The Steelers Need To Help Protect Kenny Pickett And These Top 5 Offensive Tackle Prospects Would Help Do Just That

The Pittsburgh Steelers have two very glaring positional needs they must address early on in the 2023 NFL Draft. I touched on the first position in my Top 5 cornerback prospect breakdown which can be found here. Now if the board doesn't fall their way and the team doesn't address the cornerback position early, one would hope they choose to look at this year's offensive tackle class as well. 

This year's draft is a very unique one for the organization due to the fact that the team has a ton of early draft capital to seemingly do whatever they want once things kick off. 

Currently the team has the #17, #32 and #49 picks within the first two rounds which gives them a ton of flexibility to potentially make a move up for one of the top names. They could also simply hold steady and use all three picks to help shore up various areas on the roster. 

The team has done their homework on this year's class, so it's not a matter of if, but when they decide to pull the trigger to help bolster the team's front line. Below are my top five offensive tackle prospects in this year's draft class. 

According to ESPN's, Todd McShay, Pittsburgh is strongly considered moving up in round one of the draft to select a potential franchise-altering left tackle to protect Kenny Pickett long-term. 

Should The Steelers Go After A Top Offensive Tackle In The First Round?

1. Paris Johnson Jr. - Ohio State 

Paris Johnson Jr. should be everyone's top name. Johnson measures in at 6’6” and 313 pounds.  The scary part is that this kid still has room to grow. Johnson is huge, but can still move just like a tight end and was lined up against the best at the college level. He’s quick on his feet and is great at stopping those outside edge rushers from getting to the quarterback, which is something Pickett would very much appreciate heading into his sophomore season.

The Steelers have been the highlight of several draft rumors the past few weeks involving a possible trade up into the Top 10. One of those rumors that broke this week was a link between the Pittsburgh and defensive lineman Jalen Carter. 

Barring Carter’s off the field issues, many have labeled him as the most talented player in this year’s draft class. Carter is a generational talent and would be an amazing addition to the defense, but the other player the team has been rumored to be interested in trading up for is Johnson.

2. Peter Skoronski - Northwestern 

The options regarding Peter Skoronski and his jump to the next level have seemingly been all over the board. Some are saying he’s the most pro-ready tackle in this year‘s class while others have been a little more critical about his size, specifically, his arm length. 

Per Skoronski's prospect profile on NFL.com, one NFC team executive goes on to state that Skoronski will have much more success at the NFL level if he were to move over to guard even though he’s played his entire college career at Northwestern at left tackle. 

The 2022 First-Team, All-Conference selection still has the baseline and the size to be a success at the next level, but what position on the line will he play, and what team will make that selection remains to be seen.

3. Broderick Jones - Georgia 

Now we have finally arrived at the tier of prospects one could call: “Players that the Steelers MIGHT not have to trade up for." It starts off with Broderick Jones. Similar to Johnson, Jones still has some developing to do both in his overall frame and the position in general. Jones started just over one season for the Bulldogs, but one could argue that is more than enough experience given the level of talent he faced on a weekly basis playing in the SEC and helping the team win their second consecutive National Championship. 

Jones has been placed all over the board in recent mock drafts. Some have him going just outside the Top 10 and him being selected by Pittsburgh at #17. One mock draft by Steve Palazzolo with Pro Football Focus that didn’t even have him selected in the first round.

This is just a prime example showing that literally no one knows how this draft is going to shake out. Regardless, Steelers fans should be thrilled if the team were to select Jones with the 17th pick. And if they don’t, he won't end up lasting much longer.

4. Darnell Wright - Tennessee 

Darnell Wright is the most likely prospect for Pittsburgh to walk away with if they decide to stick with the 17th pick and choose to address the tackle position. Wright saw significant improvement last season compared to 2021. He started every game at right tackle and was able to earn a First-Team All-SEC selection. 

He’s coming into the draft as one of the bigger lineman in this class at 333 pounds, but is still able to use that size to his advantage. With a little development, Wright could turn into a cornerstone piece up front for any team that decides to select him.

5. Anton Harrison - Oklahoma 

Anton Harrison is the most raw prospect here, which is why he rounds out the top five. With that being said, for what Harrison might lack in athletic talent, he makes up for it in his size and ability to use his hands for both offense and defense at initial contact. Harrison found much more success protecting the quarterback, only allowing nine pressures on 447 snaps in passing situations. 

As good as his pass protection was in 2022, his run-blocking could definitely use some work, but the same can be said for a number of prospects as you get further down the draft board. Regardless, Harrison is another prospect that will most likely hear his name called in the first round.

That concludes the top five offensive tackle prospects going into the 2023 NFL Draft. What do you think? Do any of these names stand out above the rest? Should the Steelers choose to address the cornerback position before they look into an offensive tackle? Be sure to leave a comment and let us know!

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