In the 2000s, the Pittsburgh Steelers have typically tried to target one key asset in the NFL Draft: youth.
Usually, the Steelers’ drafts have targeted underclassmen between 20 and 21 years old in the NFL Draft, aiming to get good prospects who haven’t come close to their prime and giving the Steelers a chance to truly develop them at the NFL level.
Coming out of the 2024 NFL Draft, though, it appears that the Steelers have pivoted slightly in that age and experience viewpoint.
Of the seven selections the Steelers made in the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, every player comes in at the age of 23 or older at the start of the 2024 season.
- Washington OL Troy Fautanu — 23 years old (turns 24 in October)
- West Virginia C Zach Frazier — 22 years old (turns 23 in August)
- Michigan WR Roman Wilson — 22 years old (turns 23 in June)
- North Carolina State LB Payton Wilson — 23 years old (turned 24 in April)
- South Dakota State iOL Mason McCormick — 23 years old (turns 24 in May)
- Iowa DL Logan Lee — 23 years old (turns 24 in June)
- Texas DB Ryan Watts — 22 years old (turns 23 in November)
That’s a bit out of the norm for the Steelers, but there might be a key reason behind that for GM Omar Khan and the Steelers, especially on offense.
Last year, the Steelers had one of the youngest offenses in the NFL, which led to some significant struggles. Granted, some of the issues were due to the incomprehensible scheme from former offensive coordinator Matt Canada, as well as not having a true leader on that side of the football despite the efforts from former quarterback Kenny Pickett, former receiver Diontae Johnson, and former center Mason Cole.
While it is unfair to say that these older draft selections are going to come in, especially offensively, and be leaders, it is fair to expect them to not have much of a learning curve.
Fautanu and Frazier played more than 2,000 and 2,600 career snaps in college. Heck, McCormick played more than 3,400 snaps in college. Roman Wilson spent four years at Michigan and was a four-time letterman for the Wolverines. Payton Wilson spent six years in college, though that was more due to injuries.
Even Logan Lee spent five seasons at Iowa, redshirting as a freshman in 2019.
It also helps that these prospects were able to take advantage of the extra COVID year in college, gaining more experience at the collegiate level before taking the full jump into the NFL.
That experience will be invaluable as there won’t be much of a learning curve. Sure, it’s still a big jump from the college ranks to the NFL, but all of these plays have played in big-time games under the bright lights, and have plenty of snaps and games played to show for it.
Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, some called it a relatively weak class that tended to bottom out in the later rounds due to Name, Image, Likeness keeping young players in school longer and forcing older players onto draft boards in the later rounds that might not have been drafted in years prior.
From the Steelers’ draft perspective, though, they appeared to target those older players with tons of experience, especially on offense, which should help them try and win now.
With the quarterback situation seemingly set with veterans Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and an experienced offensive coordinator Arthur Smith stepping into the fold with the expectation of getting the Steelers’ offense back on track, the Steelers needed ready-made players that fit his scheme.
They seem to have found them.
This could all be a one-off thing based on the uniqueness of the 2024 NFL Draft class and the needs that the Steelers had. Or, with the defense getting older and the offense needing to establish some leadership and consistency, it could be something the Steelers focus on adding a bit more in the years moving forward.
We’ll have to check back in after the Steelers 2025 draft to find out one way or another, but it was rather eye-opening that the Steelers targeted experience and age in the draft rather than what they’ve done in the past in targeting underclassmen.
