As we get closer to the NFL draft, everyone is trying to envision the “perfect draft” for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s tough with the number of needs the Steelers have, though. It becomes an exercise in trying to figure out what positions should be addressed early.
On Wednesday, former NFL DE Leger Douzable took his shot at making the perfect Steelers draft. Douzable made seven picks for the Steelers, starting with LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.
“With their first pick, the Steelers take Brian Thomas,” Douzable said. “A speedy receiver that can take the top off the defense.”
Douzable isn’t alone in thinking the Steelers should be targeting Thomas with the 20th overall pick. Both Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks discussed him as a potential fit on the Move The Sticks podcast Monday. Thomas certainly brings a high level of production after finishing 2023 with 1,177 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns on 68 catches.
Alex Kozora scouted Thomas for Steelers Depot and came away with one heck of a pro comparison.
Overall, Brian Thomas Jr. has all the tools and traits you want. While I usually ding players who struggle to separate, his game is still developing and his ability to drop his hips tells me he can make strides here. An offensive dynamo with production and effort, he’s full of upside. There simply aren’t many players with his frame and athleticism, making a Julio Jones comp a lofty ceiling but from a tools standpoint, very apt. A stacked receiver class with slightly more refined talent may be the only thing that pushes Thomas down a bit.
Would attacking wide receiver with the 20th overall pick be a surprise? I think so. However, if Thomas can continue to refine his game, he offers an incredible big-play ability. He would complement the Steelers’ run-first approach and emphasis on the play-action game with downfield shots we expect to see under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
However, that still leaves the offensive line issues unaddressed. Douzable rectifies that with the Steelers’ second-round pick.
“Next, the Steelers take Patrick Paul who is an athletic tackle and will compete to start at left tackle from Day One,” Douzable said.
There is no question that Paul is a quality athlete at tackle. His 9.67 Relative Athletic Score is above the average RAS of Smith’s tackles between his time in Tennessee and Atlanta. The Steelers also met with Paul at the Senior Bowl, so they have at least checked in on him.
What could be a stumbling block is that Paul played three years at left tackle at the University of Houston. If the Steelers did draft him, that would mean either he would switch to right tackle, or Broderick Jones would stay at right tackle. General manager Omar Khan has already stated that the plan is for Jones to go back to his natural left tackle position. So that would call into question the Paul pick, but his athletic ability is tantalizing, to say the least.
So, two of the Steelers’ four biggest needs have been addressed. Douzable sees the Steelers switching to the defensive side of the ball with their first third-round pick.
“Next, the Steelers get some help in the secondary as they select Max Melton, who has the versatility to play on the outside but will have the chance to start at the slot corner position on Day One,” Douzable said.
The Steelers brought Melton in for a pre-draft visit, so there is definitely some level of interest there. He showed an ability to make plays on the ball in 2023 with three interceptions and six passes knocked down. He also blocked four punts in his Rutgers career, showing an ability to make plays on special teams. That’s always helpful for cementing a place on the team.
What hurts Melton is his size. When Alex Kozora scouted him, Kozora noted that Melton’s size is more reminiscent of a slot corner than an outside corner.
Overall, Max Melton’s scouting report shows a feisty corner with experience playing all over the defense. He has the press skills to play on the outside but is most likely to be viewed as a slot option, given his smaller frame and his impressive run defense.
The Steelers definitely have a need at slot corner, so Melton could be a fit there. However, the Steelers also need a starter on the boundary, so would pursuing a starting slot corner be the best way to address the secondary needs?
Steelers fans won’t have very long to wait on draft night, as there are only 14 picks separating the team’s two third-round picks. One big need still needs to be addressed, and Douzable has the Steelers fixing that with their fourth pick.
“The Steelers get nastier on the offensive line by selecting Mason McCormick who can play at guard and at center,” Douzable said.
That would be two straight selections of players who have visited with the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Douzable is another incredible athlete on the offensive line. He boasts a perfect 10.0 RAS at center, along with Graham Barton, another frequently-connected player with the Steelers. McCormick is among a group of players that Charles Davis says he “would pound the table for” later in the draft.
Now, McCormick is not a perfect prospect. He’s got some flaws in his pass protection, but he brings a ton of experience to the table after playing in 70 college games. While he played mostly guard in college, there is the possibility of kicking him to center, which is a major need for the Steelers. If he can do that successfully, the Steelers will have addressed their four major needs in some way through their first four picks.
The Steelers still need help at the wide receiver position, though. Thomas does provide a big boost, but it’s still Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Calvin Austin III providing depth. So Douzable goes back to the well to help address that need.
“Malik Washington is a very shifty and productive slot receiver that will eventually be your starter in the slot,” Douzable said.
This might be the first pick that I well and truly question. Not because of Washington, though. The problem is that Arthur Smith doesn’t utilize slot receivers very often. In four of his five seasons as either offensive coordinator or head coach, his offenses ranked either last or 31st in three-receiver sets. The highest a Smith offense ranked league-wide was 26th in 2019, his first year as offensive coordinator with the Titans.
Now, that doesn’t mean Washington isn’t a good receiver. In his one year with Virginia, he tormented defenses to the tune of 1,426 yards and nine touchdowns on an ACC-record 110 catches. That’s outstanding production, regardless of where you line up. It’s simply a matter of whether the Steelers would actually utilize Washington. He’s undersized for a boundary wide receiver and did not face much press coverage in college.
Douzable has the Steelers flipping back to the defensive side of the ball with the final two picks.
“Pick 178, Evan Williams,” Douzable said. “An in-the-box safety that can compete to be your third safety. And pick 195, Josh Proctor will be a developmental piece for your secondary.”
Williams led the entire Oregon defense in 2023 with 49 solo tackles and 82 total tackles. He also had five tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. That illustrates his usage as an in-the-box safety which also explains why he did not have an interception and only one pass breakup that season. The Steelers could use a safety who can play near the line of scrimmage and help against the run. He’s also a decent athlete with an 8.18 RAS and elite explosive metrics.
Proctor suffered a nasty broken leg in 2021 which was part of the reason he played six seasons in college. He finished the 2023 season with 47 tackles, four tackles of a loss, eight passes broken up, and one interception. Alex Kozora scouted him and rated him as a player who can have a career mainly on special teams but did move around a lot in the secondary for Ohio State. That versatility could help him find a home.
Is this necessarily the perfect draft for the Steelers? What is a perfect draft? Douzable addressed the team’s biggest needs in the first four rounds, which is a plus. However, there is still a question about the offensive tackle position in terms of who plays left tackle. Also, would Melton be able to stand up at outside corner, or do the Steelers need to pursue a free agent signing? Then how does Washington fit in the offense?
That being said, the Steelers added some darn good athletes that, if successful, will help make the team much better.
