The 2024 NFL Draft went exceptionally well for the Pittsburgh Steelers based purely on their needs and how they addressed them. Players like Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier should contribute for years to come. Add the potential of others like Payton Wilson and Roman Wilson, and GM Omar Khan seems to have done just as well in his second draft as he did with his first.
In a video from Steelers Live on Twitter, Tomlin was asked Saturday how he would evaluate the rookies after getting to see them in training camp.
“They’ve got a lot of growth in front of them,” Tomlin said. “The thing that I like about the group individually and collectively is they’re not intimidated in their competitors. That’s a great place to start. There’s a lot of learning and development that goes on here, and a lot of it is just them adjusting to the professional environment. Taking new coaching, learning from veteran players.”
The rookie class has mostly received pretty good reviews so far. Fautanu seems to be having no trouble moving to right tackle, Frazier is steadily developing, and the rest of the group has flashed as well. Roman Wilson is dealing with an ankle injury, but before that, he looked he’d be able to contribute this year. There are still games to be played, but so far so good.
The Steelers will need these rookies to step up sooner rather than later, especially along the offensive line. That’s been a real weakness over the past few years, and the Steelers set out to change that in the draft. Frazier and Fautanu were billed as pro-ready. Wilson, the linebacker, should’ve been drafted much higher but fell due to injury. Really, that could be said about a few of Pittsburgh’s draft picks.
If this group remains healthy, it could be just as productive as last year’s rookie class, if not more so. Last year, it took a few games, but eventually Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr., and Keeanu Benton became real factors on the team. Perhaps this year’s rookies follow a similar path and get more time on the field as the season progresses.
It sounds like they’re all ready to give as much effort as possible, and that goes a long way. They’ve got some of the best players in the league to compete against in practice, so allowing iron to sharpen iron should be hugely beneficial. Maybe none of the rookies will make the Pro Bowl this year, but if they can help the Steelers make the playoffs, then that should be considered a success.
