Bold moves are required for the best chance at instant glory

When the Steelers signed Russell Wilson and news broke that he was coming to Pittsburgh as the starter, many fans interpreted the move as a sign that the Steelers were ready to go “all-in” for 2024. Having a 35-year-old quarterback on a one-year contract screams short-term goals, but then free agency happened. Or, perhaps more accurately, free agency didn’t happen. Instead of paying up for experienced veterans, the Steelers signed no offensive players of note to a squad that had to rally in the last three games of the year just to bring their scoring average up to fifth worst in the league.

While the signing of Wilson was pending they also traded away their top receiver, shipping Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in a trade that brought little draft capital and cornerback Donte Jackson. Instead of getting the new quarterback a better roster, they actually made it worse.

The Steelers are now just a few days away from the draft and have several issues still needing to be addressed on offense. A hole was created at wide receiver to go along with the existing hole at the center position. Meanwhile, the Steelers’ offensive line has been bogged down for three seasons by the struggles of left tackle Dan Moore.

Moore wasn’t expected to start as a fourth-round rookie, but an injury thrust him into the lineup early. After two seasons the Steelers would trade up in the first round to draft his replacement, Broderick Jones. Yet somehow Moore keeps out there at left tackle like the Energizer Bunny and the Steelers’ offensive line struggles continue. With a need for three new starters, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers being able to fill them all in the draft. How could they possibly still be thinking about going for it in 2024?

There has been much discussion of the rumors about the Steelers trading for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. While it doesn’t necessarily have to be Aiyuk, the Steelers need to acquire a legit starting wideout, as counting on a rookie wide receiver to fill that hole isn’t the way to make an all-in attempt. What the Steelers need to do is work out a trade for a wide receiver where they get more starters than picks given up.

How the Steelers could add a veteran WR with a pick swap trade

One way to accomplish this is via a pick swap where the pick coming back has a high enough value to fill another hole. If Aiyuk is the target, maybe Pittsburgh sends San Francisco a first-round pick but gets back the 49ers second. Pittsburgh could cross wide receiver off of its needs list and would still have four of the top 100 picks (Nos. 51, 63, 84, 98) to address the needs at center, offensive tackle, and elsewhere. Other lower picks or future picks could be included to balance out this or any other trade; this article isn’t about proposing specific trade packages, but rather illustrating how a pick swap could be the ticket for the Steelers.

If fears of crippling the franchise by using a first-round pick this way haunt you, realize that the Los Angeles Rams haven’t drafted in the first round since 2016. Since their last first-round selection they have played in two Super Bowls, winning one of them, and have been in the playoffs five of the last seven years. If sending a first still feels like too steep of a price to pay when there is a draft very loaded at the position, perhaps Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who caught 10 touchdowns from Wilson last year in only 14 games together, could be acquired by sending Denver a second and getting back a third leaving Pittsburgh with Nos. 20, 76, 84, and 98 in the first three rounds. The Broncos don’t hold a second and would surely be interested in having one to use as part of their rebuild.

Stefon Diggs was recently traded in a package that, with the use of a draft pick trade calculator, valued him as pick No.86 in this year’s draft. Similarly devised, Jerry Jeudy was traded for the value of pick No. 123. Keenan Allen, whose stats and age are very comparable to Diggs was traded straight up for pick No. 110. In this example where Pittsburgh sends No. 51 and receives No. 76 and Sutton, Sutton’s value in the trade is the same as that of pick No. 80 in this year’s draft. Again, later picks and future picks, either coming or going, are available to balance out any trade for these all-in scenarios.

How the Steelers could eliminate two needs with one move

Another way to fill these holes to make some noise this year would be to get a two-for-one deal. In the example of Sutton above, Denver has just launched a full rebuild. According to Spotrac, the highest salary cap hits on their current roster are Sutton and left tackle Garrett Bolles. Bolles will be 32 this year but is still playing at a high level. As he is in the last year of his contract, his trade compensation shouldn’t be much. A trade for a package of Sutton and Bolles could kill two birds with one stone.

