Obviously the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 NFL Draft was a huge success. On offense, Pittsburgh drafted three players who will likely start this season. On defense, the Steelers drafted three promising prospects who should add quality depth while also contributing on their special teams.
As great as the Steelers draft was, there were a few things they could have done better. Let’s take a look at the biggest thing Pittsburgh didn’t do in the draft, as well as the one thing it definitely got right.
Before we begin, here’s a reminder of who the Steelers selected in this year’s draft.
| ROUND | TAKE | PLAYER | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
20 | Troy Fautanu, IOL, Washington | B |
|
2 |
51 | Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia | A- |
|
3 |
84 | Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan | B- |
|
3 |
98 | Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State | A- |
|
4 |
119 | Mason McCormick, IOL, South Dakota State | A |
|
6 |
178 | Logan Lee, DL, Iowa | B- |
| 6 | 195 | Ryan Watts, CB, Texas | B+ |
The biggest thing the Steelers didn’t do
The Steelers are still in the same position as they were a week ago when it comes to wanting to add a high-flying veteran receiver to their roster. Pittsburgh reportedly tried to trade for Deebo Samuel, but that Wasn’t willing to pay San Francisco’s asking price.
Pittsburgh did not acquire Samuel (or any other veteran) in the draft, but they selected former Michigan player Roman Wilson in the third round. Wilson will certainly help, but the Steelers still have work to do to round out their receiving corps. Luckily for them, they still have a few options left.
Longtime Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Boyd is still available. It’s also possible that the 49ers are still open to trading Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk. The Broncos might be willing to trade veteran Courtland Sutton for the right price.
If it were me, I’d go after Sutton or Boyd. Boyd is a free agent, so they could sign him without giving up anything. Personally, I would prefer Sutton, who already has a connection with Russell Wilson, to date from their two years together in Denver. Sutton is also coming off a 2023 season in which he threw for 10 touchdowns, while Boyd is coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career.
The one thing the Steelers definitely got right
During this draft, Omar Khan and Andy Weidl’s philosophy for building the Steelers roster was reinforced. Steelers general managers want to take advantage of the draft to strengthen their trenches, particularly the offensive line. Not only did they do it in this year’s draft, but they also made history when the Steelers used three of their first five picks on offensive linemen for the first time since 1976.
Pittsburgh kicked things off by drafting Troy Fautano, who many thought would go to the Seahawks with the 16th overall pick. If getting Fautano wasn’t enough, the Steelers really struck gold in the second round when Zach Frazier, the No. 2 middle prospect in the draft, “fell” to them with the 51st pick. Pittsburgh took the trio of O-linemen two rounds later when they selected guard Mason McCormick.
Each player has their own strengths and skills, but one thing ties them together.
“It’s just their mental makeup, their approach to the game, their love of the game,” offensive line coach Pat Meyer said, via Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider. “Just their style of play in terms of toughness and wanting to finish, guys.”
As a follow-up, Wexell asked Meyer if every rookie lineman could be classified as an “Asskicker.”
“I would say yes,” Meyer said. “It’s the three things these guys have in common: these guys are tenacious, they play the game the right way and all three of them really, really have that love of the game and that passion for the game. They want to go for it all “It’s obviously exciting for me as a coach. ”
This is surely music to the ears of Steelers fans. After three years of poor offensive line play, Pittsburgh returned to its roots. Some may call it old school, but the Steelers want to show that physical, smashing football can still win football games in 2024.
