The Pittsburgh Steelers could go down a ton of roads with the 20th overall pick in next week’s 2024 NFL Draft. The question is – will there be a bad one to take?
You could argue there are better roads than other. Center over wide receiver, offensive tackle over cornerback, you get the idea. But given their long list of needs, is there a disappointment selection at No 20? It’s an open-ended question, not a leading one.
Anything along the offensive line will be logical. There’s a dying need for a starting center and an offensive tackle could push Broderick Jones over to the left side, the place he was drafted to play and the goal the organization eventually has. Could they still go wrong there? Is projecting Graham Barton to play center too much of a risk knowing the Steelers need him to play right away? Would Zach Frazier be too crazy of a pick at No. 20 or is it worth the risk of trying to trade back up for him? Is there too much unknown with Georgia OT Amarius Mims and his eight career college starts?
Is wide receiver the right play? Texas’ AD Mitchell or LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 20 are tantalizing with their big-play ability and high upside but in a deep class, it could be smarter for the team to wait until the second round to draft a wide receiver. What about corner? Pittsburgh’s quietly done its homework there on Iowa’s Cooper DeJean and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins with a need inside and out. But slot corners don’t play every snap and they traded for Donte Jackson on the outside, making a Wiggins or DeJean less of an immediate need.
Would defensive line be a crazy thought? The Steelers have shown interest in Missouri’s Darius Robinson and though he feels like a tweener, he was playing defensive tackle for the Tigers throughout most of his career until the team kicked him out to end. He probably wouldn’t have much trouble bulking back up.
There are no wrong answers here. More than anything, I’m talking out loud. The good and bad of the Steelers having so many needs, so many areas to address, is it gives them a wide-open field to adjust with however the board breaks. Omar Khan’s gotta get this draft right but in many respects, it’s hard to get it wrong. At least at the top.