The Raiders are another team in search of their next quarterback and thus filed under the rebuilding column. Wide receiver Davante Adams is on a contract that pays him $16.9 million this year followed by two years at $35.6 million. There’s almost no way Las Vegas will pay that much for his exceptional talents while breaking in a new quarterback. After this season, at the latest, he is destined to either take an extreme pay cut or get traded away. At 32, why should the Raiders risk Adams getting injured and ruining his trade value compared to trading him now? His age and stats are very similar to Diggs and Allen.

Offensive tackle Kolton Miller will be 29 and has two years remaining on his contract at $12.3 million. If the Raiders want to get younger and cheaper as part of their rebuild, trading away two of their three highest cap hits makes sense. Keeping in mind that Diggs went for a late third, that Diggs and Adams are very similar in age and production, and factoring in a potential financial desire of the Raiders to move both Adams and Miller, the Steelers could possibly acquire both for a trade based around sending their second-round pick.

My favorite scenario in this land of hypotheticals combines the pick swap method with a two-for-one. As we float down this river through the fantasy world, imagine the Raiders getting shut out of the quarterback derby by the six teams ahead of them who are also wanting one. Not only are they now in rebuilding mode, but the lack of a quarterback to build around has tacked an extra year onto the process. Because of an early run on quarterbacks, Las Vegas could have wide receiver Rome Odunze available to draft. They pick up the phone and call Omar Khan to re-visit a previously outlined deal that sends to the Steelers Adams, Miller, and pick No. 77 for pick No. 20. The Raiders could then fill those holes with younger and cheaper rookies, while the Steelers would have used their first-round pick to spectacularly fill the holes at wide receiver and tackle and still have four picks in the top 100 (Nos. 51, 77, 84, 98) to address center and other needs.

Picks No. 51 and 77 should be enough to get them into the end of the first round to possibly grab the first center of the draft. The age and contracts of Adams and Miller don’t make it the prudent thing to do, but when you go all in you can’t hold back. You have to take big swings when you commit to going for it. Otherwise, the Steelers are just spinning their wheels for all of 2024, and having Russell Wilson

on a one-year contract will have been a waste of everyone’s time.

The 2024 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, set to take place Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27 in Detroit, Michigan, and the team at Behind The Steel Curtain will be here to guide you on all things Pittsburgh Steelers leading up to the action. Following their 10-7 season and eventual first-round playoff exit in the wild card, the Steelers are slated for the No. 20 overall pick, with plenty of needs to address throughout the offseason.

Here, we’ll be keeping track of our collection of Steelers scouting reports, Steelers mock drafts and 2024 NFL mock drafts throughout the offseason. Be sure to bookmark this page to stay up to date on the latest Steelers draft content!

NFL Draft player profiles, by position

Quarterback

• Michael Penix Jr., Washington
• Joe Milton, Tennessee
• Michael Pratt, Tulane

Offensive line

• Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
• Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
• Matt Goncalves, OT, Pitt
• Travis Glover, OT, Georgia State
• Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
• Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
• Graham Barton, IOL, Duke
• Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia

Wide receiver

• Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
• Ladd McConkey, Georgia
• Roman Wilson, Michigan
• Xavier Legette, South Carolina
• Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
• Adonai Mitchell, Texas
• Ricky Pearsall, Florida

Running back

• Dillon Johnson, Washington

Defensive line

• T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
• Braden Fiske, Florida State
• Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
• Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
• Darius Robinson, Missouri

Cornerback

• Cooper DeJean, Iowa
• Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
• Mike Sainristil, Michigan
• Nate Wiggins, Clemson
• M.J. Devonshire, Pitt

Steelers mock drafts 2024, by analyst

Mike Nicastro

• NFL two-round post-free agency mock draft — March 21
• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 4.0 — March 9 (Pre-free agency)
• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 3.0 — February 26 (NFL Scouting Combine week)
• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 2.0 — January 29
• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 1.0 — January 22

Jarrett Bailey

• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 3.0 — March 27
• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 2.0 — February 5 — Post-Senior Bowl
• Steelers 7-Round mock draft 1.0 — January 29

Steelers mid-round draft targets by position

• Offensive tackle
• Interior offensive line
• Wide receiver
• Defensive line
• Edge rushers

Steelers mock draft roundups

A look at who the NFL’s leading draft analysts are projecting the Black & Gold will be selecting in 2024…

• April 8
• February 16
• January 19
• January 5

Guyton isn’t the most popular name for the Steelers in the first round, but the promising tackle could be a great fit in Pittsburgh.

