The Pittsburgh Steelers draft scouting is well underway as Head Coach Mike Tomlin and others in the Steelers' front office are among those at the Shine Bowl and Senior Bowl. The Steelers, for the first time in quite some time, will have two picks within the top 32 selections in this year's upcoming NFL Draft. With so many needs on both sides of the ball, they must hit on all three picks in the first two rounds this spring, especially the first two.
When it comes to needs for the Steelers, the list is very long. First and foremost, they need to start winning more consistently in the trenches, most notably on the offensive line. With a second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett looking to make significant strides in his second season, the Steelers need to sure-up the left side of the offensive line, most importantly the left tackle position. We have seen slight improvement from Dan Moore Jr., who was the 128th pick in the fourth round by the Steelers in 2021, but it is tough to think he will be the long-term left tackle moving forward.
Recently, thanks to Kevin Adams and Jersey Jerry's podcast Steel Here, it has been discussed that Tennesee Titans' left tackle Taylor Lewan may be a possible suitor to take over the starting left tackle position in 2023. After the Steelers clear up some cap space they will be able to shop around in the free-agent market to find answers to their offensive line and Lewan will likely be at the top of their list. If the Steelers do in fact sign a left tackle before the draft, it will eliminate the need to use either of their first two picks on an offensive lineman.
If we fast-forward two months and the Steelers do indeed have a replacement for Moore Jr., I would like to see them look towards adding a cornerback or another wide receiver and give Pickett more weapons to work with in the passing game.
When looking at mock drafts so far this off-season, many have them taking a cornerback in the first round. Selecting a corner with the 17th pick is something I agree with, especially since the Steelers have struggled to find a true lockdown corner for many seasons. The only drawback to selecting a corner is that the Steelers have struggled to develop guys at that position, which makes me slightly hesitant to say that they are able to take one of the top corners in the draft and turn him into one of the most feared players at that position.
Luckily the 2023 Draft has plenty of talent at that position to pick from and names such as Joey Porter Jr., Cam Smith and Kelee Ringo are some of the few that could wind up in Pittsburgh next season.
It is no secret in the city of Pittsburgh that Pickett and former Pitt Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison would make a duo in the NFL and many Steelers fans want him to come back to the north shore in 2023. Some have even compared them to a Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase-type duo which is definitely something that would make every fan's dream come true when pertaining to the offense.
History proves though with the Steelers that they tend to wait until days two and three to find hidden gems in the receiver position, and the Steelers still aren't certain what 2022's fourth-round pick Calvin Austin III can bring to the table.
Bottom line is that the Steelers have multiple needs and significant draft capital available to get this franchise headed in the right direction quickly. This in hindsight makes the draft process easier in a sense due to them being able to select the best possible player across many different positions. They won't have to key in on one particular position like years past, and they can simply let the draft come to them and select the highest-rated player on their board when it becomes their turn to pick.
Which Position Should The Steelers Stear Clear From With Their First Two Picks
After the subpar performance from the middle linebacker position over the past few seasons, there is a dire need to look to the draft to find answers for the future. Although it is an important position when it comes to both stopping the run and passing games, I am hoping the Steelers wait until at least pick 49 (their last pick in the second round) to select the replacement of Devin Bush. Many middle linebackers who make a significant impact in the NFL have been found in the second and third days of the draft, most notably Fred Warner of the San Fransisco 49ers.
The Steelers also will be able to find some notable candidates for that position in the third round including Jack Campbell out of the University of Iowa. Campbell finished his senior season with 77 tackles, two interceptions and an opposing quarterback passer rating of 70.6. This goes to show that the middle linebacker position will be deep in this off-season's upcoming draft, so the Steelers can hold off until later in day two to start looking for answers.
At the end of the day, the Steelers will likely look for answers at left tackle via free agency, and if they do that they will need to simply draft the best cornerback or receiver available when their name is called.
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