Steelers Meet With Top Tackles Skoronski, Jones, Johnson at NFL Combine

INDIANAPOLIS — The Steelers are often mocked and linked to many of the top tackles in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine, but they are showing interest in all of the top elite tackles in the class.

Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Georgia’s Broderick Jones, and Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. all stated they had formal interviews with the Steelers at the 2023 NFL Combine. Some of the other tackles down the board did not, but it is clear that the Steelers are interested in some of the top tackles on the board.

Regardless, the Steelers are focused on at least the top tackles at the NFL Combine. It is possible that someone like Skoronski ends up shifting inside to guard after measuring in with just 32 1/4-inch arms, but Pittsburgh should not throw that value aside even if he is a guard.

Meanwhile, Jones and Johnson measured and tested as well as any tackle out there. The bigger question is if any of the three make to 17 overall where the Steelers pick. If not, they could wait for someone like Darnell Wright, Anton Harrison, or Dawand Jones, who Pittsburgh seemed interested in as well. Still, the top three tackles are the ones that would provide the immediate upgrade at the position with Dan Moore entering the third year of his career.

If they take a tackle to start early on in his career, expect the Steelers to pounce with one of their first two picks. But if they look for someone who is more developmental and could fill the role of swing tackle early on, it is far likelier that they wait until later on in day two with some athletic tackles like Jaelyn Duncan and Matthew Bergeron down the line. But if they want to make a splash and waves early on, the first round could be the spot to do it.