Approaching the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

In a historically deep offensive tackle class, could Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton be a sleeper option for the Steelers’ first round pick?

The basics on Tyler Guyton

• Position: Offensive tackle
• Class: Redshirt junior (Oklahoma)
• Size: 6’8, 322 pounds
• Age: 22 years old
• Projected draft round: Round 1

Tyler Guyton scouting report

If you’re looking for another 2024 NFL Draft tackle in the Amarius Mims mold, look no further than Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton. Guyton lacks Mims’ elite mass (322 pounds vs. 340), but both prospects are awe-inspiring athletes at 6’8, with top-notch upside but raw technique.

Guyton immediately stands out on tape — he sits very high in his stance compared to the rest of the line of scrimmage. It’s largely due to the fact that he’s a human skyscraper, but there’s no denying he plays with a worrying lack of leverage in his game.

Guyton has a bad habit of widening his arms and slowing his feet once he contacts defenders when blocking. He prefers to engulf defenders and wrestle rather than spar. His immense upper body strength allows him to get away with it, but at the end of the day, you’d like to see more sudden footwork and hand placement (right tackle — No. 60 in all clips).

That poor technique can lead to defenders occasionally slipping past Guyton in pass protection.

When he does utilize his powerful punch, it’s a fun watch. Guyton has the ability to throw rushers completely out of the play.

Although Guyton isn’t the smoothest mover, he doesn’t have much of an issue mirroring quicker defenders on the edge. He has bursts of excellent lateral mobility for a player his size.

His pulling ability stands out as well. Guyton is more than capable as a second-level blocker, and a matchup linebackers and defensive backs don’t look forward to.

As a run blocker, Guyton uses his size and strength to bulldoze defenders out of the way.

Other times, his uprightness can result in him not getting a great initial push off the snap, although Guyton’s strength usually prevails eventually.

This can leave him vulnerable in pass protection as well. But he’s still hard to completely beat, even with a sloppy start. Guyton has a natural anchor.

To come full circle to the Amarius Mims comparison that kicked off this draft report, Guyton has similar inexperience. He started playing football in his senior year of high school, with only 15 career starts in college. One of those starts was as an H-back when Guyton was at TCU.

As a result, Guyton’s game is unmistakably raw, but his physical traits are off the charts. He’s closer to starting in the NFL than you might think, too. He already has the athleticism to hold up against NFL rushers, and with some professional coaching over the summer, he could develop into an excellent starter at right tackle very soon. Despite being a bit of late riser, Guyton profiles a surefire pick in the mid-to-late first round of the upcoming NFL Draft.

Strengths

• Elite measurables
• Incredibly strong upper half
• Great mobility

Weaknesses

• Plays too upright
• Can be a bit of a lumbering mover, often slows down feet and hands
• Limited starting experience

What others are saying about Tyler Guyton

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Ascending tackle prospect with the traits and tape to project a bright future as a high-level pass protector in the league. Guyton has battled injuries and had limited reps coming over from TCU after the 2021 season, but his flashes have been complemented by increasing consistency. He plays with a high center of gravity and needs to get stronger, but leveraged hand strikes can help overcome those concerns. He should continue to get better as a run blocker but might never shine in that department. Guyton’s value comes with his pass protection, as he has the length, feet and body control to become a human roadblock. He should become a talented starter at either tackle position.

