Steelers make an unexpected splash trade at cornerback in latest 2023 mock draft

Steelers mock draft round 1: OT Dawand Jones

The black and gold move back eight spots in the first round and must wait again once the trade goes through the league office. Again, the long wait to hear the Steelers selection on night one comes back to focus as prospects go pick by pick. Finally, the 25th selection of the first-round rolls around, and Pittsburgh is laser-focused on making the pick.

There are some interesting options on the board that could be the pick, but this front office sticks to their guns. Most of the offseason has been geared toward getting bigger and better in the trenches. That thought process does not falter here as the club still decides to invest highly into the tackle position this time around.

Dawand Jones out of Ohio State is the top choice by the black and gold this year. It checks off all the pre-draft boxes that this club has historically looked for in their top selections. He is a massive human that should create headaches for defenders at the next level. He could play either left or right tackle, but he will be an upgrade on either side. Ideally, he will be the upgrade over Dan Moore Jr. on the left side, but finding a starter on either side will pay immediate dividends.