Steelers Receive Bad News From NFL Draft Analyst Praising Top Center as a ‘Riser’ Following Senior Bowl Practice .
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season came to an abrupt halt after a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills. Fans will have to wait another year until the organization wins its first playoff game of the 2016 campaign.
Free agency is an exciting point in the offseason, but the best part may be the NFL draft.
After a stellar 2023 season, GM Omar Khan and Assistant GM Andy Waddle are looking to repeat this strong class. Some needs are more important than others, and selecting NFL-ready prospects isn’t easy.
One of the key positions the team will focus on at some point is center. Mason Cole signed a three-year contract through the 2022 season and was very inconsistent in his second year with the team. His seams were all over the place and he didn’t play hard enough to bring down opposing defenders. There’s no reason why Khan shouldn’t give the veteran some serious competition.
One of the top targets for the position in 2023 is University of Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. He was a big part of the Ducks’ high-scoring offense and was originally projected to be a second-round pick.
Unfortunately for the Steelers fans who have come to love him, one of the most respected draft experts, Mel Kiper Jr., said on the First Draft with Field Yates podcast that Powers-Johnson is growing up quickly after his Senior Bowl experience. “It’s just a stone.
I mean, he just… A fixed center, someone who can do what you want, someone you trust you can do with, everyone is watching and everyone is thinking. Okay, we know there are people out there that will get to us. You can anchor for a long time. “Powers-Johnson Yates was the first player Kiper discussed when asked to talk about who could be considered a lifter on draft boards after the Senior Bowl practice.
The last time Pittsburgh drafted a center in the first round, Maurkice Pouncey was a great player for 10 seasons. The questions are: With so many needs, would the Steelers be willing to select Powers-Johnson with the 20th overall pick over Cole?
Kiper talked about how great of a player Powers-Johnson is and believes he has the potential to be a very good player in the NFL for a long time. He was confident in his analysis. “I think Jackson Powers-Johnson is the pure No. 1 center. 1 in this draft. As a beginner, it’s plug and play.
Now he has a chance to show up for all those first-round laughs, Kiper said. – In the case of Jackson Powers-Johnson, people seem to be convinced that we have the man. If that kind of help is needed at the position, there’s a guy who can fill that void right away and has the potential to be a Pro Bowl-caliber player for a long time.
Selecting a center in the first round can be difficult because of the need for defensive linemen, cornerbacks, wide receivers, safeties and even quarterbacks. It’s a very deep class at the position with the likes of Zach Frazier and Cedric Van Pran. There are two other notable names.
Given Kiper’s major stamp of approval, it’s hard not to be excited about Powers-Johnson.
