With the 2024 NFL Draft less than 48 hours away, the last mock drafts of the pre-draft process are flying fast and furious. Perhaps the only thing more fast and furious would be the fans’ reactions to a draft-night trade between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers for WR Brandon Aiyuk.
That’s what happened with The 33rd Team’s final mock draft. The Steelers and 49ers did a straight swap of the 20th overall pick for Aiyuk. In turn, the 49ers address the offensive line with Taliese Fuaga from Oregon State.
This would be the oddest case of a stunning yet unsurprising move. The Steelers have been closely linked to trading for Aiyuk throughout the offseason. They certainly have a need at wide receiver, and getting a proven veteran receiver rather than drafting an unproven one means a bigger impact early.
However, spending the 20th overall pick on a receiver does tend to limit the Steelers’ options for addressing the offensive line later in the draft. Dane Brugler thinks the teams that wait until Day 2 for an offensive tackle could be quite unhappy. That puts this trade under even further scrutiny as the Steelers brought Fuaga in for a pre-draft visit. The allure of a proven playmaker is strong, though.
The Steelers still addressed the offensive tackle position quickly in this mock by taking OT Blake Fisher from Notre Dame with their second-round pick, No. 51. Fisher was also brought in for a pre-draft visit by Pittsburgh. He’s not a fully developed prospect as he is only 20 years old, but he’s already shown that he can be a strong asset in the run game at right tackle. Drafting Fisher would also allow OT Broderick Jones to flip back to his natural left tackle position.
For a more in-depth look at Fisher, check out Alex Kozora’s scouting report.
With two of the Steelers’ biggest needs addressed with their first two picks, The 33rd Team goes a little off script with S Jaden Hicks from Washington State. The Steelers did address the safety position in the offseason by signing DeShon Elliott in free agency. However, the team has wanted to have three capable safeties for sub-packages and depth.
Hicks could be that and potentially more down the line. Sometimes you have a safety that is a great cover safety who shies away from getting involved in the running game. Other times, you have a physical, in-the-box safety who can be a liability in the passing game. Hicks has the size, speed, and mentality to do it all. In 2023, Hicks made plays all over the field. He had two interceptions and seven passes knocked down while also tallying 79 total tackles with six tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.
Ryan Roberts scouted Hicks for Steelers Depot and came away impressed with his versatility and potential:
There aren’t many safeties in the 2024 class who present as much versatility as Hicks. For a creative defensive coordinator, he can line up at multiple spots on the second and third level of a defense. Hicks has the combination of size, length, physicality and smoothness to develop into a starter down the road. He could be an impact player in the right situation.
The Steelers go right back to addressing major needs with their second third-round pick at 98. With last year’s starting center released in free agency, the Steelers took Sedrick Van Pran-Granger from Georgia. Van Pran-Granger started every game at center the last three seasons for Georgia. He’s a fantastic run blocker, which would fit the Steelers quite well. He still has work to do with his technique as a pass protector. However, he only allowed one quarterback sack and one other quarterback hit in his college career despite playing in the SEC.
The Steelers did not bring Van Pran-Granger in for a pre-draft visit, but they did attend Georgia’s Pro Day. For an in-depth breakdown of him, check out Jonathan Heitritter’s scouting report.
That’s three of the Steelers’ biggest needs addressed, and they attack the fourth in the fourth round by taking CB D.J. James from Auburn. James is a quality cover corner with the stats to prove it: he had 12 passes knocked down and two interceptions in 2023 alone. However, he doesn’t play much press coverage nor does he tackle well. He’s undersized, which means blockers can easily eliminate him from the play, and he struggles against larger receivers or bigger running backs,
It’s hard to envision James being a quality fit with the Steelers. For a more in-depth look, check out Jonas Wedlich’s scouting report.
One need for the Steelers that isn’t talked about quite as much is inside linebacker. The Steelers have Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queen as starters, but there isn’t a timeline for Cole Holcomb’s return from injury. The Steelers want three linebackers capable of logging extended snaps, and they don’t have that right now.
The Steelers take a shot late in the draft at No. 178 in the sixth round by picking LB Ty’Ron Hopper from Missouri. Hopper pops off the film with his speed and athleticism. He had 55 total tackles in 2023 along with six tackles for a loss, three sacks, and three passes knocked down. He can run with tight ends down the field and will look to make plays sideline to sideline.
Hopper does struggle with consistently tackling and is undersized. However, he could make a big impression on special teams early while getting coached up and hitting the weight room. For more information, check out Jonas Wedlich’s scouting report.
To wrap up the Steelers’ draft, The 33rd Team takes edge rusher Xavier Thomas from Clemson. As Josh Carney (and countless others) once said, you can’t have too many pass rushers. In 2023, Thomas had three sacks and four tackles for a loss as part of a career total of 17.5 sacks and 34 tackles for a loss.
The production isn’t there, but the athletic ability certainly is for Thomas. Carney scouted Thomas and still sees the potential in the older prospect:
Thomas had a strong final campaign with the Tigers and then impressed at the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas. He added to an impressive pre-draft cycle with a strong showing at the Combine, testing well for the position. Those testing numbers back up the tape Thomas had in 2023, showing an explosive athlete who is still trying to truly round out his game as a pass rusher. He has all the physical tools and traits teams look for in pass rushers. He needs a bit more refinement. That might be concerning for a player who spent six seasons in college and turned 24 in late December, but the payoff with Thomas in the right situation with the right coaching plan could be huge.
Overall, the Steelers addressed their major needs in one way or another in this mock while adding an impact veteran wide receiver. The selection of James may not be the ideal solution at corner so the Steelers may still look for veteran help. Perhaps Xavien Howard, who was officially cleared to practice after suffering a foot injury last season?