Hogs Haven

Tyler Guyton has NFL scouts drooling at his potential and scratching their heads over his mistakes. He is a large and very athletic man… Guyton is a lump of clay with the raw potential to be molded into any run blocking system, but his inexperience means that he will have a lot to learn with any system. He has the raw material to be Gap OT, especially because of his size and short-area quickness, plus he is the rare OT who can pull effectively. However, his athleticism makes him a good candidate for a Zone Blocking System as well. In either, he would have to develop his skills considerably. Indeed, he is the rare OT who potentially could be scheme versatile.

Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network

Tall, well-built, and high-mass blocker with good length, flexibility, and reach… Nimble, light-footed mover at his size with awe-inspiring recovery athleticism… Patient and disciplined pass blocker who manages his depth well, always staying square… Length, while solid, may not be proportionally elite… A tall frame sometimes prevents him from getting underneath stunners and locking out… On occasion, widens his hands too far and exposes himself to bull rushes.

Tyler Guyton’s fit with the Steelers

Guyton widely projects in the lower tier of this year’s first-round tackles. I largely agree — I’d definitely take Taliese Fuaga over him — but the gap isn’t as huge as most evaluators make it seem. I spent a lot of time focusing on Guyton’s negatives in the plays embedded in this article, but the truth is that his tape was surprisingly consistent, filled with a lot more good than bad. Guyton has technique issues, but his physical tools mask a lot of ills, also showing how much better he can get at the next level.

The Steelers see similar upside, having spent a top-30 pick on Guyton. He could definitely be an option for the black and gold at pick No. 20, with the athleticism and physicality to really excel in Arthur Smith’s zone run scheme. Guyton projects best as a right tackle in the pros, allowing Broderick Jones to slide back to the left side of the line. He may not be a Day 1 starter, but Guyton’s development is far along enough that he should definitely see the field sometime in his rookie year. He has the tools to give the Steelers a bookend set of tackles for the next several seasons.

TL;DR: Tyler Guyton is a strong, athletic right tackle prospect who lacks ideal experience and technique. If he can improve his footwork and hand placement a bit at the next level, he’ll be starting material. If he cleans up his leverage, he could be a Pro Bowler

What are your thoughts on Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!

Pittsburgh has two major holes to fill on the offensive line ahead of the 2024 NFL Season

The 2024 NFL Draft is just days away, which means that the Pittsburgh Steelers fans around the world anxiously awaiting word as to which of the three gigantic holes on their roster (offensive tackle, center, wide receiver) will soon be filled will finally have their answer.

In peak NFL draft rumor week, attempting to discern any team’s true intentions is a fool’s errand, but NFL betting odds can sometimes be indicative of which way the rumor winds are blowing as oddsmakers adjust the final lines in the days leading up to the draft. So, here’s a look at the current odds for what position the Steelers will select with their first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

All odds come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Steelers odds: Position of 1st player selected in 2024 NFL Draft

• Offensive line: -350
• Wide receiver: +400
• Cornerback: +600
• Defensive line/EDGE: +1500
• Safety: +5000
• Linebacker: +5000
• Tight end: +7500
• Quarterback: +10000
• Running back: +15000
• Kicker/punter/longsnapper: +20000

Odds for the Steelers first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft have continued to remain heavily in favor of the offensive line at -350. That certainly makes sense, considering that two of Pittsburgh’s top three needs are on the offensive line, with -350 odds implying a 77.8% likelihood.

According to NFL Mock Draft Database, a resource that compiles NFL mock draft results from various media outlets, the most common players mocked to the Steelers include Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson, Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims and Alabama offensive tackle J.C. Latham — all offensive lineman. Another popular pick as of late is versatile IOL Graham Barton out of Duke, who played at center as a true freshman before transitioning to left tackle for his final three seasons. Again… offensive line. Are you sensing a pattern?

