his game. He is a quality player that would be of great value here.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona
From one slot issue to another here. The Steelers need an upgrade at slot cornerback, but they also need help at slot receiver. Allen Robinson II has yet to officially be released by the Steelers upon writing this article, but that is a matter of when and not if. His ten million in cap savings would do wonders for this team's cap situation this offseason.
Calvin Austin III was disappointing this past year as he couldn't find much room to get extra snaps on offense. The Steelers will likely add to the receiving core during the draft, which is something they have proved to be good at. Both George Pickens and Diontae Johnson will be the starting duo on the outside, but the slot has to be figured out long-term.
Pittsburgh takes Jacob Cowing out of Arizona here. He has an interesting playing style that could remind some of Antonio Brown to an extent. This is not to say that Cowing will put up numbers like Brown, but some similarities can be found in their games. Many expect Cowing to slide into the slot, and that is where he would start his career in the black and gold.
He could eventually grow to an outside receiver option in the future, especially if Johnson doesn't sign a contract extension. Cowing is an explosive player who finds different ways to separate himself. He has put up quality numbers no matter where he played in college. He also has experience as a returner, which is always a bonus when the draft comes around.
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.
Steelers mock draft round 7: Jamree Kromah, DT, James Madison
Round seven rolled around and the Steelers completely neglected the defensive trenches. They wanted to try and invest another high draft pick on the defensive line since their current roster is getting older. That didn't happen as this mock draft fell in another direction. They still want to add another body to compete for a depth spot and they get that with their final pick.
The Steelers take Jamree Kromah out of James Madison with their final selection in this mock draft. One of the most enticing things about this prospect is his ceiling. He could turn into a fantastic player or role player for a defense at the next level. He had a breakout year in 2023, but his little production before that could concern teams.
Kromah had ten sacks for the Duke's defense this past campaign, which was one of their best producers on that side of the ball. He is lighter than what the Steelers normally look for in their defensive ends, but he is around where DeMarvin Leal was when he was drafted. Perhaps Pittsburgh will look at that and see someone who could gain weight to fit their mold better as a defensive lineman.
This prospect started off his collegiate career at Rutgers. He spent three years there before transferring over to James Madison. During his time at Rutgers, he was in a depth role and didn't produce much. His move to James Madison proved smart as he quickly grew into a starting role and produced high numbers which will get him plenty of NFL draft attention.