Bell: Some Realistic Expectations for Steelers Rookie Class in 2024
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be relying on several rookies to make key contributions in 2024, but what are some realistic expectations for this group?
In 2023, we saw the Steelers rookie class make significant contributions, particularly down the stretch. Keeanu Benton was named the starting nose tackle from day one, while Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones were inserted into the starting lineup a bit later in the season. When Pittsburgh headed into draft weekend, they had some significant holes that needed to be filled, which mean there’s a good chance that certain members of this years rookie class will have the opportunity to carve out a role for them sooner rather than later. Of course, rookies tend to struggle out of the gate, taking a moment to get acclimated to the NFL level and may take a while to find their footing, so it’s crucial to set some realistic expectations for this group.
Troy Fautanu
Hefty expectations are part of the deal once you become a first-round selection but Troy Fautanu has the skills to pay it off. He’s an dynamic mover for the position, with quick hands and heavy hands that can jar defenders off balance in the run game. Most rookie tackles struggle in pass pro early on, in part because they’re forced into more true pass set situations in the NFL, but he’s going from a vertical heavy passing game to a run-heavy, play-action system under Arthur Smith. Still, there will be an adjustment period, especially since he is transitioning to the right side of the line. Similar to Broderick Jones last year, the Steelers should see immediate dividends by inserting his athleticism in the fold, particularly in the run game and on screen passes. Most rookie tackles aren’t good in year one but i’m optimistic that Fautanu will still be an upgrade over what they had last year, even if there are more flashes than consistent, sustained stretches of success.
Zach Frazier
You can make a pretty convincing argument that Zach Frazier is the Steelers most “pro-ready” rookie. That line of thinking stems from his 46 career starts while at West Virginia where he showed off his play strength, competitive toughness and supreme understanding of how to play with good leverage. Add in the fact that he’s made all of the protection calls up front and played in a run scheme with zone and gap concepts mixed in, it’s unlikely that he’ll be overwhelmed from a mental prospective. One thing worth monitoring is that he’s just merely a solid or average athlete for the position and it remains to be seen what that looks like at the next level, especially considering how talented the interior defensive line groups are around the league right now. Still, if I was a betting man, I would bank on the Steelers second-round pick being their steadiest contributor next season.
Roman Wilson
Pittsburgh’s decision to otherwise ignore the wide receiver position this offseason means that there’s plenty of opportunity available in 2024 for Roman Wilson. His speed will add some juice to this offense as he specializes on deep crossing routes and displaying the requisite toughness to haul in grabs through contact between the hashes. He played in a run-heavy offense in college and that should be the case next season as well, but there aren’t proven options currently ahead of him that should prevent him from making an impact early on. He’ll have to prove that he can survive outside, especially with Arthur Smith’s heavy rotation personnel approach which often excludes snaps for a slot receiver. In my eyes, Wilson has the look of a WR3-type and useful complimentary player but Pittsburgh’s need at the position may force him into carrying a heavier load than he’s truly ready for in year one.
Payton Wilson
Pittsburgh’s draft class a whole was an older group and Payton Wilson’s no exception to that, seeing as he’ll be 24-years old during his rookie season. His range at the second level is the selling point, as he’s a good athlete working laterally or downhill into the backfield. Even despite dealing with a laundry list of injuries in his football career, Wilson’s total athletic profile offer everything you need and more from the linebacker position at the NFL level. He’s not yet physical enough to handle oncoming blocks head on and the scheme that he was playing in while in college will make for a tougher transition in that regard. Having said that, Pittsburgh should be able to get him on the field at some point, potentially in sub packages as a dime backer where his speed and pass rushing capabilities should be quite useful.
Mason McCormick
To say that the Steelers have recently invested heavily in the trenches would be quite the understatement. From a schematic standpoint, I love the fit of Mason McCormick in this offense because he’s a finisher with good burst off the ball. There’s some stiffness to his movements in pass protection that will be something to keep an eye on as he takes a massive jump in terms of talent level from the FBS. If McCormick shows enough promise throughout the preseason to give the Steelers organization a fall back plan if James Daniels departs on 2025, that would be a big win.
Logan Lee
This was a notably shallow draft class so expectations have to be extremely tempered for sixth-round picks like Logan Lee. He’s another tweener who has a splash of stack and shed ability with a touch of first step quickness but needs to get even stronger to overcome his lack of length at defensive end. There are some things working against him but the Steelers desperately need rotational pieces behind their starters and if he can just make the final 53-man roster as a rookie, that would be a net positive.
Ryan Watts
With their final selection, Pittsburgh took Ryan Watts out of Texas, who carries an impressive build at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds with freakishly long arms. That archetype of what the franchise has been searching for recently but his hip stiffness could result in a position switch to safety. The best outcome as a rookie could be as a plus special teams player due to his size and tackling reliability while they try to find a more stable every down role for him down the road.
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