2024 Steelers Mock Draft
by Bo Marchionte
Published February 13, 2024, 09:49EDT
Kenny PIckett’s benching at the end of the 2023 season, leaves an enormous amount of speculation on the direction the team goes entering the 2024. The franchises only two winning Super Bowl quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Roethlisberger led the team in passing in 29 of the 32 combined years they played for the franchise.
That is an amazing 90%! The gap between Bradshaw and Roethlisberger saw seven different quarterbacks lead the team in passing over the duration of 21 years at quarterback before Roethlisberger would solidify the position back in 2004 as the 11th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
It took over two decades for Pittsburgh to find the prospect via the NFL Draft that would erase mediocre play and raise the bar of quarterback play to a Hall of Fame level in Pittsburgh under Roethlisberger reign.
Now Pittsburgh finds itself at the crossroads once again it appears after their 20th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft (Pickett) isn’t exactly the answer after two seasons filled with medecore play and injuries.
Former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert drafted Pickett, so it remains unknown if second-year GM Omar Khan has any reluctance to sticking with Pickett or trying to identify a new prospect via the NFL Draft to challenge Pickett under center.
Covering the PItt Panthers and Steelers for nearly two decades it’s fair to say I’ve seen the birth of Pickett collegiately and professionally. While he was my No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft, the accolade wasn’t proclaiming “Superstar” once he entered the National Football League.
There was a reason the Steelers waited until the 20th pick to get him without sacrificing draft picks to move up – No one else felt the need to pursue Pickett any earlier than what Pittsburgh felt was appropriate.
Will Khan elect to scrap the Pickett-era early and go in another direction?
It’s helpful to monitor the schools and rounds in which the Steelers make their selections. While it’s not an exact science on what Pittsburgh will elect to do in 2024, it does give some insight into their habits around draft time.
| Steelers Selections by School/Round (Last 5 years) | |||||||
| School/Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Pittsburgh | X | ||||||
| Georgia | X | X | X | ||||
| Alabama | X | X | |||||
| Michigan | X | X | |||||
| Penn State | X X | ||||||
| Wisconsin | X | X | X | ||||
| Notre Dame | X | ||||||
| Texas A&M | X | X X | |||||
| Illinois | X | ||||||
| Charlotte | X | ||||||
| Toledo | X | ||||||
| Michigan St. | X | X | |||||
| Memphis | X | ||||||
| Maryland | X | X | X X | ||||
| Louisiana-Lafayette | X | ||||||
| Kentucky | X | ||||||
| Miami (FL) | X | ||||||
| Northern Illinois | X | ||||||
| Akron | X | ||||||
| Purdue | X | ||||||
| Mississippi | X | ||||||
| South Dakota St. | X | ||||||
| Oklahoma | X | ||||||
| Georgia Tech | X | ||||||
| Nebraska | X | ||||||
The soon to be defunct Pac-12 saw no Steelers being selected out of their conference in the last five years. In fact, the last time Pittsburgh drafted a player out of the Pac-12 was in 2017 when they took JuJu Smith-Schuster and Brian Allen. It will be interesting to see if that changes once USC enters Big-10 play. The Big-12 had one, while the Big-10 reigned supreme on filling the Steelers roster via the NFL Draft with 16 selections. The Pac-12 reigns supreme in 2024 with the Steelers first selection.
| Steelers Selections by Conferences (Last 5 Years) | ||||||||
| Conf/RDs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Total |
| SEC | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| Big-10 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
| Big -12 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| ACC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| MAC | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||
| MVFC | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Sun Belt | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| CUSA | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| AAC | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Independent | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Background Check: 1st Round Last 6 NFL Drafts
2023 | Broderick Jones | OT | Georgia | 14th
2022 | Kenny Pickett |QB | Pittsburgh | 20th
2021 | Najee Harris | RB | Alabama | 24th
2020 | No Pick
2019 | Devin Bush | LB | Michigan | 10th
Pick Is In
Michael Penix Jr., Jr, 6’3″, 212, Washington
While I do find it completely off script from the way Pittsburgh goes about doing their business, a veteran signing would seem the most logical scenario rather than this pick. However, trying to predict the most obvious needs for an NFL team via a mock draft is ridiculously unrewarding and very rarely bares any fruit. This is a restless fan base and is becoming impatient with the status quo and this selection either prolongs the current regime if successful or press fast forward to changes at the top if Penix Jr. fails to live up to his first-round billing.
