The Pittsburgh Steelers’ season is in the books following their first-round exit in the playoffs. The team has transitioned to the offseason where the pre-draft process ramps up as Pittsburgh looks to bolster its roster in hopes of having a better opportunity to compete in the postseason next year.
We just concluded the All-Star games but still have the NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Days prior to the 2024 NFL Draft. And it’s never too early to go through mock-draft scenarios and project players whom the Steelers may be interested in given their current needs and the talent in this draft class.
ROUND 1 (#20 OVERALL) — GRAHAM BARTON/C/DUKE
With the Steelers recently cutting C Mason Cole, center immediately jumps to Pittsburgh’s top roster need for now. Duke IOL Graham Barton looks like a guy who could be a plug-and-play solution via the draft, having played center in high school as well as during his freshman season with the Blue Devils before moving to left tackle. He is a tenacious run blocker and shows sound footwork and synchronized hands with his feet in pass protection. Having a high floor as well as a fairly high ceiling, he is one of the safer prospects in this class. The move back to center may be a bit of a projection, but Barton is capable of becoming a starting pivot in the league for many years to come, allowing Pittsburgh to target a dire position of need with a talented prospect.
ROUND 2 (#51 OVERALL)— XAVIER WORTHY/WR/TEXAS
The Steelers haven’t been afraid of making roster cuts so far this offseason, and WR Allen Robinson II could be next, given his 2024 salary, if he doesn’t take a pay cut. Either way, with Diontae Johnson a free agent after the 2024 season, it would be wise to find a receiver who could come in and add some youth and playmaking to the wide receiver corps.
They get that in Texas’ Xavier Worthy, who is a speedster known for making big plays down the field. The 6-1, 172-pounder is capable of playing both outside and in the slot, having the route-running prowess along with the contested-catch ability despite his slight frame to make plays in tight coverage. He can fit right into Pittsburgh’s three-wide receiver sets and could start opposite of George Pickens in Year 2 if the team decides to let Johnson walk in free agency.
ROUND 3 (#84 OVERALL)— DJ JAMES/CB/AUBURN
The Steelers could look to add another cornerback to the room with Patrick Peterson getting long in the tooth and Levi Wallace scheduled to hit free agency. They manage to land DJ James from Auburn in Round 3, nabbing a tall yet thin coverage defender who has showed that he can cover some of the top receivers in the SEC the last few seasons. He transferred from Oregon to Auburn and enjoyed two strong seasons with the Tigers, picking off three passes and deflecting 17 more. He can continue to work to develop his frame while battling to start on the outside opposite of Joey Porter Jr. at some point, potentially mixing in the slot depending on Pittsburgh’s plans for Peterson.
ROUND 4 (#119 OVERALL)— JAVON FOSTER/OT/MISSOURI
The Steelers could use another offensive tackle this offseason, with Chukwuma Okorafor being released earlier along with Dan Moore Jr. still not looking like the long-term answer at left tackle.
Should Pittsburgh not draft an offensive tackle early and opt for a developmental piece that could become a starter down the road, Javon Foster is a name in this draft class to watch. The 6-5, 319-pound senior got into the lineup in 2020 on a part-time basis but was a starter since then at left tackle for Missouri. Foster has the size and length you want in a blindside protector, also possessing the athleticism to set the depth of the pocket and combat opposing pass rushers attempting to get the corner. A quality run blocker as well, Foster could serve as a swing tackle to start his career and eventually work his way into the starting lineup.
ROUND 4 (#120 OVERALL VIA RAMS)— JAYLAN FORD/LB/TEXAS
ILB Kwon Alexander is coming off a torn Achilles tendon and set to enter free agency, and with Elandon Roberts past the age of 30, the Steelers would be wise to look for another long-term answer at inside linebacker with Mark Robinson looking less like a potential solution there. Enter Texas LB Jaylan Ford, who was machine for the burnt orange, having posted 101 total tackles in 2023. Ford also does well in coverage, having six interceptions in the last two seasons. Pittsburgh needs to add a big, physical off-ball linebacker who can cover, and Ford fits the bill. The 6-3, 242-pounder can run, hit, and cover, fitting the prototype that teams look for in an off-ball linebacker.
ROUND 6 (#196 OVERALL)— SAM HARTMAN/QB/NOTRE DAME
The Steelers have released Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph is scheduled to be a free agent, putting the position in need of reinforcements even if Kenny Pickett is named the starter heading into 2024. While Pittsburgh will look to retain Rudolph or bring in another veteran, it will also need to add a capable arm to the room to serve as QB3. The Steelers opt to take Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman, who lacks ideal measurements (6010, 209 pounds) but is an accomplished passer, having put up prolific numbers in college with the Fighting Irish as well as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His pocket presence, accuracy, and decision making should allow him to stick in the league as a long-term backup at worst, making him a great selection to add to Pittsburgh’s quarterback room late in the draft.
ROUND 7 (#237 OVERALL)— FABIEN LOVETT/DL/FLORIDA STATE
The Steelers round out the draft by selecting Florida State’s Fabien Lovett to bolster their defensive line. Lovett has plenty of the qualities that Pittsburgh looks for in defensive linemen, standing 6033, 307 pounds with 34 5/8-inch arms and an 84-inch wingspan. Still, Lovett isn’t an ideal pass rusher as an interior defender, having only six sacks in five college seasons, relying more on his bull rush to collapse the pocket. Still, he has the measurables that Pittsburgh covets and can be a competent run defender at the next level. He can round out the defensive line rotation, working to get a hat on Sundays or finding a place on the practice squad as a rookie.
