It seems likely that on April 25, the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers will select an offensive tackle or a center prospect in the first round, and certainly one or both positions over the first two rounds. Holding pick No. 20, the draft could break a number of ways for the Steelers. It is difficult to pin down who might be available at that slot, but several names have come into focus over the last couple weeks. Ike Taylor was on an episode of Bleav In Steelers with Mark Bergin on Friday afternoon and discussed some of the top offensive line names that the Steelers have been linked to.
He is careful not to say too much on each player as he provides some scouting services for the team in an unofficial capacity, but he offers up some nuggets of information on each prospect.
Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
One of the most often linked offensive tackles to the Steelers has been Georgia OT Amarius Mims. For what he lacks in starting college experience, he makes up for with a rare blend of size and athleticism.
“I look at Mims, I look at me. Just raw,” Taylor says, comparing his own profile coming out of college to Mims. “He’s a different kind of dude. That’s how I would describe Mims. He’s super raw, you know? But he has a lot of upside.”
Taylor was a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2003. He spent his final two seasons there, and actually played running back in his penultimate college season. He moved to corner his final season, and had a great year, but had little experience at his projected NFL position. Obviously it worked out with Taylor in the NFL, but he didn’t have the pressure of being a first-round pick. He only started two games in his first two NFL seasons before becoming a full-time starter. Mims, a projected first-round talent, won’t have the luxury of waiting and taking his time to learn and develop.
Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
Washington OT Troy Fautanu has been a popular name linked to the team lately. With a pre-draft visit and a trip from OL coach Pat Meyer to his pro day, the interest is clearly there. But what is his fit with the team? He played primarily left tackle, but he is on the shorter end for NFL tackles, though he does make up for it with good arm length. Would the Steelers move him to the right side, or could he be an option to move to guard to have someone like James Daniels kick inside to center?
It sounds like whatever the plan is, Taylor thinks he will be a good football player.
“When you see an offensive lineman who wears their jersey up who has the personality of a linebacker slash corner, but he’s an offensive lineman, oh yeah, I’m hanging with that kind of dude all day,” Taylor said. “He’s the only offensive lineman in college football that has a half jersey because he likes his physique. Not only does he like his physique, he’s nasty as well. Super athletic.”
Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Rounding out the tackle conversation, they discussed Oregon State OL Taliese Fuaga. Many draft analysts have him well off the board by the time the Steelers select, but he would make a great plug-and-play pick at right tackle, allowing Jones to move over to the left side early on.
“Dog. Just a straight-up mauler. A throwback 1980s offensive lineman,” Taylor said of Fuaga. “When you watch his tape, he want to give you the extra on the ground. He won the pancake award.”
With Meyer at his pro day, and having been brought in for a pre-draft visit, the Steelers clearly are interested, but will he be within their range? Could he be a candidate to move up a few spots for, like they did last year with Jones?
Graham Barton, C, Duke
One of the most talked about prospects in the final weeks of the pre-draft process has been Barton. He is over 6-5, which is on the taller end for a center, and he hasn’t played the position since 2020 in his freshman year at Duke. He played left tackle primarily for the Blue Devils, but his arm length (32 7/8) is slightly too short for what you typically see in an NFL tackle. Some teams likely view him as a guard, while many think he projects best at center. He is athletic, technically sound, and has great football IQ.
“This is what I think about when I think about Graham Barton,” Taylor said. “You mix a grizzly bear, you put in a ballerina, and you put in a lion…them people don’t come around too often.”
One line of thinking suggests the Steelers need Day-1 starter at center and Barton may not be best suited to do that with no center experience since 2020. On the other end of things, his positional versatility makes him a very safe pick. Even if it doesn’t work out at center, he can be an impact player at one of the five OL spots, likely at guard if not center. Either way, that is high praise from Taylor.
Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
Rated as one of the best pure center prospects in the draft, Powers-Johnson has been linked to the Steelers ever since his standout performance at the Senior Bowl. The interest is clearly there on him, but it comes down to whether or not the Steelers are comfortable with drafting a center in the first round. Typically, there is better value to be had at more premium positions, but Powers-Johnson would be plug and play.
“It’s hard for centers to pull,” Taylor said. “You catch your center who can snap the ball and pull, snap the ball on time, snap it precise and can pull, you talking about a special center. But you’re talking about Powers-Johnson when I say that.”
OC Arthur Smith’s offense figures to feature outside zone concepts that require offensive linemen to play on the move and out in space more than other schemes. Powers-Johnson proved he could do that on tape, and his pre-draft process has backed up the tape. He is athletic, has the demeanor, and finishes his blocks well. He could be in play for the first-round pick, but some recent mock drafts have him falling to the Steelers in Round 2.
Jackson Powers-Johnson Scouting Report
Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Rounding out the center conversation, they talked about Frazier. He didn’t receive as much buzz throughout the process because he couldn’t participate at the Senior Bowl or the Combine, still rehabbing from a broken leg suffered last season. His pro day workout at the Big 12 combined event was not the most inspiring, but you give him a pass because he was unable to work out and prepare all offseason like other prospects. What you see on tape is a physical, big-bodied, throwback player who understands leverage and displacing defensive linemen. He is also a plug-and-play option.
“Tough, country, hard-nosed son of a gun,” Taylor said.
“Violent hands,” Mark Bergin added, to which Taylor agreed.
