Three weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster looked vastly different than it does now, thanks to the work of GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl. Three weeks ago, the Steelers had a number of significant holes on the roster. Some holes still persist, but the team looks much better now than it did entering free agency.
In are quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, linebacker Patrick Queen, cornerback Donte Jackson, safety DeShon Elliott, and receivers Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins. Gone are quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
Currently, holes remain at receiver, offensive tackle, center, and defensive line, not to mention cornerback depth.
Though Khan and Co. have been rather busy to date, there are moves that still need to be made. That’s where the draft comes in for the Steelers. There are some significant holes that need to be addressed, especially early on in the first few rounds.
With all that said, let’s dive into my post-free agency mock draft.
ROUND ONE (20TH OVERALL) – TALIESE FUAGA/OT/OREGON STATE — 6056, 324 LBS.
Analysis: So far in the pre-draft process, the Steelers have done quite a bit of work on offensive linemen, particularly offensive tackles. The Steelers have had a close eye on Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Alabama’s JC Latham, Washington’s Troy Fautanu, and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga. In this scenario, I went with Fuaga, whom I think has the best chance of being on the board at No. 20 overall while being a clear-cut fit for the Steelers at right tackle.
He’s a big, physical blocker, one that thrives in the run game. While at Oregon State, Fuaga started two seasons at right tackle and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors during his time in Corvallis. He played more than 1,500 snaps at right tackle in his collegiate career and was a captain for the Beavers, fitting the hearts-and-smarts mold that the Steelers historically like.
Others considered: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa; Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama; Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
Previous selection: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
ROUND TWO (51ST OVERALL) – MIKE SAINRISTIL/CB/MICHIGAN — 5093, 182 LBS.
Analysis: Slot corner is one of the biggest areas of concern for the Steelers as things currently stand, especially after losing Cameron Sutton one year ago and then cutting Patrick Peterson this offseason, along with Chandon Sullivan, an unrestricted free agent. In Pittsburgh’s defense, the slot corner position is a key spot. The Steelers haven’t been able to replace Mike Hilton long-term. That’s where Michigan’s Mike Sainristil comes in.
Sainristil, though on the smaller side of things, says that he models his game after Hilton. The Steelers seem to be rather interested, too, having met with him at the Combine and at his Pro Day. He makes all the sense in the world as a fit, and as one of the top players in the draft class overall makes a ton of sense here at No. 51 overall.
He’s a former receiver, too, so he has that going for him in his understanding of the game at the slot corner position. This might seem a bit rich in addressing the slot corner position this early, but Sainristil could be a legitimate game-changer for the Steelers defense. He checks a ton of boxes, too.
Others considered: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson; Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan; Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Previous selection: Ruke Okhorhoro, DL, Clemson
Mike Sainristil scouting report
ROUND THREE (84TH OVERALL) – MALACHI CORLEY/WR/WESTERN KENTUCKY — 5110, 215 LBS.
Analysis: After trading away Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers have a glaring need at receiver. Though ideally the Steelers address the position at No. 51 overall, getting one of the top receivers in the class that falls out of the first round, landing Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley at No. 84 here is quite the bargain.
The Steelers have been on the Corley trail all off-season long. New wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni was at the Western Kentucky Pro Day and kept a close eye on Corley. Not only that, the Steelers hosted Corley in Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit. They kept tabs on him at the Senior Bowl, too. The interest is very real, and the style of play is a good fit for Pittsburgh.
In our scouting report for the site, Jonathan Heitritter praised Corley’s physicality, explosiveness, and YAC ability, also writing that he is hard to bring down with arm tackles. However, he noted that Corley lacks a true second gear and isn’t a natural separator, and he may only be a slot receiver at the next level. Evaluating Corley, Heitritter compared him to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
In four seasons at WKU, he caught 259 passes for 3,035 yards and 29 touchdowns in Conference USA. He would be quite the weapon to add to the receiver room with George Pickens.
Others considered: Calen Bullock, S, USC; Max Melton, CB, Rutgers; Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
Previous selection: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, OC, Georgia
Malachi Corley scouting report
ROUND THREE (98TH OVERALL) — SEDRICK VAN PRAN-GRANGER/OC/GEORGIA — 6041, 298 LBS.
