Everyone is still trying to pinpoint where the Steelers will select during the upcoming draft, let alone who they will pick. There has been a flurry of trade rumors surrounding both their first-round pick and the 32nd overall selection in the coming draft. It should lead to some great theatre as the club seems open to many different trade possibilities throughout the crazy weekend-long festivities.
No matter what draft experts or mock drafts you look at, there are some common themes heading into this year's event. The Steelers have some specific areas of focus heading into the draft that will likely be most of the selections in the coming days. Some might be surprising, but most of them have been beaten into our brains since the season ended and the roster started to get evaluated.
Quarterback is a quiet need that the Steelers will target in the draft
One position that has not gotten a lot of attention heading into the draft by most media is depth at quarterback. We all know that Kenny Pickett will be the starter and Mitch Trubisky will be the primary backup for this upcoming campaign. Beyond those two is a lack of competition and bodies to fight for the last roster spot.
Adding someone in free agency could make some sense, but investing in a prospect late in the draft is the safest way to go. You add someone that is cheap and can sit behind the two in front of him to learn for his entire rookie season. That should take a lot of pressure off him and allow him to settle into the backup role in 2024. Brock Purdy was picked with the last selection in last year’s draft, so you can find talent later.
Depth at outside linebacker has become a major need after the Dupree news
Pittsburgh boasts one of the best one-two punches at outside linebacker across the entire NFL. Alex Highsmith had a great season last year that saw him take his game to another level after T.J. Watt was sidelined for most of last season due to injury. Watt is a notch above even the best of the league when he is healthy and should enjoy an amazing year.
Those top positions are set, but those behind them are where the problems start to arise for this defense. Watt missed a ton of time last season and that caused the lack of depth at the position to rear its ugly head. Adding a stable third option behind the two starters is something the black and gold need to find before the season starts.
The NFL draft will pose as the best course of action after Bud Dupree decided to sign with the Atlanta Falcons over a reunion in Pittsburgh. There are a handful of prospects that have seen a good chunk of interest shown by this club. Some of those names include Will McDonald IV, Lukas Van Ness, Zach Harrison, and Tuli Tuipulotu. Anyone of those names would provide great depth as the third option behind the two starters.
Cornerback still remains a top need despite some free agency additions
Patrick Peterson was signed during the start of the free agency process, but that does not make the issues at cornerback disappear. The club also brought some key depth pieces back during the free agency process like James Pierre. A lot of changes could still be made at this position with some players carrying a whopping cap number for their lack of playing time for this group.
One could imagine a world where the black and gold use two picks on this position over the next couple of days. They could use an early pick to add an upgrade on the outside corner spot or have that rookie challenge Levi Wallace at least. They could then turn towards a slot corner in the mid to late rounds of the draft to add an upgrade.
Arthur Maulet cannot be the only option in that slot role heading into the pre-season process. Either adding someone in the draft that can take those coverage duties, or an outside free agent would be the best course of action. Maulet is only a quality contributor if he is used in a specific role that he can do well. There could be a major shakeup in the secondary depending on how this draft shakes out.
Defensive tackle has to find answers for the Steelers in this draft
Bulking up the trenches with fresh faces is something this front office has set out to do heading into the offseason. Some quality competition was added in free agency for some depth roles, but there are no true starters on the roster to challenge for the nose tackle spot. Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi return as the starters at defensive end but the depth behind them is scarce and unproven.
Taking a defensive tackle early in the draft seems like an obvious choice for the black and gold in the upcoming draft. They need someone they can rely on in a nose tackle role, but also someone that could fill the hole at defensive end if need be. There are no guarantees that Heyward or Ogunjobi will remain healthy for the entire season as one is getting older, and the other is just coming off a season where he dealt with an injury all year.
There should be plenty of quality prospects still on the board by the time day two of the draft rolls around. One should imagine that this position will be targeted early on by this organization with either second rounders or the third round selection being in play. Some names that could make sense to Pittsburgh could be Keeanu Benton, Gervon Dexter, Karl Brooks, and Mazi Smith.
Adding an offensive tackle still remains the top target in this draft
Perhaps the most obvious hole that this team will try to fill is at offensive tackle. The secret has never really been close to the vest by Pittsburgh as they routinely invested countless resources into studying this group of prospects. Rumors are out there about this club trying to move up, and most believe that they will likely try to jump in front of a couple of tackle-needy teams.
Neither starting tackle for the Steelers should feel an overwhelming thought of job security as they enter this weekend. Dan Moore Jr. is the starter at left tackle and that position will be the top target to upgrade for this team. Chuks Okorafor is the starting right tackle, but if a trade fails, his spot on the right side might be in jeopardy sooner than expected.
There are four top tackles in this draft, and they all seem to be rising draft boards as the first round gets closer. Two are top left tackle prospects that will likely go within the top 15 and the other is a potential guard at the next level. The top right tackle in this class could very well be the pick at 17 if the Steelers fail to trade up. Some names to monitor as night one gets closer are Paris Johnson Jr., Broderick Jones, Peter Skoronski, and Darnell Wright.