Steelers 4-round mock draft after trading Diontae Johnson
Wide receiver is suddenly a big need, and the Steelers address the position early in this four-round mock.
By Tommy Jaggi
As we progress through free agency, we are beginning to get a clear picture of where the Pittsburgh Steelers could be heading early in the 2024 NFL Draft. Since the 2023 season ended, cornerback, center, and offensive tackle were widely regarded as the biggest needs to address. Now another need has emerged as a frontrunner.
In a somewhat surprising move, the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for veteran cornerback Donte Jackson and a late-round pick-swap. Though this makes cornerback slightly less of a need for Pittsburgh, it opens up a gaping hole at the wide receiver position.
In my latest Steelers mock draft, I have the Steelers targeting offense early with two players who will fit perfectly in Arthur Smith's offense.
. Wide Receiver. . Adonai Mitchell. Adonai Mitchell. 467. Adonai Mitchell. . player. 1
Steelers mock draft round 1: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
It was interesting to see the Pittsburgh Steelers use formal NFL Combine visits on so many of the top receivers. They even met with Rome Odunze (who will be long gone before Pittsburgh is on the clock). Now that Diontae Johnson has been traded, there's an excellent chance this team could take a wide receiver in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
This is an outstanding year to take a wide receiver early and there is sure to be a run on receivers early. One name that Pittsburgh could target is LSU's Brian Thomas, but I have him off the board to the Bengals before the Steelers pick at 20.
Because of this, I have Omar Khan going with Adonai Mitchell. In Khan's first year in charge of the draft, the Steelers loaded up on elite athletes. Mitchell tested as a 99.9 percentile athlete, according to Relative Athletic Score. His combination of speed and explosion proved to be outstanding at the NFL Combine.
At 6'2'' and 205 pounds, Mitchell fits the mold of the big receiver that Arthur Smith looks for in his offense. Smith's receivers must be able to block, and Mitchell is willing in this department. The Texas standout is a smooth mover and good route runner for a player his size, which will complement George Pickens' skill set perfectly.