Leading into the three-day 2024 NFL Draft, it seemed rather unlikely that the Pittsburgh Steelers would somehow be able to address the offensive tackle position in the first round and then eventually land one of the top centers in Round 2, unless they traded up.
So, when the Steelers selected Washington’s Troy Fautanu at No. 20 overall in the first round, it set in motion plenty of debates regarding how the Steelers were going to address center on Day 2.
Even The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly suggested on 93.7 The Fan that Friday afternoon leading into the draft that he just didn’t believe the Steelers were going to land a center on Day 2.
But the Steelers did just and did so by sitting tight and letting the board fall to them. They landed West Virginia’s Zach Frazier at No. 51 overall, just a few picks after the Las Vegas Raiders selected Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, announcing him as a guard.
The Steelers got their guy at the center position though, and that selection turns out to be the favorite pick of Pro Football Focus lead NFL Draft analyst Trevor Sikkema from a rather outstanding draft class for Pittsburgh.
“I could have selected any pick the Steelers made as my favorite, as this was one of my top drafts of the weekend. I chose Frazier because it was evidence of a sound process,” Sikkema writes. “Drafting Troy Fautanu in the first round didn’t get in the way of Pittsburgh continuing to invest in the offensive line when the right player was available, and because of that, the team gained two new starters in the trenches for the 2024 season.”
After addressing the offensive tackle position in the first round, the Steelers could have pivoted to a different position group at No. 51 overall, whether that was cornerback — like Michigan’s Mike Sainristil, or even defensive line or wide receiver, which were also significant needs for the Steelers.
With Frazier falling to them at No. 51 overall though and no need to trade up to get him, the Steelers made the right pick, landing a plug-and-play guy at the center position, one who brings great strength to the position.
The Steelers entered the draft with a glaring need at the center position after cutting two-year starter Mason Cole in late February, moving on from a guy who played all but 45 snaps over the last two seasons. He struggled to properly snap the football last season though and was a mess in pass protection, leading the Steelers to make a change.
They’re better off now, landing one of the best centers in a rather strong class at the position, one who will fit the identity the team is aiming for moving forward. It was a win-win for the Steelers, without a doubt.
