Steelers Final Mock Offseason: Pittsburgh stays busy with massive moves in 2024

Steelers mock draft round 4: Maason Smith, DT, LSU

Pittsburgh rounds out the fourth round here by taking Maason Smith. They signed Reader earlier in this mock offseason, so their immediate need to fill out the starting spots on the defensive line is gone. They also brought back Watts before free agency started. They have some depth there, and DeMarvin Leal remains on the roster, even though he is in the doghouse for now.

Drafting Smith here provides some extra depth and a guy who could develop into a solid addition to the trenches. Ideally, the Steelers would be able to take a defensive lineman earlier in the draft, but that did not happen this time around. They decided to add in free agency instead, and that allowed them the flexibility to take someone at the position later.

We know that Tomlin loves a good athlete coming out of the draft and that is exactly what Smith is. He hasn't had a ton of production at the college level, especially this past season. He is someone that can play nose or at end. He has a ton of athletic abilities that could turn into something special if the coaches can get him to develop further.

Smith needs to work on his pad level once he gets to the NFL. If he can figure out how to properly use leverage, then he might be a star. His athletic abilities are what got the attention of the Steelers in the first place, and there is no pressure for him to start on day one. He can sit behind the starting three and gain snaps as time moves on.