To come out of the Football Championships Subdivision and reach the NFL, there certainly has to be a sense of toughness from an offensive lineman. New Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Mason McCormick has that trait in abundance.
Coming out of South Dakota State to be the Steelers’ No. 119 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft Saturday, McCormick brings a real edge to the game in the trenches. He looks the part with great offensive lineman aesthetics, including an old-school neck roll, and his play does the talking.
That trait alone is what impressed SDSU head coach Jimmy Rogers the most during his time coaching McCormick and has him believing he’ll one day be a starter in the NFL.
“I think the game more than anything honors toughness. And he is as tough as they come,” Rogers said of McCormick during an appearance on the 93.7 The Fan PM Show Monday. “So I know he’ll make it. I’ve said this to everybody. If he’s given an opportunity, he will. He’s not gonna have a stint, he’ll have a career in the NFL, and I think that is stems from his toughness and his consistent work ethic day in and day out.
“And yeah, there will be no shock to me if he is a Day 1 NFL starter.”
The Steelers hope one day he is a starter for them, whether that’s at left guard or right guard.
Even after drafting West Virginia’s Zach Frazier at No. 51 overall in the second round to plug the hole at center, the Steelers double-dipped on the interior of the offensive line in the draft, landing McCormick in the fourth round. In the process, the Steelers did something they hadn’t done in 48 years, which was draft an offensive lineman three times in the first five picks, a feat that was last done in the 1976 NFL Draft by the Black and Gold.
Added toughness is key for the Steelers and their identity, especially offensively. They want to pound the rock and really get after teams physically.
McCormick matches that. He brings an abundance of experience, too, having played more than 3,000 snaps in college.
He’s going to be on the Steelers in 2024 and is likely ticketed for a backup role to guards Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels, pairing with Nate Herbig to be that true interior swing guard/center combination.
But in the future? Chances are McCormick gets a shot at claiming a starting job, bringing that toughness to the Steel City and helping set a tone in the trenches for a long time.
