Things have quieted down quite a bit in the last few weeks for the Pittsburgh Steelers, at least from a player acquisition standpoint via free agency and the trade market.
For now, at least as things appear, the roster is what it will look like entering the 2024 NFL Draft later this month in Detroit.
That means glaring holes at center and wide receiver, a need at offensive tackle and defensive line, and needs at cornerback and safety.
GM Omar Khan still has some work to do ahead of him, particularly in the NFL Draft, but based on that work he’s done this offseason to date, the 2024 NFL Draft should be another impressive one for the third-year GM entering his second draft at the helm of the Steelers.
As I said, there is still work to be done on the roster. With that said, let’s dive into my latest mock draft here for Steelers Depot. You can check out Version 2.0 here.
ROUND ONE (20TH OVERALL) – AMARIUS MIMS, OT, GEORGIA — 6076, 340 LBS.
Analysis: After going with a different tackle in my last mock draft with Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, I went back to Georgia’s Amarius Mims in this version. I just can’t move off of him as the pick at No. 20 for the Steelers.
Every single dot connects, from Senior Bowl interest, Combine formal, Pro Day attendance and a pre-draft visit. He plays right tackle, too, which would allow the Steelers to flip former Georgia product and Mims’ former teammate in Broderick Jones back to his more natural left side at left tackle.
Though he has just eight career starts and just over 800 career snaps, raising some concerns about experience, Mims isn’t a raw player. His tape is really good and he has all the physical traits that teams covet. He would be a massive building block for the Steelers and would solidify the Steelers’ offensive line for the foreseeable future.
Others considered: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa; Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas; Graham Barton, OC, Duke
Previous selection: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia (Version 1.0); Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State (Version 2.0)
ROUND TWO (51ST OVERALL) – KRIS JENKINS, DL, MICHIGAN — 6026, 299 LBS.
Analysis: Hearts and smarts, and NFL bloodlines here with the selection of Kris Jenkins out of Michigan. I am very concerned overall with the depth and overall future outlook of the Steelers’ defensive line. Outside of Keeanu Benton, there are no real young, promising options in the trenches defensively, and they are relying heavily on veteran players.
Jenkins, the son of former 10-year NFL defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, would form a nice pairing long-term with Benton. Though he’s a bit smaller than what the Steelers like, he is a powerful player overall and has great length with 34-inch arms that will help him stick in the NFL along the defensive line.
Add in the fact that he’s the son of a former Pro Bowl defensive lineman himself and is a Michigan man that had head coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan in attendance at the Michigan Pro Day, there seems like a solid fit there between the Steelers and Jenkins. We know how much they love the bloodlines angle when looking at players.
Others Considered: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers; Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida; Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Previous Selection: Ruke Okhorhoro, DL, Clemson (Version 1.0), Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan (Version 2.0)
ROUND THREE (84TH OVERALL) – MALACHI CORLEY, WR, WESTERN KENTUCKY — 5110, 215 LBS.
Analysis: Sticking with my selection from my Version 2.0 mock here with Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley. The attention the Steelers have paid to him throughout the pre-draft process is hard to ignore, from sending new wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni to his Pro Day, to hosting him for a pre-draft visit.
The interest is very clearly real, and it helps that his play style as a physical, yards-creating weapon after the catch fits into the Steelers’ style.
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. He feels like the best fit overall.
Others Considered: Calen Bullock, S, USC; Javon Bullard, S, Georgia; Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, OC, Georgia
Previous Selection: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, OC, Georgia (Version 1.0); Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky (Version 2.0)
Malachi Corley scouting report
ROUND THREE (98TH OVERALL) — HUNTER NOURZAD, OC, PENN STATE — 6031, 317 LBS.
Analysis: I know that the Steelers have been connected to the top centers in the draft all offseason, as they should be. It’s a massive need. But it’s just so hard to work out a way to land one of the top guys either at No. 20 overall, where the value isn’t all that great, or trading up in the second round to land one of those guys if they fall, which is a move I haven’t been able to quite work out yet from a package or spot perspective.
