Starting a new short series here at Steelers Depot where we rank the Steelers’ Top 10 players on the roster age 25 and under to open the 2024 regular season. This will be a three-part series where we list three to four players in each edition, highlighting their accolades to this point as well as what their respective outlook is in 2024 and beyond. Today, I will be highlighting players ranked Nos. 1-3 on the list.
NO. 3: CB JOEY PORTER JR. (AGE 23, TURNS 24 IN JULY)
The Steelers benefitted from landing the first pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft due to a trade with the Chicago Bears for WR Chase Claypool. They had their pick of the best remaining players available after Day 1 of the draft. Lucky for them, Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. fell right into their laps, the Steelers landing a player many figured would be their selection in the first round.
After a slow start to his rookie season, Porter established himself as the top cornerback on the roster. Hr started 11 of 17 games played while posting 43 total tackles (32 solo), one tackle for loss, 10 pass deflections, and one interception.
Porter now enters his second NFL season as the top dog at cornerback in Pittsburgh as the Steelers cut CB Patrick Peterson while allowing CB Levi Wallace to leave via free agency. They did pick up CB Donte Jackson in a trade with the Carolina Panthers for WR Diontae Johnson, but Porter will likely continue his role from 2023 where he shadowed the opposing team’s top wide receiver a fair amount. The Steelers are placing a lot of trust in Porter to be that CB1 they drafted him to be, and given how he played down the stretch in his rookie season, they have all the reason to as he looks to put together a better 2024 campaign.
NO. 2: WR GEORGE PICKENS (AGE 23)
After a strong rookie season in 2022, many expected a big breakout from WR George Pickens in Year 2. While a dysfunctional offense and the shuffle at quarterback kept him from achieving a full breakout season, he did pass the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his young career, catching 63 passes for 1,140 yards (18.1 YPR) and five touchdowns along with three carries for 18 yards.
Pickens became Pittsburgh’s bona fide alpha receiver in 2023, drawing double teams and rolled coverage to his side more often as the threat opposing defenses were looking to take away. While Pickens did have a couple dud games during the season, he also had several monster games. He went for 195 yards and two touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals in December as well as seven catches for 130 yards the following week against the Seattle Seahawks.
After trading Johnson to the Panthers this spring, Pickens enters Year 3 as the unquestioned WR1 on this team, having several players below him on the depth chart all jostling to make an impact in the WR2 role. Pickens still needs to work on playing with more nuance in his game as well as doing a better job keeping his composure in adverse circumstances. But there’s no question that he’s set up to have a monster 2024 campaign as the far-and-away best receiver on this roster as well. He now has QB Russell Wilson, who has enabled several wideouts in the past to have big seasons, throwing to him.
NO. 1: LB PATRICK QUEEN (AGE 24, TURNS 25 IN MID-AUGUST)
It’s funny to think that the top player on this list is guy who hasn’t played a snap in a Steelers uniform, but LB Patrick Queen deserves to top this list. The former Baltimore Raven spurred his former team by joining its hated rival this offseason, agreeing to a three-year pact worth $41 million. It was the biggest free agent deal Pittsburgh’s made in team history and in doing so it acquired an athletic and young player in Queen who has racked up an impressive amount of production through his first four NFL seasons.
Playing alongside Pro Bowl LB Roquan Smith the last two seasons, Queen has started all 67 regular-season games he could suit up for since 2020, racking up 454 total stops (297 solo), 37 tackles for loss, 33 quarterback hits, 13.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), 15 pass deflections, and four interceptions.
He is the athletic, three-down linebacker Pittsburgh has been searching for since losing LB Ryan Shazier to a career-ending spinal injury. Queen has the skill set to drop back in coverage, run with running backs and tight ends, rush the passer on the blitz, come downhill against the run, and chase ball carriers sideline to sideline. There are hefty expectations on Queen entering his first season in Pittsburgh, but based on his resume and caliber, he warrants them.
Top 10 Steelers Age 25 Or Under: Nos. 10-7
Top 10 Steelers Age 25 Or Under: Nos. 6-4
