Steelers Draft Northwestern OL Peter Skoronski in CBS 2023 Mock

The Pittsbrugh Steelers drafted Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski with the No. 11 overall pick in CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso’s early 2023 mock NFL Draft. Skoronski is a 6-foot-4, 294-pound junior left tackle who has started 15 games in his career at Northwestern and took over the starting left tackle spot from Rashawn Slater after the latter graduated in 2020.

Skoronski is currently listed as the top returning offensive tackle in college football by Pro Football Focus (PFF). He has posted a top 15 PFF grade among power five offensive tackles in each of the last two years (81.4 and 83.8). PFF had high hopes for him in 2021 as they named him Preseason All-American (Third Team) and PFF Preseason All-Big Ten (First Team). Skoronski only played in five games last season though.

A trait that he also posses that the Steelers covet is versatility. He actually came to Northwestern as the fourth rated center nationally in 2019 before having to move to left tackle following Slater’s graduation.

“Skoronski has filled in admirably for Rashawn Slater since he graduated at the left tackle spot,” wrote Trapasso. “He plays with a nasty demeanor and has quality quicks for a big man.”

During his true freshman season, he was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the conference and Associated Press. He was also the first Northwestern freshman to be named Second Team All-Big Ten since 2017 and was named a 247 Sports True Freshman All-American.

Prior to last season, he was named to the Outland Trophy watch list, which is awarded to the top offensive lineman in college football. He was also named a Athlon Sports Preseason All-American (Fourth Team) and the Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten (Second Team).

His grandfather, Bob Skoronski, is a member of the Green Bay Packers’ Hall of Fame after having played for them as an offensive tackle in the 1960s.

Skoronski is the second offensive lineman taken in the first round in Trapasso’s mock behind Miami’s Zion Nelson, who Trapasso has going to Jacksonville with the fourth pick.

Mock drafts always should be taken with a grain of salt, especially early mocks like this one. For comparison, Trapasso had four quarterbacks going in the top ten in his 2022 early mock draft. Two of them, Spencer Rattler and Kedon Slovis, transferred to new schools after absymal 2021 collegiate seasons while the other two, Malik Willis and Sam Howell, fell to the third and fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Steelers’ first round pick this past year, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, was nowhere to be found on anybody’s early mock draft at this point last year.