Landing two starting offensive linemen in the same draft class isn’t easy. The Pittsburgh Steelers thought they pulled it off in 2021, but one can argue they got none. To their credit, they did draft both David DeCastro and Kelvin Beachum in 2012, but they whiffed in the second round. That year, the Steelers drafted Mike Adams to be their future left tackle.
That’s the last time they drafted offensive linemen in the first two rounds, and Gerry Dulac believes the Steelers need to do that again in 2024 if they intend to land two starters. In fact, he argues they likely need to trade up in the second round to do it, specifically for a center.
Asked if the Steelers can land both a top tackle and center, Dulac said in his latest chat session, sure, but “only if they make a trade to move up.” Elsewhere, he added, “I think it’s more likely they trade up in the second round if they haven’t used their No. 1 pick on a center”.
Currently, up to three center-capable prospects are in consideration for the first round. Jackson Powers-Johnson is the favorite pure center, the player Dulac endorses as the player the Steelers should draft. Graham Barton is another likely first-round pick but is just as likely to play guard. Another potential candidate is Zach Frazier, who could sneak into the first round, not lasting until their second-round pick.
Part of the problem is that landing a clear starting tackle after the first round is a dicey proposition at best. If they get their center in the first round and fill that hole, then you’re potentially putting replacing Dan Moore Jr. on the back burner, along with the move to left tackle for Broderick Jones.
So, if the Steelers want to get both a starting tackle and center this year, they’ll likely have to go tackle first. Then, they’ll likely have to move up from 51 in the second round to get their center. Otherwise, they’re rolling the dice and potentially falling to the second or third tier of center prospects.
“If they don’t think any center had a No. 20 grade on them, they will have to trade up in the second round to get one of the three they like”, Dulac insisted. He previously said that the Steelers are focused on the three centers named in this article.
It’s important to note that we’re talking about probabilities here, however, and not possibilities. Of course, the Steelers could potentially find a starting lineman in the later rounds, as they have before. We’ve seen undrafted rookie left tackles start right away in this league and do a good job.
But you have a better chance of landing starters in the first and second rounds than you do later on. The reasons for that are obvious, of course, with teams favoring the players they believe are most talented.
The Steelers traded up in the first round last year to draft Jones. He was the first lineman they drafted in the first two rounds since Mike Adams, more than a decade earlier. They’re very likely to take at least one lineman again in the first two rounds in 2024. But to take two and potentially trade up for one of them? It’s certainly asking a lot, yet it’s also quite possible.
