What was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best pick in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Nearly to a selection, every pick the Steelers made last year seemed to meet wide approval. The focus on the offensive line is obvious, but they also selected players with perceived “value”. That’s based on what outsiders expect insiders to do, of course, and that’s always an inexact science.
With such a strong class based upon initial perception, we should have our choice of options for their prompt. But which of the Steelers’ seven draft selections was their best move? I’m going to assume we’re not going to see a lot of votes for Logan Lee and Ryan Watts, but you never know.
The Steelers reportedly viewed T Troy Fautanu as a top-10 talent, but landed him at 20. They genuinely seem as though they didn’t expect to have a shot at him without trading up. But in taking him, they ran the risk of losing out on the top centers in the class.
Fortunately for them, they still had Zach Frazier on the board in the second round. He figures to be a plug-and-play starter, and I’m guessing most commenters will pick him. We had a very strong center-or-bust contingent this year—understandable given the Steelers’ alternatives.
The third round also proved interesting for the Steelers with a pair of Wilsons. That they landed Roman Wilson that deep in the draft speaks to the quality of wide receiver on offer this year. As for Payton Wilson, he is one of the most talented defenders in the class. The only question is how many snaps they can get out of his body.
The fourth-round selection of Mason McCormick is quite interesting, though also polarizing. The Steelers drafted him because James Daniels and Nate Herbig are free agents next year and they think McCormick has starting potential.
DE Logan Lee and DB Ryan Watts are interesting as sixth-round picks. While he can pack on some pounds, Lee is a fairly prototypical Steelers lineman who has a bit of spark. Watts lacks a lot of discipline in his game but has an intriguing frame. Many believe he’ll end up as a safety in the long run rather than at cornerback. He’ll carve out his niche on special teams first before they have to decide where he fits on defense.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