So, once again I have the Steelers waiting until No. 98 overall to address the position. After landing Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger in my last mock draft, I switched things up here today by landing Penn State’s Hunter Nourzad. Nourzad is severely underrated in this draft class. He’s a good athlete with great movement skills and would fit well in new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme.
He’s not the flashiest of names, but I believe he has the ability to stick in the NFL long-term and have one heck of a career at the center position. Getting that at No. 98 overall would be a great value for Pittsburgh.
Others Considered: Renardo Green, CB, Florida State; Michael Hall, DL, Ohio State; Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State
Previous Selection: None; pick acquired in Kenny Pickett trade (Version 1.0), Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, OC, Georgia (Version 2.0)
Hunter Nourzad scouting report
ROUND FOUR (119TH OVERALL) – CAM HART, CB, NOTRE DAME — 6030, 202 LBS.
Analysis: Even though the Steelers did a decent job landing Donte Jackson via trade this offseason, cornerback is still a big need for the Black and Gold. Outside of Joey Porter Jr. and Jackson, the Steelers currently have only young, inexperienced pieces like Darius Rush, Cory Trice Jr. and Thomas Graham Jr. on the roster.
Not great.
Enter Hart here in the fourth round.
The Steelers love their size and length at the position, and Hart has that — and then some. He has 33-inch arms, and Steelers Depot’s own Jonathan Heitritter compared the Notre Dame product to Porter Jr. due to his length and physicality. He can play outside and even has some box-safety traits, though he profiles easily as an outside corner that can handle press-man duties.
Others Considered: McKinnley Jackson, DL, Texas A&M; M.J. Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh; Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville
Previous Selection: Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State (Version 1.0), Maason Smith, DL, LSU (Version 2.0)
ROUND SIX (178TH OVERALL) – RYAN WATTS, DB, TEXAS — 6027, 208 LBS.
Analysis: Like Malachi Corley in the third round, I am sticking with another pick here in the sixth with Texas defensive back Ryan Watts. I got chance to watch him in person at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas and was rather intrigued with how easily he moved between cornerback and safety throughout the week.
Recently, I looked at his cornerback tape from the 2023 season at Texas and was intrigued. He’s a physical defender, one that uses his length and size well and plays downhill with force. He has a real edge to his game and just doesn’t miss tackles, period.
Though there are concerns with long speed, along with his ball skills and struggles to find the football in the air in coverage, there are some very intriguing traits overall to work with, whether that’s at corner or as a box safety. The Steelers have a real need for depth and versatility in the secondary, and Watts would check a number of boxes while also filling a hole on special teams.
Others Considered: Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington; Tarheeb Still, CB, Maryland; Jaheim Bell, TE/H-Back, FSU
Previous Selections: None; pick acquired in swap with Carolina Panthers (Version 1.0), Ryan Watts, DB, Texas (Version 2.0)
ROUND SIX (195TH OVERALL) – JORDAN WHITTINGTON, WR, TEXAS — 6005, 205 LBS.
Analysis: Double-dipping here at Texas to close the draft for the Steelers, this time connecting another dot with Texas wide receiver Jordan Whittington, a player the Steelers have reportedly shown quite a bit of interest in so far in the pre-draft process. Again, new wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni was at the Texas Pro Day and got a good look at the speedster.
After adding Corley in the third round, the Steelers need a true home run threat to compete with Calvin Austin III and Quez Watkins, while also bringing special teams abilities. Whittington does that.
In his scouting report for Steelers Depot, Alex Kozora stated that Whittington is “a team-first, hard-nosed guy who can function in the slot over the middle.” That fits what the Steelers need in the room after undergoing a makeover at the position. Special teams abilities, willing blocker, tough as nails. Sounds like an ideal WR5/6 on the roster.
Others Considered: Casey Washington, WR, Illinois; Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State; Curtis Jacobs, LB, Penn State
Previous Selection: Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA (Version 1.0), Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky (Version 2.0)
