Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates were on the same page when it came to building up the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster. Start with the trenches. In their ESPN alternating mock draft published Monday morning, the two switching off each selection, the Steelers came away with the same philosophy no matter who was “turning” in the card. Build the team up front. In a three-round exercise, Pittsburgh came away with a pair of offensive linemen and a defensive lineman.
In the first round, Yates has the Steelers selecting Duke OL Graham Barton.
“The Steelers still have a center need, and Barton is the best in the entire class. He played center as a true freshman for the Blue Devils before moving to left tackle for his final three seasons. His footwork, mobility and tenacity all stand out.”
Barton is a bit of a projection, only playing center his freshman year and starting his last 36 games at left tackle. But due to a lack of ideal length, sub-33 inch arms, he’s likely ticketed to play along the interior. Pittsburgh’s biggest hole on the roster comes at center, an area they haven’t addressed during free agency. Barton is one of the top three centers, and if Pittsburgh doesn’t grab one in the first round, they run the risk of missing out on the top names by their second-round selection.
With that second-round pick, Kiper carried over a name from his personal mock draft, giving the Steelers Washington WR Jalen McMillan.
“I went with this match in my two-round mock too. McMillan could help fill the void of Diontae Johnson — who was traded to the Panthers — in making plays out of the slot.”
One of three highly-touted Huskies wide receivers, McMillan was overshadowed by Rome Odunze in 2023. But he led the team in receptions and touchdowns two years ago and is a solid player in his own right. As you’ll see by our upcoming study, he also checks plenty of boxes the Steelers look for.
Pittsburgh focuses on the trenches with their pair of third-round picks. Yates comes back to offer up Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr.
“The Steelers don’t need a Week 1 starter at defensive tackle, but Hall would provide pass rush juice and could eventually pair with Keeanu Benton when Pittsburgh no longer has Cameron Heyward.”
The Steelers certainly are looking for ways to get younger up front with Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi in their 30s. Hall hasn’t been discussed much but our scouting report noted his athleticism and quick swim move, recording six career sacks. Youth is also on his side, not turning 21 until June. Still, he has to get stronger at the point of attack against double-teams and he had a quiet 2023 season, recording just two TFL and 1.5 sacks.
Finally, Kiper rounds this out by mirroring how they started. At No. 98, he gives the Steelers TCU OL Brandon Coleman.
“Pittsburgh would add versatility and experience with Coleman while continuing the remake of its offensive line. He didn’t allow any sacks last season.”
One of my top sleepers in the draft, Coleman is an ideal fit at LG, not an area of need for Pittsburgh. But he’s also played a bunch of tackle. Big and strong, he has the makings of a high-end run blocker with anchor in the pass game. Our scouting report gave him a second-round grade. He also has a unique connection to Mike Tomlin, his father growing up with Tomlin back in Virginia.
Overall, a solid haul. There are still big-time questions about what the team will do at corner, but with just four selections, it’s impossible to fill all the team’s needs. There was a clear focus of the draft and the prospects are solid. Again, check out the entire mock here.
