When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ NFL draft plans, all eyes will be on the offensive line. Where will they draft a center? Will they target a top offensive tackle? Can they attempt doing both? Those questions will be answered in less than three weeks but an ESPN roundup from their top draft analysts shed some light on an intriguing offensive line class.
Jordan Reid named Georgia OT Amarius Mims as the hardest prospect to rank and project. He cited Mims’ lack of experience and tape butting up against his size, talent, and upside.
“In talking to scouts over the past two months, I’ve gathered that opinions are all over the place on Mims. The talent and physical traits are impossible to ignore. At 6-foot-8 and 340 pounds, Mims has the tools, and it doesn’t take long to recognize his first-round talent when he’s on the field. But ‘on the field’ is the key here.”
Mims started only eight games at Georgia and logged less than 1,000 career college snaps, one of the lowest figures of any potential first-round pick in years. He started the final two games of the Bulldogs’ championship run in the 2022 season before entering 2023 as the team’s starter. But a high ankle sprain robbed him of much of his season, undergoing the same Tightrope surgery former Steelers QB Kenny Pickett had in an attempt to speed up his recovery.
Still, Mims was limited throughout the year, sometimes coming off the bench or rotating series. He logged only 297 offensive line snaps this past year, making him an awfully difficult projection. Even evaluating him in the pre-draft process has proven difficult. Amarius Mims suffered a hamstring pull while running the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, preventing him from going through on-field drills and missing Georgia’s Pro Day. He, along with Bulldogs TE Brock Bowers, will work out on April 10.
The Steelers have shown interest in Mims, including reportedly bringing him in for a visit, and they haven’t been shy about drafting Georgia prospects. But there is a risk that comes with Mims though the reward is immense.
Center will be the team’s most important question heading into the draft. In a worst-case scenario where they miss out on the “Big Three” names, Duke’s Graham Barton, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, and West Virginia’s Zach Frazier, who could they turn to? Reid suggests Penn State’s Hunter Nourzad as his favorite Day 3 sleeper.
“Nourzad transferred to Penn State and spent most of the 2022 season at left guard (507 out of 549 snaps), starting eight games. But he really broke out once he moved to center in 2023. At 6-3 and 317 pounds, Nourzad is feisty and gritty, creating quick wins at the first level with his movement skills and then connecting on blocks at the second level. Likely a zone-scheme center in the pros, Nourzad has the strength, agility and instincts to turn into a starter. He was one of the more impressive prospects that I saw at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January, and I have a late-Round 4, early-Round 5 grade on him — but he can definitely outplay that draft slot.”
Nourzad began his college career playing tackle at Cornell before moving to guard and then center at Penn State. Intelligence clearly isn’t a concern with him playing center in the NFL. Our scouting report on Nourzad also left glowing remarks, our Tom Mead giving a similar grade and evaluation.
“Overall, Nourzad has much starting experience at multiple positions along the offensive line. He has good snap quickness, pad level, and balance. His hands are strong and active to perform a snatch or refit in pass protection. He is effective on quick sets and a good anchor versus power rushes. Blitzers are handled well, and he has the mobility to get out on screens.”
Beyond Nourzad, other Plan B options for the Steelers include Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Miami (Fla.)’s Matt Lee, and Arkansas’ Beaux Limmer. But ideally for Pittsburgh, it won’t get to that point.