If the Steelers don’t go with an offensive lineman, odds next favor wide receiver, with LSU prospect Brian Thomas Jr. a popular selection in NFL mock drafts. Odds for the Steelers to draft a wide receiver are at +400, implying a 20% likelihood. When considering the top receivers in this class beyond the top three (Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers), here’s a look at where the others stand in the overall consensus big board rankings:

• No. 18 — Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU)
• No. 27 — Adonai Mitchell (Texas)
• No. 33 — Ladd McConkey (Georgia)
• No. 34 — Xavier Worthy (Texas)

All things considered, given the depth of this receiver class and the richness at the top of the tackle class, it seems most likely that the Steelers are walking away with an offensive lineman in Round 1.

Do you agree? Join the community at Behind The Steel Curtain and let us know in the comments!

Steelers news and commentary from Monday, April 22nd

Welcome to the Terrible Towel Tales, where we’ll highlight some of the latest stories permeating Steelers media for your reading pleasure every Monday through Saturday. In today’s news…

Steelers Named Reason Teams Shouldn’t Trade Up | Stephen Thompson, All Steelers

It seems like all options are still on the table for the Pittsburgh Steelers as the days and hours until the start of the 2024 NFL Draft tick away but one analyst points to one move that wouldn’t be prudent for them to make, based on recent history.

In 2019, the Steelers dealt picks No. 20, No. 50 and a 2020 third-round pick for the 10th overall pick, which they used to take Michigan linebacker Devin Bush. Independent of how Bush’s career shook out, ESPN’s Seth Walder sees it as an unsound move and criticized then-general manager Kevin Colbert for wasting extra picks to overpay for their eventual first-round selection.

Buy low, sell high: Steelers work draft-day huge trade sending Justin Fields to Broncos in new mock | Curt Popejoy, Steelers Wire

The Pittsburgh Steelers got a huge bargain when they traded a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft to the Chicago Bears in exchange for quarterback Justin Fields. But in this mock draft scenario, the Steelers see that Fields has a big payday coming they don’t feel ready to commit to so they strike while the iron is hot and trade Fields to the Denver Broncos for their third-round pick (No. 76) and fifth-round pick (No. 136).

After the trade, the Steelers now have an extra high pick but it throws quarterback into the mix as a draft need.

Kaboly: Tyler Boyd Won’t Sign with Steelers ‘Unless Something Crazy Happens’ | Nick Farabaugh, Steelers Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tyler Boyd deal is dead. That very much seems certain, and was largely reaffirmed on Saturday when Jeremy Fowler stated that the team still had not made a ‘hard offer’ for Boyd yet, which tracks with everything around the situation.

Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan reported on Tuesday that the Steelers offered Boyd a two-year contract in the range of $10 million.

The Michigan star is one of the top cornerback prospects in the NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a very young defensive backfield.

Currently, Pittsburgh has rising superstar Joey Porter Jr. and the recently-acquired Donte Jackson as their top two cornerbacks. Cory Trice and Darius Rush, both entering their second years in the NFL, are also on the roster. Outside of that, they don’t have a cornerback on the roster who suited up for them last season after Patrick Peterson was released and Levi Wallace wasn’t re-signed.

It’s all but certain the Steelers will add a cornerback in this year’s draft, and one name that fans have had circled for months is Michigan’s Mike Sainristil. In a recent interview with Mitch Kaiser of PFF, Sainristil said he would love to be drafted by the Steelers and create a “no-fly zone” with Porter. The Massachusetts native also named the Patriots as a team he could see himself with, being that it’s his hometown team.

Sainristil also noted that former Steelers and current Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton is someone whom he models his game after.

Sainristil had six interceptions in 2023 with the Wolverines and four touchdowns.

Overall takeaways from the Steelers pre-draft press conference

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan held their pre-draft press conference ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft beginning this Thursday night. In terms of what was said, these were the most notable nuggets.

The Steelers aren’t eager to trade up or down in the draft

Pittsburgh has been labeled as a team that could be a trade target in the first round. Should the Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals, for example, be a team that want to move up, the Steelers will all but certainly get a call sitting at No. 20. Khan said, though, that the Steelers won’t be in a hurry to trade down, noting that if a good player they like is on the board when they are up, they will take him.

