Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL Draft Needs: OT, ILB Areas to Target

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a young core and are looking to add to that during the upcoming NFL draft, with multiple positions that need to be shored up.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers finished 9-8 in 2022 and were on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.

Below, we’ll check the Steelers’ odds in the futures market and their needs heading into the NFL draft beginning on April 27. 

Odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook

• Super Bowl: +6000
• AFC: +4000
• AFC North: +600

The Steelers own seven draft picks, including three in the first 49 and four in the first 80. 

1. Offensive Tackle

It’s been a hot minute since the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted an offensive tackle in the first round. You’d have to go all the way back to 1996 when they selected Jamain Stephens. Still, there’s a definite need at OT, even with the Steelers continuing to add to the position during free agency. In saying that, many of the veterans they’ve targeted and signed aren’t long-term fixtures, and they have to address that and find a player, they can develop to help protect their young quarterback. 

Potential first-round targets: Broderick Jones (Georgia), Dawand Jones (Ohio State), Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) 

2. Inside Linebacker

As mentioned above, just because the Steelers addressed the position in free agency and found some potential stopgaps doesn’t mean this isn’t a critical need for the team moving forward. The players that the Steelers added during free agency are all of a similar mold, meaning it will be interesting to see if they continue targeting linebackers like that or if they head in a different direction.

Potential first-round targets: Nolan Smith (Georgia), Jack Campbell (Iowa) 

3. Defensive Line

Cameron Heyward isn’t getting any younger on the Steelers’ defensive line, and it’s certainly possible they will try to find his eventual replacement in this draft class. The Steelers have been keeping a close eye on Bryan Bresee out of Clemson, so you have to wonder if he’s there when they’re on the clock in Round 1 if they ultimately go in that direction. It’s not a position with a lot of strength with where the Steelers are drafting in terms of overall value, but Bresee certainly feels like a Mike Tomlin type of player. 

Potential first-round targets: Bryan Bresee (Clemson), Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh) 

4. Cornerback

Even though there are some questions about whether this is one of the most significant needs for the Steelers, we will undoubtedly highlight it here. Time flies, and former Steelers great Joey Porter’s son is now draft-eligible and someone on Pittsburgh’s radar. Joey Porter Jr. is a first-round caliber corner, and the Steelers love their players with a legacy who have that pedigree. It’s unlikely Christian Gonzalez out of Oregon falls to them in the first, but he’s the type of player that the Steelers could certainly move up for, and they have the draft capital to do so. 

Potential first round targets: Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State), Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)