With the 2024 NFL Draft in the books, you would be hard-pressed to find an analyst who isn’t offering up glowing reviews of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ haul. You can count Bucky Brooks among those very high on the Steelers’ haul.
“General manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin were focused on adding players who fit the Steelers’ brand. Smart, tough, and physical — these are defining traits of this storied franchise,” Brooks wrote in an article highlighting his favorite draft classes on NFL.com. “Offensive linemen Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick are posed to represent the Steel City to the fullest as rugged blockers with nasty temperaments.”
With three of their first five selections, the Steelers beefed up their offensive line in a big way. The OL has been in flux for the last several seasons, and they have already gone through a full lineup of players throughout the rebuild process that did not work out. Now, they have added two veteran guards in free agency the last few years and drafted the starting tackles and center of the future over the past two drafts. They are all players that fit what the Steelers look for in their play demeanor and the nastiness they exhibit on the field. Even Mason McCormick figures to be a future starter once Seumalo or Daniels move on from the team.
Assistant GM Andy Weidl came to the Steelers from the Philadelphia Eagles, who quickly turned around their franchise by focusing on winning in the trenches. They are attempting to replicate that in Pittsburgh.
“Not to be outdone, LB Payton Wilson and DB Ryan Watts add flavor as high-energy competitors on the defensive side of the ball. Wilson, in particular, is a destructive force with a knack for filling up the stat sheet with sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, and interceptions,” Brooks wrote. “If he can stay healthy in the NFL, the Steelers might have landed the biggest steal of the draft at pick No. 98.”
The focus predictably wasn’t on the defensive side of the ball in the draft. They already have one of the most veteran and highest-paid defenses in the league, and they added to it in free agency with ILB Patrick Queen and S DeShon Elliott. Still, they managed to land a potential difference-maker in Wilson. If it weren’t for his medical history, which our Dr. Melanie Friedlander has no immediate concerns about, he would have been a first or second-round pick. Instead, he was the sixth ILB off the board.
Khan said recently on the Pat McAfee Show that they wouldn’t have drafted him if their team of medical experts hadn’t signed off on it. How many players go on to get a second contract with their team anyway? In Pittsburgh, that number hasn’t been very high as of late. If they can get one solid contract out of him, that is a win at pick No. 98 in the third round.
“Roman Wilson’s selection kind of flies under the radar due to the Steelers’ affinity for big bodies, but the shifty pass catcher could make his mark immediately as a WR3 with outstanding speed, route-running ability, and underrated skills as a possession receiver over the middle of the field,” Brooks wrote.
Wilson may not be the ideal WR to step in as the WR2, but he has a very useful skill set to play in the slot and help move the chains with his route-running abilities. He also excels in the middle of the field, where the Steelers are looking to improve after years of underutilizing that area. Check out Alex Kozora’s video breakdown on his route running. They reportedly were thinking about drafting him in the second round if Frazier wasn’t available, and they ended up landing him at No. 84 in the third round.
With just seven picks, the Steelers weren’t going to be able to fill every need, but they did a great job marrying need with value and plugged many of the most pressing needs on the roster. And they did so without trading up or maneuvering the draft board in any way. That is a huge win.