This doesn’t rule anything out, obviously, but it does give a small glimpse into the Steelers feeling content with staying put at No. 20.

They want to ‘find Steelers’

Both Tomlin and Khan have highlighted that they want to “Find Steelers” for the future. Khan said that means both as players and what a guy can bring on the field, but as well as who they are as people. Khan highlighted Isaac Seumalo as a perfect example of a guy who they were really high on last offseason and once they brought him in and got to know him, they knew they wanted to sign him.

Patrick Queen said something similar during his introductory press conference, saying that Mike Tomlin told him that he was a Steeler and he needed to come to Pittsburgh. They want high-quality football players, but also high-quality men.

The Steelers ‘aren’t thirsty’ at any particular position

Both Tomlin and Khan noted the work done in free agency and trades to fill positions of need thus far this offseason.

“We’ve addressed a lot of needs,” Tomlin said. “[We] don’t feel overly thirsty in any particular area.”

Most notably, the Steelers added two receivers in free agency in Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins.

Even as it pertains to center, arguably the biggest position of need, Khan said the Steelers “have guys on the roster that have flexibility [to play center.]”

With that said, the Steelers openly said they were confident in Kenny Pickett before signing Russell Wilson. They aren’t going to just completely expose their hand ahead of the draft. Do they like the guys they have in the building? I’m sure they do. However, I’m sure they are also smart enough to realize that Nate Herbig can’t be the Week 1 starter at center. The same way they know that Jefferson and Watkins can’t be, and won’t be, the only moves they make at receiver.

The Steelers head coach says he knows his actions are watched closely

During the Steelers’ pre-draft press conference, general manager Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin answered questions from the media about the draft process.

Tomlin was asked about his Pro Day habits, in specific his trip to Ohio State’s Pro Day to see Justin Fields a few years ago now that he is on the roster. Tomlin gave somewhat of a surprising answer.

“Sometimes at Pro Days, I’m looking at people I’m not interested in because I know everyone’s watching,” Tomlin said. “To be bluntly honest, there’s not a lot of my peers that work on the Pro Day circuit the way that I work. And so I understand that my movement, what I pay attention to, who I conversate with all becomes media fodder. And so sometimes I have fun with you guys.”

The Steelers acquired Fields shortly after signing Russell Wilson and subsequently trading Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was no secret that at the time of Fields entering the draft, Mike Tomlin was a big fan of his. Plus, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Tomlin would have drafted Fields had he fallen to the Steelers in 2021.

Jarrett Bailey’s final Steelers mock draft of the 2024 draft season

Good lord I cannot wait to not hear the phrase “Mock draft” for the next year.

At this point in the offseason when it’s been nothing but mock draft this, mock draft that on social media for three months, it’s enough to make me want to put my head in the oven.

Anyway, this is my final Steelers mock draft of the 2024 draft season- let’s get into it.

Round 1, Pick 28 (projected trade with Bills): WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Sure, let’s get weird. Sincerely, I do think the best move for the Steelers is trading down and gaining more assets to address their needs in the first three rounds. Pittsburgh gets picks 28, 60, and 133 from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for picks 20, 98, and 195 and they take Mitchell to put alongside George Pickens.

Round 2, Pick 51: C Zach Frazier, West Virginia

Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Over the last week, the top centers have been slipping down boards. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. doesn’t have a center being taken until the middle of the second round. While that doesn’t necessarily mean it will 100 percent happen, he’s been very adamant that the people he speaks with within the league don’t see either Jackson Powers-Johnson nor Zach Frazier going in the first round. Should this be the case, the Steelers could have their cake and eat it too by taking Mitchell in the first and have Frazier sitting at 51 when they are on the clock.

Round 2, Pick 60 (from Bills): OT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame

Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Steelers had Fisher in for a visit, and he fills that need at right tackle once the Steelers move Broderick Jones to the left side. How that will go in camp is TBD, but if their plan is to move Broderick to his natural spot at left tackle, draft a right tackle to fill that whole and move Dan Moore to the bench.

