The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the draft with a small handful of needs after shoring up some of the roster gaps in free agency. The consensus was that they needed to walk out of the draft with a center, an offensive tackle, a wide receiver, and a cornerback, and they were able to address three of those with their top three picks.
Sometimes, when you are talking about filling needs in the draft, it can get in the way of drafting the best player available, but the Steelers did pretty well with their needs intersecting with the best player remaining on the draft board.
ESPN published an article with Matt Miller and Jordan Reid picking their favorite draft classes in different categories, and Miller chose the Steelers for the team that checked the most need boxes.
“General Manager Omar Khan attacked the trenches in the 2024 draft, building a wall in front of whomever his quarterback will be this season,” Miller wrote. “Pittsburgh checked off needs at tackle, center, and guard with selections in the top 120 picks. The team also added a potential starting slot receiver in Roman Wilson. Even sixth-rounder Ryan Watts has upside as a developmental safety prospect.”
Corner was the biggest need that didn’t receive adequate investment, but that is the way the board broke with a big run on corners in the second and third rounds. Watts fits in with what the Steelers have recently gravitated towards at the position with a 6-3 frame and long arms and can compete with Cory Trice Jr. from last year’s draft class.
They managed to get their tackle and center over the first two rounds without having to trade and landed players that many thought would still be available at their respective picks. They then drafted WR Roman Wilson, who some had as high as the early second round. Reports indicate he would have been the Steelers pick in the second round if Frazier wasn’t available, and they ended up with both.
Reid also chimed in and named the Steelers’ class as his favorite in the NFL.
“I loved what the Steelers were able to do in this draft,” Reid wrote. They had huge needs at offensive tackle and center, and they checked boxes there by adding Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier—two plug-and-play starters. Roman Wilson steps into a WR2 role right away, and getting linebacker Payton Wilson in the third round was a steal for Pittsburgh.”
Almost universally among the NFL media, the Steelers are receiving high marks for the second straight year in a row for their draft class. The GM and assistant GM combination of Omar Khan and Andy Weidl appears to be working wonders for the Steelers’ draft plans.
The one need they did not adequately fill at corner also happens to be the position where they have the easiest contingency plan. That plan involved bringing Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, or both back to the roster from last year’s group, which can probably be expected to happen in the coming days.
