Sitting at No. 51 overall in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers were prepared to take a wide receiver to address a major need, but then West Virginia center Zach Frazier fell right into their laps, making the decision rather easy.
According to NFL insider Tony Pauline, the Steelers were prepared to take Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson at No. 51 overall in the second round.
Ultimately, the Steelers landed Frazier after he fell, and then turned around and drafted Wilson at No. 84 overall, making for quite a haul on Day 2 for GM Omar Khan and the Steelers.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers were ready to select Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson with the 51st selection in round two last night, that was until Zach Frazier fell in their laps,” Pauline writes. “The team never expected the West Virginia center to last that long and when he did, it was a no-brainer. Fortunately for them, Wilson, whom they view through the lens of Hines Ward, fell to their selection in the third round. Now the question is should they have selected cornerback Quinyon Mitchell over offensive lineman Troy Fautanu in the first round?”
The Steelers showed plenty of interest in Frazier throughout the pre-draft process, meeting with him at the Senior Bowl and then sending assistant offensive line coach Isaac Williams to the Big 12 Pro Day to watch him go through drills. Shortly after the Big 12 Pro Day, the Steelers hosted Frazier for a pre-draft visit.
Landing Washington OL Troy Fautanu in the first round was a case of a great player falling into their laps, and then that happened again on Friday in the second round. Frazier slid down the board and ended up a Steeler, thrilling the franchise, especially new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Now, the Steelers have that plug-and-play center, addressing a massive need and potentially giving the Steelers the next high-end center in franchise history.
However, that selection of Frazier caused them to pass on Roman Wilson. Fortunately, Wilson slid down the board, too, and ended up a Steeler at No. 84 overall.
The Steelers viewing Wilson through the lens of Hines Ward, as Pauline reports, makes a great deal of sense. He’s a great route runner who brings serious toughness and a nose for blocking to the table, much like Ward did. Wilson is also a very dependable pass catcher, one who thrives across the middle and makes big plays in contested-catch situations, just like Ward once did.
He’s undersized, too, and plays with a real chip. Sound familiar?
The Steelers are very clearly adding one specific trait through the draft so far: toughness. Frazier and Wilson, though they fell, provide that in abundance. It worked out quite well for Pittsburgh in the end.
