The Pittsburgh Steelers have been very busy this year at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The Steelers have three picks within the first 49 selections in this draft, so it is imperative that they collect as much information as possible on the eligible prospects. This time of the year, each franchise meets with hundreds of players in both formal and informal settings. It's easy to overreact to teams meeting with certain players, especially when the Steelers have often drafted players they haven't met with at the NFL Combine. However, the Steelers met with star offensive lineman, Peter Skoronski this week at the combine and it's hard to not get excited envisioning him in the black and gold.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan will get his first crack at an NFL draft in 2023 as the first-year GM attempts to build on his predecessors' success.
Pittsburgh has been working on rebuilding their offensive line over the past few seasons. After great linemen David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey and Alejandro Villanueva left the Steelers over the past few seasons, their long time strength has become a revolving door of young players struggling for consistency. Last year, the line seemed to develop a decent cohesion and ended up averaging over 150 rushing yards per game in the final two months of the season. The group benefited from a young core that stayed extremely healthy and grew together over the grueling 17-game season.
As well as the line improved from beginning to end, it still lacks star power and dominance. One quick way to fix that lack of star power would be adding the individual the Steelers met with earlier this week at the combine - Skoronski. The Steelers have met with a slew of prospects, but Skoronski stands out as the top lineman by most scouts in this year's draft.
The Steelers have always valued versatility in players and Skoronski is precisely that. A three-year starter out of Northwestern, Skoronski has proven that he can play all over the line. He played mostly left tackle during his career in college, but questions about his size have left some scouts questioning his true position in the NFL. The Steelers have mostly looked for huge bodies at the tackle position in the past, but their lack of success in acquiring a franchise altering tackle over the past decade should have them questioning their logic.
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Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore, Jr.
The Steelers currently have one of the youngest and cheapest offensive lines in the NFL. This is an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. In my opinion, no one's job is secured on their line with the exception of free agent signing James Daniels. Both tackle positions should be questioned, especially third-year right tackle Dan Moore Jr.
Moore, who has played almost every game since his rookie season, has shown flashes of being an above average player, but his skill set as a fourth-round pick has proven over time he is not a sustainable answer. Fourth-year player Kevin Dotson could be under the same consideration as the aforementioned Moore. Dotson has had a rocky career in Pittsburgh and his starting spot shouldn't be considered a lock. If the Steelers deem Skoronski as too small to play tackle, then he could easily knock inside and challenge Dotson from day one as a starter.
It's unlikely Skoronski slips all the way to the Steelers spot at 17, but it is a good sign that they met with him at the combine and got to know him. If the Steelers aren't lucky enough to draft Skoronski, then they should pivot to another lineman they have high on their board with their first-round pick. The Steelers don't have time to wait and see if their linemen are long-term answers and we know most of those answers already. The clock has already started ticking on franchise quarterback Kenny Pickett's rookie contract and it is time they get a franchise lineman to protect Pickett over the next decade.
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