It’s NFL Draft week, rumors are swirling, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The Pittsburgh Steelers have multiple directions they can take with their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, including potentially moving up.
The Steelers are one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises, and they have two selections in the first 32 picks of the upcoming draft. In the first round, the Steelers have the 17th selection and the 32nd overall pick, but there is a possibility they use them to move up to grab an offensive tackle around the top ten that they like.
We’ll look into some potential first-round selections the Steelers could make on Thursday and rank them from most likely to least likely.
1. Darnell Wright – Tennessee (Offensive Line)
The Pittsburgh Steelers have done their homework on Darnell Wright. There’s a lot of smoke around him being their selection at 17 if he’s on the board and the team stays in that slot. There are concerns about his athleticism, but Wright has the size and power to be an impactful offensive lineman. Pittsburgh wants a player to help protect their quarterback that can grow with the offense, and Wright would give them that here.
2. Bryan Bresee – Clemson (Defensive Tackle)
Bryan Bresee brings a lot of qualities that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin covets. He gets off the line well, has a great first step, and is efficient at reading plays in the running game. He can make an impact on defense and would be an excellent fit for the Steelers. If they shy away from the offensive line, Bresee has the potential to be the selection here.
3. Joey Porter Jr. – Penn State (Cornerback)
The son of longtime Pittsburgh Steeler Joey Porter, Junior would fill a need for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their secondary. Joey Porter Jr. is the type of player that could learn under Patrick Peterson. There are scheme limitations with Porter Jr., but he has the talent to be a top corner at the NFL level.
4. Paris Johnson Jr. – Ohio State (Offensive Line)
If there’s one offensive tackle that the Steelers would move up for, Paris Johnson Jr. out of Ohio State checks many of the boxes. Johnson has freakish athleticism, and the prospect of him growing with their offensive group up front is enticing. He’ll unlikely be on the board at seventeen, but the Steelers might move up if they rate him high.
5. Broderick Jones – Georgia (Offensive Line)
Another player that likely won’t be available at seventeen is Broderick Jones out of Georgia. Jones was a key cog on the Bulldogs’ offensive line and had much of what you’d look for in a premier offensive tackle. There’s debate about whether Jones or Johnson Jr. is the best offensive tackle in this class, but if the Steelers can come away with either, they’ll grade well with their top selection in this draft.
