The Pittsburgh Steelers need offensive line help in the 2024 NFL Draft. Most draft gurus predict that Omar Khan and Andy Weidl will select a tackle in the first round. There is some variation on who they will choose, but Amarius Mims, JC Latham, and Taliese Fuaga are popular names for the 20th pick.
Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie Broderick Jones in his first NFL start at right tackle against the Tennessee Titans in 2023.
Picking a bookend tackle to pair with Broderick Jones, the 2023 first-round draft pick, is a solid strategy and would not raise the analytics crowd's eyebrows, like selecting center Jackson Powers-Johnson from the Oregon Ducks. The draft is unpredictable, and picking one of the top tackle prospects might not be possible when pick 20 rolls around on Thursday night.
Runs on a position can happen, and Khan and Weidl have multiple holes to fill in the 2024 draft. Suppose one of the top cornerbacks, like Nate Wiggins from the Clemson Tigers, or a top wide receiver prospect, like the Texas Longhorns' Adonai Mitchell, is available, and the top 4-5 tackles are off the board. In that case, a contingency plan may kick in, and they take the best player at another position of need. If that happens, here are the three best tackle prospects that the Steelers could turn to in later draft rounds.
1) Blake Fisher, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Steelers hosted Powers-Johnson and Blake Fisher for a pre-draft visit on Wednesday. Fans have been clamoring for the other "JPJ" for months, but Fisher has steadily risen on draft boards since the season ended. He started 25 games for Notre Dame and has been overshadowed by the consensus top left tackle prospect and his teammate, Joe Alt. Fisher is only 21 years old and started on opening day as a true freshman for the Irish.
SI.com
Steelers hosted Notre Dame right tackle Blake Fisher for a pre-draft visit on April 10th.
He is the same age as Mims, the name most often associated with the Steelers in mock drafts, and started at right tackle three times more than his Georgia Bulldogs counterpart did in his brief career. Fisher has good size, but is projected as a late third—or early fourth-round pick because of issues with penalties and technique. He doesn't have the phenomenal upside of Mims, but based on his age, it isn't unreasonable to expect his current issues to be corrected, and he could become a long-term starter in Pittsburgh.
2) Matt Goncalves, Pitt Panthers
The Steelers fan base might have a bitter taste in their collective mouth after the last Pitt Panthers prospect, Kenny Pickett, washed out and was unceremoniously shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 98th pick in the 2024 draft. Matt Goncalves could be a sweet sleeper that would wash that taste away. He started 24 games over four seasons, but was hurt after only three games in 2023 and missed the remainder of the season with a toe injury. He started all 13 games in 2022 and was selected as a Third Team All-ACC.
Pitt Athletics
Steelers' potential draft prospect, Matt Goncalves is projected to go in the third round.
Goncalves is not great in space, but he demonstrated in college that he was adept at handling the bull rush. He is being projected as a tackle, but could end up moving inside to guard if James Daniels were to leave after the 2024 season. Goncalves' flexibility could be very appealing to the Steelers, and his experience as a Pitt captain and his recent Pro Day demonstrated he was a mentally tough leader who could find a significant role on a young Steelers offense.
3) Javon Foster, Missouri Tigers
Javon Foster started 41 games for the Missouri Tigers in the SEC, 39 of them at left tackle. Foster was First Team All-SEC in 2023 and a Third Team All-American, but he is projected to be a Day 3 selection at the end of April. There are significant questions about his footwork, athleticism, and whether he can hold up on the left side at the NFL level.
Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports
Steelers could look to First Team All-SEC tackle Javon Foster on Day 3 for tackle help.
The Steelers are not looking for a left tackle. They are looking for someone to allow Jones to supplant Dan Moore Jr. and compete for the right tackle position. Foster is crafty and uses a powerful punch to control opposing pass rushers. He is a consistent run blocker, but has difficulty changing direction quickly. Despite his All-SEC pedigree, Foster is a more raw prospect than Fisher or Goncalves. He is a bit of a project, but if the Steelers are still looking for a tackle on Day 3, they could do a lot worse than Foster.
Steelers' Draft Strategy Will Be Tested With 4 Key Positions That Need To Be Filled
It is hard to envision a scenario in which the Steelers would pass on one of the top tackles at pick 20, but it is easy to conceive of a situation in which the top four are gone. Khan and Weidl need to find a starting center, right tackle, cornerback, and wide receiver. There are precious few options for those positions left in free agency. Based on their brief history, it is unlikely they will reach for a need like Kevin Colbert did with Artie Burns or Devin Bush Jr.
At this point, the Steelers' options are seemingly only limited to Khan's imagination. Pittsburgh's general manager has pulled off multiple trades leading up to and during the 2023 NFL Draft. The only thing that is certain is that Khan will aggressively pursue his plan to improve the roster. In two weeks, Steeler Nation will find out what that plan is going to be.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? If the top names fly off the board early on the 25th, who do you think is the contingency plan at tackle? Please comment below or on my X: @thebubbasq.
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