Steelers Mock Draft: A balanced approach patches major roster holes in 2024

Steelers mock draft Round 4: Anthony Belton, OT, NC State

If the NFL season ended before the Wild Card round of the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers would hold back-to-back picks in the fourth round. The pick used to acquire Braden Fiske in this mock would have been the selection Pittsburgh received from the Rams in the Kevin Dotson trade. With the very next pick, I have them going with offensive tackle, Anthony Belton.

Part of me would be surprised if the Steelers waited this long to address the tackle position -- considering how unspectacular Dan Moore Jr. was once again this season. There's no reasonable explanation that the front office could make to stick with Moore for a fourth straight year, and Chukwuma Okorafor -- who was benched for disciplinary reasons during the 2023 season -- is likely to be a cap casualty early in the 2024 offseason.

That's where Belton comes in. While Belton's technique can get sloppy, he has a coveted frame for the position. At 6'6'' and 336 pounds, Belton has the prototype size to be an eventual starting right tackle in the NFL.

Of course, his future will be determined by how much improvement he can make in the big leagues. Belton is only an average player on film and his tape probably wouldn't stand out much if not for his mammoth frame. If the Steelers wait until the fourth round to get an offensive tackle, there's always going to be risk involved. Belton could either flop or prove to be a strong developmental tackle who could eventually work his way into a starting role.