Round 3, Pick 84: CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest

Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Carson played all over the Wake Forest secondary during his time with the Demon Deacons, He can play outside and in the slot, which gives the Steelers some flexibility on what they could do with him and how they utilize him. Carson is also a very willing tackler and a good run defender from the outside. He was one of the few bright spots on a bad Wake Forest team, and would be a nice addition to a young Steelers defensive backfield.

Round 4, Pick 119: DT T’Vondre Sweat, Texas

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Sweat’s DWI may see him fall from his projected late second-round-mid third-round projection. And man, if he is there at 119, sprint to the podium. He’s basically a much more athletic Casey Hampton- the dude is a freak. He’ll only be a two-down guy, but the impact he’ll have as a run defender next to Keeanu Benton is making me blush just thinking of it.

Round 4, Pick 133 (From Bills): LB Marist Liufau, Notre Dame

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

The Steelers have little depth behind Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queen as it currently stands. Cole Holcomb’s return date is up in the air, and Myles Jack and Kwon Alexander are free agents. Mark Robinson is the only other guy at that spot on the roster. Liufau’s best attribute is his ability in coverage. In today’s NFL, the middle of the field is the most important part of the field, and you can never have too many guys who can take that away from offenses.

Round 6, Pick 178: RB Kimani Vidal, Troy

Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images

There is a world where the Steelers lose Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren over the next one-two years. Vidal was very productive at Troy, rushing for over 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023 on nearly six yards per carry. It wouldn’t hurt having him as the third back in the offense to potentially groom as a future second option on the depth chart.

The LSU wideout is a bit of a one-trick pony — but it’s a good trick.

Approaching the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

One of the most popular first-round selections for the Steelers in expert mock drafts, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. is a name to watch as the 2024 NFL Draft draws closer.

The basics on Brian Thomas Jr.

• Position: Wide receiver
• Class: Junior (LSU)
• Size: 6’3, 209 pounds
• Age: 21 years old
• Projected draft round: Round 1

Offensive stats via Sports Reference

Brian Thomas Jr. scouting report

Brian Thomas Jr.’s 2023 stats at LSU are straight out of Madden — over a thousand receiving yards, 17.3 yards per catch, and a whopping 17 touchdowns. He got there by emerging as college football’s premier deep threat last season. Despite being a larger receiver at 6’3, 209 pounds, Thomas runs a 4.33-second 40-yard dash — and that couldn’t be more obvious on his vertical routes. Thomas’ pure speed and acceleration are among the best in this year’s class. In every game I watched of his, there was at least one instance when he toasted a defensive back for a massive gain.

I can’t stress enough just how common of an occurrence this was on Thomas’ tape without simply embedding his 2023 highlight reel. The way he throttles up effortlessly at the line of scrimmage is a joy to watch. Thomas can really take the top off the defense.

The reason why I hammer this point so much is because it’s the main reason why Thomas is considered a first-round pick, and understandably so — but the rest of his game is not anywhere as exciting.

For one, despite having a massive, promising frame for a wide receiver, Thomas’ contested catch game is rather subpar. He’s excellent at tracking the deep ball, but he prefers to body catch, having issues with more difficult grabs, even if they hit him right in the hands.

The drops I’ve compiled in the cut-up below aren’t exactly routine catches, but you’d hope that a receiver of Thomas’ caliber would have the concentration to haul more of them in. It was a common issue on tape.

That isn’t to say it was all bad. Thomas has the build to be a 50/50 ball machine if he continues to develop, and there were flashes of it from time to time at LSU. You’ll see this as a common theme in this draft report: if Thomas can become a more complete receiver, he has all the tools to be a star WR1 in the pros.

Thomas’ route tree will be another issue for him as he transitions to the NFL. We’ve already established he’s an elite, polished route-runner when going deep, with a good understanding of slightly slowing down before turning on the burners to leave defensive backs in the dust. However, those deep routes, along with some shallow curls, were about the extent of Thomas’ route tree at LSU.

