Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin took a close look at some of this year’s draft picks.The upcoming draft is especially important for the Steelers as tensions rise and late-season games are rescheduled.
The team has several key needs this offseason, and a player who can fill one of those needs appears to have overshadowed the team without a full Senior Bowl opportunity.
According to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, a source in the community said the Steelers “absolutely love” former West Virginia tight end Zach Frazier. The team’s biggest needs as it prepares to become a top team under Arthur Smith are front and center, and Frazier could be a good fit after four strong years in the Big 12.West Virginia ChampionFraser has been giving gifts to the living for a long time. He was an immediate starter and hasn’t looked back in recent years.Champions Association made the All-Large 12 second team as a sophomore. He helped West Virginia’s running backs average 171.5 rushing yards per game in 2022 and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 first team.The offense improved the following season. The Mountaineers averaged 228.9 yards per carry and averaged 5.3 yards per carry.
This solid running game helped West Virginia to a 9-4 record. Frazier was again selected to the Big 12 First Team.
He’s currently recovering from a broken fibula suffered during the combine win against Baylor last regular season, but the injury doesn’t appear to have a significant impact on his draft stock. He’s in the mix to be the next focus on the board in the 2024 draft and could require a second-cycle rule if the Steelers need him in the lineup.Other picks from the Steelers CenterFrazier wasn’t the only major to impress at the Senior Bowl. Jackson Powers-Johnson put on an act in recent days to secure a spot in the draft’s most memorable round.Powers-Johnson was a star for Oregon during the 2023 season, consistently earning Every American honors and winning the Rimington Award as the nation’s No. 1 tight end. The Steelers were confident they could sign him in the second cycle, but that doesn’t seem likely now.
The group may conclude that the first cycle is too early to meet their needs. There’s a strong pool of free agent pros here, so there’s no guarantee you’ll have to wait until the draft to get the next interest from a team.Connor Williams has been ruled out for the 2023 season with a thigh injury, but has played well for the Dolphins in recent years since coming into the spotlight.
However, Andre James continued to improve in his fourth year in the Association and will remain a strong starter for years to come.Lloyd Cushenberry III is finally starting to deliver on his promise to prepare his Horses for a third run in 2020, putting together the best spell of his career during his latest youth deal. Each of these three picks appears to be currently under the age of 27, meaning they currently have plenty of NFL experience, but could be long-term picks for the Steelers.
The Steelers could go in several directions to develop under center, but there’s only one they “absolutely like” right now.John Vaccaro covers the NFL for Heavy.com, focusing on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Most recently, he covered the NFL, NBA, MMA and college sports as a proofreader and essayist for BroBible and FanSided. More about John Vaccaro
