Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. This was in spite of the fact that most draft pundits didn’t view the quarterback class as a strong one. Pickett was the only quarterback selected in the first round and the Steelers had to pull the trigger based on need.
Our friends over at Draft Wire have a new 2023 mock draft out and it illustrates a problem Pittsburgh could face next offseason similar to the one they just went through.
I am not sure if anyone would deny the weak link on the Steelers roster going into the season is offensive line. More specifically offensive tackle. So it would make sense this would be the top draft target. But as you see from the mock, Pittsburgh instead went with Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo in the first round. An excellent player, no doubt but doesn’t fill a pressing need for a team rebuilding its roster. The author even acknowledges it.
Offensive line is obviously the biggest need, but the Steelers haven’t spent a first-round pick on that unit in a decade, and the board doesn’t do them in favors in that department here. It comes down to corner or pass rusher instead, and with quality options at both, they opt for the slightly bigger need.
There will obviously be lots of changes to the makeup of the first round prospects over the coming months and hopefully by the time the 2023 NFL draft rolls around, this tackle class will be talented and deep enough to give Pittsburgh a player they can really use.