The curls weren’t exactly anything to write home about. They resulted in yards, but Thomas didn’t have to run them with much urgency as he often had a massive cushion to exploit. Plays like the one below can be found in every one of the games I watched. Again, they’re not bad routes, just not the most exciting in terms of NFL potential.

Sometimes, Thomas’ route-running and willingness to attack the ball could get a little underwhelming.

And while he did have some good reps as a blocker, more often than not he left something to be desired. Just a little bit of effort in the play below (and the running back not getting hurt) could’ve resulted in a much bigger gain.

Thomas is hardly lethargic as an overall player, though. He’s a smooth runner with long strides who doesn’t always look like he’s moving as fast as he is, but he still shows a lot of potential in terms of his change of direction. Thomas had some great yards after catch at LSU, with moves you shouldn’t be seeing from a receiver his size.

In short, the potential is off the charts with Thomas. If he develops, he’ll be something special, and even as a rookie he’ll be an immediate contributor as a dangerous vertical threat.

Strengths

• Uncanny speed, acceleration for size
• Superb vertical route-running, ball tracking
• Flashes of excellent stop-start ability
• NFL-ready frame, potential to be a more physical receiver

Weaknesses

• Extremely limited college route tree
• Lacks concentration as a hands-catcher
• Run blocking is generally lackluster

What others are saying about Brian Thomas Jr.

Natalie Miller of Draft Wire

Every NFL team is looking for their own version of a tall, down-the-field, deep threat. Thomas fits the mold of what teams want, though his physicality at the top and bottom of the route leaves something to be desired. Thomas is going to walk into the NFL on day one as a starting receiver and force teams to pay attention to his deep speed and ability to take the top off their defense. Should Thomas add some muscle to his frame and become a more physical player, he could become a top receiver in the league.

Jordan Foote of Arrowhead Report

Thomas’s athletic profile is one of the most intriguing in this entire draft class, let alone at just the wide receiver position. He’s a tantalizing jump ball and/or deep threat, as he boasts good length blended with good timing on his leaps… Thomas, in my estimation, is in the same general bucket as [Keon] Coleman. Both players boast very intriguing athletic profiles and can attack defenses in similar fashions early on. They’re also young and are brimming with upside, making them ideal developmental receivers for a team looking to solve for “X” in their offense.

Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit

If you had to sum up Thomas Jr.’s game with one word, it would be “smooth.” Despite measuring in at almost 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds at the Combine, he is as effortless a mover on the football field as you will ever see… Even though there already is a lot to like about Thomas Jr. entering the NFL, he has plenty of room for growth. His route tree in particular has room to grow a few branches, as noted above, and as those get added he should develop into a true three-down threat at the X-receiver spot. Think of his growth potential as similar to current Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf, who also had limited routes in his toolbox but was steadily and patiently developed to become a top-tier wideout.

Brian Thomas Jr.’s fit with the Steelers

Brian Thomas has been an incredibly popular choice in mock drafts over the past few months, with many respected experts projecting him to Pittsburgh. Still, the Steelers haven’t shown much interest in the LSU receiver this draft cycle, meeting with him at the combine but not for a visit — top-30 or at his pro day.

Thomas profiles very similarly to Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, a slightly more polished, but less productive and slightly slower play speed-wise receiver Pittsburgh has shown some pre-draft interest in. Both would give the Steelers an instant WR2 next to George Pickens with sky-high upside.

However, Thomas would simply give the Steelers another big-play threat on the outside — not a bad thing by any means, but Pittsburgh would still be lacking the proven, chain-moving presence on short and intermediate routes that Diontae Johnson provided. An offense with Russell Wilson slinging deep balls to Pickens and Thomas would be a fun thing to watch, but the Steelers would still be left with a lot of question marks — not just at wide receiver, but also without a first round pick on the offensive line. Thomas could be a great selection at No. 20 for the black and gold, but he’d be a risky one.

TL;DR: Brian Thomas Jr. is a tall, blazing fast deep threat with the frame and tools to be an all-around elite X receiver. However, he still has a long way to go before he becomes a complete player.

What are your thoughts on LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!