What was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ worst pick in the 2024 NFL Draft?
If we’re doing the best pick, then we obviously have to do the worst pick as well, right? So here we go. The Pittsburgh Steelers made seven selections in last week’s draft, including two in the third and sixth rounds. They made no selections, due to previous trades, in the fifth and seventh rounds. In total, they drafted four offensive players, including three linemen, and three defensive players, one at each level.
The Steelers’ first two selections went to the offensive line with T Tony Fautanu and C Zach Frazier. These two received near-universal acclaim, and we really don’t even need to discuss them further in this particular conversation.
As a consequence, however, the Steelers waited until the third round to get their wide receiver. Roman Wilson is a solid third-round prospect, but what is his upside? This is one of the deepest wide receiver classes in an era with deep wide receiver classes. Certainly, they could have gotten a stronger prospect if they passed on one of the two linemen. They had Adonai Mitchell sitting there when they took Frazier in the second round, for example.
After taking Wilson, they doubled down on the name with ILB Payton Wilson. You have to like his tape, but can he play for more than a few seasons? There are legitimate fears, apparently, that he is a one-contract player over fears his body will wear down. Is that worth a third-round pick? Well, we’ll have to judge that in three or four years.
Now, the big question: did the Steelers need another offensive lineman in the fourth round? Sure, Mason McCormick is something of a luxury right now, but he could potentially be starting a year from now. Yet they passed on a number of intriguing defensive backs, for example.
The sixth round brought defensive line and secondary help with Logan Lee and Ryan Watts, respectively. One can question both of their fits. Is Lee big enough to play in a 3-4 front? Does Watts have the mobility to hold up at cornerback—and if not, does he have the instincts and tackling acumen for safety? Of course, you’re not getting players without concerns in the sixth round. But they needed cornerbacks, and we’re not even sure they got one in Watts.
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.
