3 Players The Pittsburgh Steelers Would Be Wise To Draft In Round 1 Of The 2023 NFL Draft

People who didn’t pay too much attention to the NFL last season might have felt like the Pittsburgh Steelers were an irrelevant rebuilding franchise. However, true fans of the franchise know that the organization never views it that way, and that prolonged losing streaks just don’t take place in the Steel City. The 2022 campaign was no different, as once again, head coach Mike Tomlin led the Steelers to a winning record. 

With a very young group of skill position players, Pittsburgh might not have been an exciting team to check out from a sports betting perspective on platforms like https://www.bovada.lv/sports where it is now possible to wager on the team legally, but they were frisky down the stretch of the season. 

As the Steelers surprisingly knocked on the door of the AFC postseason party last year, they will look to make a couple of key additions to get the franchise back into the playoffs in 2023.

Here are three players that the Steelers should take a long look at in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft this season:

Drew Sanders: LB, Arkansas

There are few things more synonymous with the franchise than stellar play out of the linebacker position. It’s been a calling card for all the great Pittsburgh teams since the 1970's, and the team would be well served beefing up the middle of the field with a dynamic player who can wreak havoc. Any young player would be fortunate to be coached by Tomlin, especially someone with as many tools as Drew Sanders out of the University of Arkansas. 

Admittedly, Sanders’ career got off to a bit of a slow start in college, as he did not have much of a chance to see the field as an underclassman at the University of Alabama. He would transfer to Arkansas for his junior season, and the nation would find out just how dynamic of a player he could be. Sanders recorded 103 total tackles last year for the Razorbacks, including 9.5 sacks.

It’s going to be interesting to see where Sanders profiles as a pass rusher at the NFL level, but he’ll be a nuisance for opposing teams at the very least. He’ll be able to move laterally to support run-stopping efforts and should be able to impede the vision of quarterbacks with his 6’5” frame. Pittsburgh feels like the ideal home for a player of his skill set. 

Jordan Addison: WR, USC

Even though they ended up winning nine games, the Steelers’ offensive struggles were a topic of conversation all season. This was somewhat expected considering their decision to see what 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett could do under center, but there were a lot of red flags surrounding his supporting cast as well. It would seem like the offense would be better next year organically as younger players gain more experience, but Pittsburgh shouldn’t rule out drafting another playmaker to make their attack more dangerous.

USC wide receiver Jordan Addison has the potential to be a star in the NFL, and his presence opposite George Pickens could set Pittsburgh up quite nicely for many years to come. Pickens had some phenomenal catches last year, but was largely inconsistent, perhaps due to factors outside of his control. Addison’s addition to this offense would allow the offensive coordinator, Matt Canada to get creative by lining the USC product in the slot or on the outside. Not to mention, Addison and Pickett already have an on and off the field relationship due to their days at the University of Pittsburgh.

Addison is not even six feet tall, but an offense featuring Pickens, Diontate Johnson, running back Najee Harris and tight end Pat Freiermuth doesn’t need another towering player in the mix. He’s the type of player who can do unique things with the ball in his hands, which would lend itself to screen passes and short routes to get him involved. He would also be a weapon in the play-action game as well, especially with coverage shaded to other areas of the field.

Joey Porter Jr: CB, Penn State

It’s not usually the case that an NFL franchise can look to its past in order to get inspiration for how it should operate in the future. The Steelers were fortunate enough to bring linebacker Joey Porter in ahead of the 1999 season, and he would spend eight wonderful years with the team. He recorded 468 total tackles in that period, including 60 sacks.

Pittsburgh could use some additional talent in their secondary and could select Porter’s son, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. out of Penn State. The parallels between father and son would be a tremendous narrative to follow, and there would be no question that Porter Jr. would leave everything out on the field for this particular organization. He also has some great physical traits that will help him compete at the next level.

Porter Jr. is 6’3”, which should allow him to contest jump balls with Cincinnati Bengals star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He plays a physical brand of football at the line of scrimmage, which may throw off the timing routes of some of his opponents. 

Who do you think Pittsburgh will select in round one? Make sure to comment below!

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