NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Steelers' first-round pick at No. 20
The 2024 NFL Draft is just 20 days away. Last year, the Seahawks took WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba 20th overall. This year, the Steelers hold the 20th pick.
Here’s who experts think they'll take.
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Brugler predicts Pittsburgh will trade up for the second straight year to select a Georgia offensive tackle. The team jumped three spots for Broderick Jones last year. In the deal, the Steelers would send No. 20 and No. 84 to the Seahawks for No. 16 and No. 151.
At 6-foot-8 and 340 pounds, Mims has the size to be an elite NFL player but had just eight starts in his college career. None of this matters to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who said this about Mims:
“What does that matter if you’ve blocked Travon Walker, Nolan Smith, Robert Beal your whole career,” Smart said at UGA’s pro day. “What does eight starts matter? Would you rather have someone who started 27 games and played against nobody, or somebody who played against first-round draft picks every day in practice? I know which one I’m picking.”
Of course, Mims pulled his hamstring at the NFL Scouting Combine, but not before posting a mind-boggling 5.0 in the 40-yard dash.
ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr.): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
The Steelers fill a need at wide receiver after trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina. George Pickens, Van Jefferson and newly signed Quez Watkins won’t scare anyone, but LSU’s second-leading receiver might.
Malik Nabers led the Tigers with 1,569 yards last season, but Thomas led the FBS with 17 scores. Pittsburgh had just 13 passing touchdowns in 2023. Thomas also had a career-best 1,177 yards after putting up just 720 in his first two seasons with the team.
At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Thomas could easily become the favorite target of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields or whoever the Steelers start at quarterback.
NFL.com (Lance Zierlein): Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
As Zierlein puts it:
"Pittsburgh has a variety of decisions to make in free agency, but there will still be needs across the board by the time the draft comes. Wiggins addresses the cornerback spot with elite top-end speed and the fluidity to stay connected to NFL route-runners."
Wiggins ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, tops at his position and second-best among all players. But at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Wiggins isn’t just fast, he’s a long, athletic prospect best known for a record 98-yard pick-six in last year’s ACC Championship Game.
Pittsburgh’s secondary gave up a respectable 227.1 yards per game with 16 interceptions last season. The Steelers unit isn’t bad, but the team could do worse than Wiggins and second-year player Joey Porter Jr. on the corners.
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