Analysis: Leading into free agency, I expected the Steelers to land a veteran center that could be a Day One starter to at least allow the Steelers to avoid having to reach early on at the center position. Obviously, that didn’t happen. I tried to fit one of Duke’s Graham Barton, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, or West Virginia’s Zach Frazier into one of the first two selections for the Steelers in the draft, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Fortunately, Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, a player who has been a popular connection to the Steelers since last season, is a really strong fallback option late on Day Two.
Van Pran-Granger brings plenty of experience, having started 44 games for Georgia while serving as a team captain and winning two National Championships. He was a key anchor for the Bulldogs up front and set the tone. With new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in the fold and likely going to utilize more zone runs, Van Pran-Granger’s athleticism would fit in well in that regard.
Though he’d be a third-round pick, Van Pran-Granger has the experience at the collegiate level to be a Day One starter for the Steelers at the position. That would be outstanding value.
Others Considered: Renardo Green, CB, Florida State; Michael Hall, DL, Ohio State; Beaux Limmer, OC, Arkansas
Previous Section: None; pick acquired in Kenny Pickett trade
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger scouting report
ROUND FOUR (119TH OVERALL) – MAASON SMITH/DL/LSU — 6051, 306 LBS.
Analysis: The defensive line might not be a major need entering 2024 due to the presence of Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, and Montravius Adams, but the Steelers need to start thinking about the future a bit more at the position.
Last summer, Maason Smith was projected as a first-round pick, even after coming off of a torn ACL in 2022. He wasn’t as dominant as expected in 2023 with LSU, but he’s still a high-ceiling prospect with some great physical tools at his disposal.
Along with the ideal height and weight for the position, Smith has tremendous length that would fit in well in the Steelers’ 3-4 scheme. He has a nearly identical physical profile to former Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt, and it’s worth noting that Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and assistant GM Andy Weidl were at LSU’s Pro Day.
Smith would be young, sound depth behind Heyward and Ogunjobi, and could really use a chance to take a step back and really develop under Dunbar’s watchful eyes.
Others considered: McKinnley Jackson, DL, Texas A&M; Leonard Taylor III, DL, Miami (FL); Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
Previous Selection: Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
ROUND SIX (178TH OVERALL) – RYAN WATTS/DB/TEXAS — 6027, 208 LBS.
Analysis: Following the selection of Michigan’s Mike Sainristil in the second round, I have the Steelers double dipping in the secondary late on Day Three, landing Texas hybrid defensive back Ryan Watts in the sixth round. Watts had a formal meeting with the Steelers at the Combine and brings a very intriguing physical build to the position.
He played corner and safety in college at Texas and had some very strong reps at both positions. Add in his great length at 34 1/2-inch arms, and he fits the long, physical profile that the Steelers seem to be targeting in the secondary. Though he played corner the last two seasons at Texas, he could slide into a strong safety/box role right away in the NFL and play well.
Getting him under the guidance of defensive backs coach Grady Brown and assistant defensive backs coach Anthony Midget would give the Steelers another young, big, physical defensive back to develop. He would be able to handle a special teams role right away, too.
Others considered: Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington; Tarheeb Still, CB, Maryland; Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State
Previous Selection: None; pick acquired in swap with Carolina Panthers
ROUND SIX (195TH OVERALL) – TREVIN WALLACE/LB/KENTUCKY — 6011, 237 LBS.
Analysis: Entering free agency with a glaring need at inside linebacker, I had the Steelers potentially addressing this position early on in the draft. But after the signing of Patrick Queen to a big deal, there is no need to address it early.
That said, the Steelers still need depth at the position.
Kentucky’s Trevin Wallace would offer that depth. Though he is a great combination of size and athleticism, he has some concerns on tape that need to be fixed in the NFL. In his scouting report for the site, I wrote that, ideally, Wallace lands in a situation where he doesn’t have to play right away and can sit and learn the nuances of the position a bit more.
The Steelers would be in that situation. Steelers linebackers coach Aaron Curry attended the Kentucky Pro Day, too, and put Wallace through drills, which is rather notable. The only other linebacker he’s worked out so far at a Pro Day is North Carolina’s Cedric Gray.
Wallace’s size, strength, and athleticism are intriguing. But he needs to learn how to attack downhill against blockers, slip blocks, shoot gaps, and make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. Though he has the athleticism to play in coverage, he’ll need to be in more of a zone-heavy scheme early on while he continues to develop his skillset in man coverage.
He’d be a solid depth add for the Steelers on Day Three at a key position.
Others considered: Jaheim Bell, TE, Florida State; Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State; Jaylan Ford, LB, Texas
Previous Selection: Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA
