The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed South Dakota State guard and fourth-round pick Mason McCormick to his four-year, rookie deal. McCormick was the team’s top pick on the third and final day of the draft.
He is the second draft pick signing to be announced following DL Logan Lee, whom the team announced earlier this afternoon.
McCormick’s four-year contract should total out at right around $4,784,900 due to his draft position, per Over The Cap, and include a signing bonus of right around $764,900. McCormick’s cap charge for his rookie 2024 season should come in at right around $986,225.
McCormick became the first FCS lineman drafted in the Mike Tomlin era and the Steelers’ first since Hofstra’s Willie Colon in 2006. With a blend of size (6042, 309 pounds), athleticism, and top-notch experience of nearly 60 starts, McCormick is a road-grader in the running game who likes to push his weight around.
The Steelers don’t normally show interest in players below the FBS level but they kept an eye on McCormick throughout the pre-draft process. The team brought him in for a pre-draft visit, one of five players from that pool drafted, and privately worked him out one week before the draft, sending Pat Meyer and Arthur Smith to South Dakota State.
The third offensive lineman the team drafted following Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier, McCormick adds guard depth to the Steelers’ roster. With James Daniels and Nate Herbig scheduled to hit free agency following 2024, McCormick could push for a significant role next season. Until then, he’ll be a reserve and quality depth likely to work at both guard spots and perhaps see spot action at center throughout training camp.
During Friday’s first day of rookie minicamp, McCormick reportedly worked at right guard, next to first-round pick Troy Fautanu, who stepped in at right tackle. Fautanu played left tackle at Washington.
