At this point, there isn’t a position the Pittsburgh Steelers need an upgrade at more than left tackle. Dan Moore Jr. hasn’t developed as hoped and with this team so focused on a playoff run, protecting quarterback Kenny Pickett has to be the top priority.
The folks over at The Draft Network put out a new one-round mock draft and it really caught our eye. You can check out the full draft here but let’s talk about this Steelers choice.
By some miracle, they sent Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. all the way to the Steelers at No. 17. Here’s what they had to say about the pick.
What a perfect slide this would be for the Steelers. Thanks to the Titans’ decision to trade up for a quarterback, the offensive tackle run that seemed obvious from picks 11-14 didn’t quite come to fruition, and Pittsburgh is the biggest benefactor. Current left tackle Dan Moore Jr. hasn’t looked like the long-term answer Pittsburgh hoped for, so they take Paris Johnson Jr. with the 17th pick to secure a big upgrade at a premium position. Johnson is a super athletic tackle with a very high ceiling thanks to his freakishly long arms and potential to add more functional strength.
In this scenario, Johnson is the third tackle off the board after Peter Skoronski and Broderick Jones. While I am willing to concede that there’s a chance Skoronski could go ahead of Johnson given his potential to be a dominant guard or tackle but could Jones supplant him as well?
The reality is if any of these three top tackles last until 17, it is a win for the Steelers. The next group of tackles including Darnell Wright and Anton Harrison. Both are very good players but a notch below the top three.
