After adding two offensive linemen during the first two days of the draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers continued the trend on Day 3 with Mason McCormick. The South Dakota State product is a physical beast of burden with a lot of experience. The biggest concern with his projection is simply the quality of competition he faced.
Listening to him speak, however, McCormick sounds like a Steeler. “I bring that same intensity and effort all the time,” describing his run-blocking philosophy via 93.7 The Fan. “It’s a pride thing. I feel like that gets things going for an offense. It’s an exciting time to be a Steeler.”
It’s fair to note that McCormick’s last sentence isn’t some egotistical proclamation. The Steelers are consistently working toward building a better running game. To that end, they drafted T Troy Fautanu and C Zach Frazier in the first two rounds. They also have one of the top running back tandems in the league in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. To that they add the architect of the Tennessee Titans’ dominant run game under Derrick Henry as offensive coordinator.
For the time being, there are no job openings in the starting lineup for McCormick. Fautanu and Frazier may well prove plug-and-play starters at their positions, but guard is secure with Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels.
General manager Omar Khan noted after the draft that the 2025 free agent status of Daniels and Nate Herbig played a role in their decision to draft McCormick, however, though he was also likely the highest-graded player left on their board at that time.
McCormick marks the fifth offensive lineman the Steelers have drafted in the past two years. In addition to Fautanu and Frazier this year, they drafted Broderick Jones and Spencer Anderson in the first and seventh rounds, respectively. Both made the roster, Jones eventually starting, Anderson serving as the eighth lineman.
They also signed Seumalo as an unrestricted free-agent starter last year, along with Nate Herbig. The only players remaining who are carryovers from earlier rosters are Daniels, a 2022 free agent, and Dan Moore Jr., a 2021 fourth-round pick. Even Dylan Cook made the team as a first-round former college free agent.
It’s hard to predict exactly how the offensive line will look come September, but Mason McCormick likely sticks. He should serve as one of two reserve interior linemen along with Herbig, the primary backup. Moore, Anderson, and Cook compete for two backup tackle spots unless they dump Herbig.
McCormick has even less experience at center than Herbig does, however, so I don’t see them doing that. Chances are he’ll have to bide his time before he can crack the lineup. But in the meantime, he’ll plug along with a sense of pride and encourage the rest of his room to do the same.
