The Pittsburgh Steelers have addressed a few key needs in free agency so far. With three picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, it was important to narrow down the key needs. The interior part of the offensive line, along with middle linebacker, are now less prevalent needs. That means offensive tackle and cornerback are the two top needs it seems heading into draft season.
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Steelers QB Kenny Pickett and WR Jordan Addison celebrate while playing together at the University of Pittsburgh in 2021
There are plenty of options for both positions, but NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has his dream scenario for the Steelers. That would be offensive tackle Broderick Jones out of the University of Georgia, whom he projects the black and gold taking at No. 17 overall in his latest mock draft released on Tuesday. There were plenty other options available with the 17th pick, including WR Jordan Addison, CB Joey Porter Jr., and OT Darnell Wright, but Jeremiah opted for Jones:
"This would be a dream scenario for the Steelers as they continue to overhaul their offensive line this offseason," Jeremiah said.
Jones was an All-SEC First Team selection in 2022, where he played 13 games at left tackle. He helped Georgia to their second consecutive National Championship title, both of which he was obviously a part of. While he played left tackle throughout college, he could be a guy that moves to right tackle at some point, if not right away. Jones gave up eight quarterback hurries and just one quarterback hit across 805 snaps in 2022.
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Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr. has seen his draft stock fall a bit over the last year.
Those aforementioned names were taken after the black and gold by the inclusion of the first round, including division rival Baltimore Ravens taking Porter at No. 22. This obviously would mean none of them would have been available for the first pick to start the second round. Ohio State tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, along with Wright, are a few more names that will be linked to the Steelers.
Which OT would be the best option for the Steelers?
For comparison, Johnson was taken 15th overall in Jeremiah's mock, while Dawand Jones wasn't picked in the first round. If the Steelers did opt for a cornerback or different position in the first round, Dawand Jones may be an option with one of their two second round picks. Those are the top tackles in this year’s class though, as the Steelers will likely look to upgrade either Dan Moore Jr. or Chukwuma Okorafor.
At the very least, they will provide some competition for at least one of them, if not both. Many scouts believe that Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, one of the best tackles in college football the past few years, will play guard in the NFL. Because of that, he is less likely to land in Pittsburgh due to the team’s recent reinforcements at the position. That’s not to say he’s completely out of play, as the front office could view him as an OT still.
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Skoronski remains one of the best overall players in this year’s draft, it just all comes down to if the Steelers believe in him as a tackle. Just a few weeks ago, Jeremiah’s previous mock draft had the black and gold taking Darnell Wright. At this point in the pre-draft process, it truly seems up in the air as far as who the team will take with the 17th pick.
Who do you want to see the black and gold take in the first two rounds? Do you think Broderick Jones would be a good pick with the 17th overall selection? Is offensive tackle or cornerback the biggest need heading into April? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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