The 2024 NFL Draft is now just one week away, and there’s still a lot of debate over what the Pittsburgh Steelers will do and should do when it comes to addressing their needs, specifically when you look at their first-round pick. With needs at offensive tackle, wide receiver, center and cornerback, the Steelers have a number of options, and tackle and center in the first round are the positions most commonly mocked to them. During an appearance on the Under Review Podcast on Connect FM, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said he believes the Steelers will take a center, and specifically Graham Barton, with the team’s first-round pick.
“The only thing that I will say is, ’cause they can’t wait to the second round because none of those guys that they like will be there, the centers. And so the only way it won’t be a center in the first round is if before the draft, or before the first round begins, they make a trade to move up in the second round where they feel they can get one of the centers they like,” Dulac said. “I’m expecting them because they need one and they can’t afford [to] dilly dally. I think you’re gonna see them take a center, and I think you’re gonna see them take the guy from Duke.”
Dulac added that the Steelers don’t need a tackle the way they need a center, as they do still have Dan Moore Jr. who’s capable at the left tackle position, although an upgrade would be better. However, the fact that this draft class has three top centers who all are likely to be gone by Pittsburgh’s second-round selection complicates things a little bit. And a trade-up into the second round pre-draft is rare and not something that I think the Steelers would do.
Barton is one of the more intriguing offensive linemen in this class due to his positional versatility, although Dulac said the team views him as a center despite only playing 430 snaps at center during his freshman season at Duke. After missing on Kendrick Green, who had limited center experience, the Steelers could be wary of taking another center with limited reps at the position, but Barton is a different caliber of prospect than Green was.
Brian Baldinger broke down what makes Barton the top center in the class, and his athleticism and power could make him the next great Steelers center if he is indeed the pick at No. 20 overall. Given his versatility, the pick also won’t be a total waste if Barton doesn’t work out at center. The Steelers could try him at guard or even tackle, although his sub-33-inch arms wouldn’t translate great to playing tackle in the NFL.
The Steelers hosted all three of Jackson Powers-Johnson, Barton and Zach Frazier, considered to be the top three centers in the class, for pre-draft visits, and it sounds as if Barton may be their guy if he’s around at No. 20. While taking a center in the first round can be debated, it’s clearly the Steelers’ biggest need right now and if they don’t address it early, they may not get one of their top options. That could lead to them grabbing Barton and making him a plug-and-play option in the middle. We’ll find out next week.
