Steelers’ 2024 Draft Haul Ranked Second-Best
For the second consecutive year, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft haul is widely considered one of the best among pundits. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has the Steelers’ 2024 draft class ranked second-best, behind just the Chicago Bears, who had two picks in the top 10.
“The Steelers had four picks in the top 100, and all four were home runs,” Brugler wrote. “Michigan receiver Roman Wilson is a tough cover because of his speed, and linebacker Payton Wilson will fill up the stat sheet (as long as he stays healthy). It also was difficult not to choose center Zach Frazier here, not only because he was a steal at No. 51, but also because he’s a perfect fit for this team. But I have to go with Fautanu, my ninth-ranked player overall. He will be a Band-Aid for the Pittsburgh offensive line with his ability to play either tackle or guard.
Three of the Steelers’ first five picks in the draft were offensive lineman. Some thought selecting South Dakota State guard Mason McCormick in the fourth round was unnecessary, but Brugler thinks he could be a potential starter down the road.
“Pittsburgh remade its offensive line in this draft class. Although not a slam-dunk starter, McCormick adds immediate depth on the interior and will push for early playing time. All three of the Steelers’ Day 3 selections (McCormick, DL Logan Lee and DB Ryan Watts) were standouts during East-West Shrine Bowl week,” he wrote.
The Bears came in at No. 1 in Brugler’s rankings, thanks to the Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze pairing that they scooped up in the first round. Chicago selected Williams at No. 1 overall and picked Odunze at No. 9. Brugler thinks the future in Chicago is promising because of those two picks.
“Obviously, teams with multiple early-round picks have a decided advantage for this exercise over those with fewer selections. But the Bears aren’t No. 1 merely because they had two top-10 picks. They’re here because of what they did with those picks — and I went back and forth on my ‘favorite’ between Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze. The answer, though, has to be the quarterback who can be a franchise-changing player for Chicago. I am also a fan of third-round OT Kiran Amegadjie, who has the talent to be Chicago’s left tackle of the future,” Brugler wrote.
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