The general consensus following the 2024 NFL Draft has been very positive for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Many of their picks, especially over the first two days of the draft, are viewed as providing tremendous value, and they also coincide with the team’s top positions of need. Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus posted a list of the most and least improved teams from the draft and featured the Steelers as one of the big winners, setting them up for future success.
“Despite making the postseason in 2023, it was painfully obvious that the Steelers weren’t championship contenders due to subpar play at quarterback and on the offensive line. They did an excellent job of acquiring Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for basically nothing after letting go of their entire 2023 quarterback room,” Wasserman wrote. “The primary focus in this draft was improving an offensive line that ranked 26th in overall grade last season and 31st in pass-blocking grade.
“Mission accomplished.”
Among the two biggest culprits dragging down the overall blocking grade for the team, and specifically the pass blocking grade, were OT Dan Moore Jr. and C Mason Cole. The latter is no longer on the team, replaced by second-round pick Zach Frazier. Moore has a chance to begin the season as the starter due to the Steelers’ preference to bring rookies along at a slower pace, but by the midway point of the season he should be out of the starting lineup as well with first-round pick Troy Fautanu set to take on a starting role.
It isn’t comparing apples to apples with the levels of competition, but Moore received a 39.7 pass blocking grade and a 51.8 overall grade in 2023, and Cole received a 39.6 pass blocking grade with a 57.3 overall. Fautanu had a 2023 pass blocking grade of 88.2 and an overall grade of 75.5 while Frazier had an 83.8 pass blocking grade and a 77.1 overall.
It isn’t a given that their college performances will translate to the NFL level, but they have as good a chance as any to make the jump. They are among the two most experienced players at their respective positions coming out.
“[Fautanu] posted an excellent figure in an offense that was not aided by many RPOs and screens, which can shield linemen from true pass sets,” Wasserman wrote.
Even OG Mason McCormick stacked up well against the competition in this draft class, posting an 80-plus overall grade in each of his last two seasons. He is unlikely to start unless an injury occurs in Year 1, but the Steelers have had tremendous injury luck along their offensive line over the last two seasons and that can never be taken for granted.
The pair of third-round picks in Roman Wilson and Payton Wilson both factored into PFF’s calculations in a big way for this post.
“Wilson, the leading receiver for the national champion Wolverines, tied for the FBS lead with a 99.9 deep receiving grade last season. He may immediately be the best deep threat for an offense that ranked 24th in deep receiving grade last season,” Wasserman wrote.
Anyone who follows PFF’s grading system knows that anything over a 90.0 is considered “elite,” and I am not sure I have ever seen a 99.9 grade given before. It wasn’t his overall grade from them, but if he can excel in one area that will help make an immediate impact it would be as a deep threat. QB Russell Wilson has long been known as a premier deep-ball thrower and he should be able to help maximize that skill set.
There were also glowing reviews of the selection of LB Payton Wilson at No. 98 in the third round. PFF had him as its 30th-ranked player overall with an 89.9 overall grade last season at NC State.
“He could start soon in a linebacker corps that ranked 26th in the NFL in overall grade in 2023,” Wasserman wrote. Pittsburgh’s first five picks should make the team significantly better moving forward.”
To put the cherry on top of PFF’s glowing review of the Steelers’ draft class, their division-rival Cleveland Browns were listed among the least improved with just two drafted players inside PFF’s top-150 players.
