While the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest need is at center, and Jackson Powers-Johnson seems like an ideal pick, momentum is shifting away from the idea of them selecting him in the first round. Indeed, as the 2024 NFL Draft approaches, we’re beginning to see attitudes shift—or rather, stabilize, come closer to reality.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently discussed the center position in the draft on 93.7 The Fan. He explained to Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller that the way professional scouts view the center position is not the same as those on the outside who don’t work for organizations that put their money on the line. Many Steelers fans may scream for Jackson Powers-Johnson in the first round, but that doesn’t mean they agree internally.
“I just don’t think NFL teams value centers at that portion of the draft. If you have a later first-round pick, I think that’s where you can maybe see some of those guys come off the board”, he said. “It’s interesting, I think there’s a real debate now about who the first center off the board’s gonna be. I no longer believe that Jackson Powers-Johnson is a lock to be the first center”.
Powers-Johnson is a 21-year-old prospect out of Oregon who has all the traits of a long-term starter. While most don’t believe he represents a generational prospect talent, pretty much everyone agrees he is a plug-and-play starter.
The Steelers have struggled to fill the shoes of Maurkice Pouncey for the past three seasons. They cut Mason Cole earlier this offseason, who started the past two years as a veteran free agent. In 2021, they drafted G Kendrick Green in the third round to play center. He lasted one season as a starter before they tried unsuccessfully moving him back to guard.
If the Steelers don’t draft Powers-Johnson at 20, they’re not likely to find him at 51, their second-round pick. There are other options, however, though not strictly as pure centers. “Graham Barton is a guy who’s gaining some momentum here late in this draft process”, Fittipaldo mentioned. He started one season at center before moving to tackle, but most profile him as an NFL guard.
If a team drafts Barton ahead of Powers-Johnson, they likely envision him as a guard. He has a good chance of being drafted ahead of any pure center for that reason, but there are other options. “Zach Frazier’s another guy. You see him early- to mid-second round. I don’t know that he would go before Barton or JPJ, but there is a debate there”, Fittipaldo said.
Ultimately, he concluded that he doesn’t believe the Steelers draft their center in the first round. His colleague, Gerry Dulac, continues to advocate for their doing so and taking Powers-Johnson. I think Fittipaldo is closer to the mark; he currently continues to stick with T Amarius Mims as his prediction. But there’s no doubt the Steelers run the risk of losing on their preferred option if they do wait until Day Two, whether that’s Jackson Powers-Johnson or another name.
