Steelers first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft will come down to these options

It is now under a month until the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off. It is always an exciting night where fans can see prospects become members of their favorite teams in real time. With the draft getting closer by the day, teams and prospects will be meeting on pre-draft visits. These remain key evaluators of a club's interest in a certain prospect.

Pittsburgh has started to share which prospects will be visiting the local facility to take a tour. That is always a key part of the Steelers evaluation if they select a certain prospect. Add in the fact that they also rely on pro day and pre-draft meetings to expose their interest. With the draft a little under a month away, we know one of the prospects listed below will likely be the choice in round one.

Taliese Fuaga could be a rare West Coast exception for Pittsburgh

It is rare to see the Steelers send their top brass anywhere on the West Coast. Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin like to stay on the east side of the Mississippi River for one reason or another. That won't discount the idea of adding some talented West Coast players though. Taliese Fuaga is a prospect at tackle that could overcome the odds of Pittsburgh's draft history.

Fuaga has been a great right tackle at Oregon State and has a scheduled pre-draft visit with the black and gold. The Steelers weren't well represented at his pro day, but they have shown interest in the player thus far. He is projected to go well before the Steelers pick in the first round, but if he somehow slips to their selection, it would be shocking if they passed him up.

The Steelers could go after Graham Barton in the upcoming draft

Center remains a polarizing position for the Steelers as they gear their attention towards the draft. They have remained somewhat active in free agency, and it seems like they could potentially add a veteran player there or on the trade market. The draft will likely be their guide if they cannot address the position early. If they do take a center in the first round, then Graham Barton would be a great choice.

He might be the best offensive lineman in this class when it comes to his versatility. He has played a ton of positions across the line during his time at Duke. The Steelers have shown a good amount of interest in this prospect. We will see if he gets a pre-draft visit to Pittsburgh. He would be a good value at pick 20, or maybe even later in the first round if they trade back.

Amarius Mims remains the most likely candidate in the first round

No other prospect right now checks off all the pre-draft check items for the Steelers than Amarius Mims. They have met with the right tackle prospect plenty of times in the process and have not stopped expressing their interest. They met with him a couple of times, but they also had the top brass at his pro day and will have him in for a pre-draft visit.

He will likely go around the Steelers first-round selection, so it is not impossible to imagine Mims going at 20. In fact, he is the likely choice if you ask most who cover the team. There is still a month to go, so that could always change between now and when pick 20 gets announced. If you were a betting person, you should put money on Mims being the pick for now.

Pittsburgh will have a hard time passing on Jackson Powers-Johnson

Perhaps the fan-favorite pick is none other than Jackson Powers-Johnson out of Oregon. It makes a lot of sense for the Steelers to take Powers-Johnson. He is the best center in the class, besides Barton, if you project him as a starter at the position. Powers-Johnson is the best pure center of this draft class, and fans want him.

Draft history has shown us that centers normally drop when the draft comes around. It would be somewhat surprising if Powers-Johnson wasn't available at pick 20. He is a reasonable option there, but the Steelers haven't shown as much pre-draft interest in him thus far compared to someone like Mims. Much like Fuaga, Powers-Johnson would be a West Coast pick that skewed the Steelers past draft requirements. He is a potential option, but it would be against the norm.