Background Check: 2nd Round Last 5 NFL Drafts
2023 | Joey Porter Jr. | DB | Penn State | 32nd
2023 | Keeanu Benton | DL | Wisconsin | 49th
2022 | George Pickens | WR | Georgia | 52nd
2021 | Pet Freiermuth | TE | Penn State | 55th
2020 | Chase Claypool | WR | Notre Dame | 49th
2019 | No Pick
Pick Is In
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Jr, 6’0″, 230, Clemson
Devin Bush was the inside linebacker the Steelers invested early draft capital in and while the current group of veterans are more than capable of handling their duties, a youthful shot in the arm with the selection of Trotter Jr. doesn’t hurt. It’s no secret the Steelers value NFL pedigree and Trotter’s father Jeremiah Trotter, Sr., a four-time Pro Bowler who played 12 NFL seasons, helps validate the pick. Trotter Jr, leaves Clemson as one of only 14 FBS players in the last 20 seasons to record ten plus sacks, four plus interceptions, three plus forced fumbles and multiple pick-sixes; he was one of four (UCLA’s Akeem Ayers, Missouri’s Sean Weatherspoon and Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh) to accomplish the feat in a Power Five conference.
Background Check: 3rd Round Last 5 NFL Drafts
2023 | Darnell Washington | TE | Georgia | 93rd
2022 | DeMarvin Leal | DL | Texas A&M | 84th
2021 | Kendrick Green | OL | Illinois | 87th
2020 | Alex Highsmith | LB | Charlotte | 102nd
2019 | Diontae Johnson | WR | Toledo | 66th
2019 | Justin Layne | DB | Michigan State | 83rd
Pick Is In
McKinnely Jackson, Sr, 6’2″, 325, Texas A&M
Cameron Heyward recorded 3.5 sacks in his final season at Ohio State finishing with 15.5 in his Buckeyes career. Heyward was also the 31st pick back in the 2011 NFL Draft, while Jackson would come off the board of day two late into Friday night. Jackson recorded three sacks in his final season with the Aggies and pairing him alongside second round pick from last season Keenau Benton adds a big body to the interior which the Steelers like up front. The list above suggest Texas A&M is a school the Steelers prefer around this time during the NFL Draft.
Background Check: 4th Round Last 5 Drafts
2023 | Nick Herbig | LB | Wisconsin | 132nd
2022 | Calvin Austin | WR | Memphis | 138th
2021 | Dan Moore Jr. | OT | Texas A&M | 128th
2021 | Buddy Johnson | LB | Texas A&M | 140th
2020 | Anthony McFarland | RB | Maryland | 124th
2020 | Kevin Dotson | OL | Louisiana-Lafayette |135th
2019 | Benny Snell | RB | Kentucky | 122nd
Pick Is In (via LAR)
Mike Sainristil, Sr, 5’10”, 182, Michigan
Pittsburgh might prefer a longer defensive back like Oregon’s Khyree Jackson (6’3″ 195) but Sainristil is aggressive in the run game and could provide plenty of time at the nickel position for Pittsburgh’s defense which longs for another Mike Hilton to arrive defensively. Recruited as a two-way player speaks volumes to the athletic prowess Sainristil has and new OC Author Smith might add some trickery into the Steelers offense with Sainristil’s versatility.
Background Check: 5th Round Last 5 Drafts
2023 | No Pick |
2022 | No Pick |
2021 | Isaiahh Loudermilk | DL | Wisconsin | 156th
2020 | No Pick |
2019 |Zach Gentry | TE | Michigan | 141st
Pick Is In
Drake Nugent, Sr, 6’1″, 306, Michigan
Mason Cole has been solid since signing with the Steelers via free agency from Minnesota in 2022, but Pittsburgh chooses to give Nugent a shot and groom him to become the teams new center in 2025. A Rimington Trophy Finalist (2023) and All-Big Ten selection (first team, coaches and media, 2023) after spending his college career at Stanford, Nugent could be a steal on day three of the NFL Draft.
Background Check: 6th Round Last 5 Drafts
2023 | No Pick |
2022 | Connor Heyward | TE | Michigan State | 208th
2021 | Quincy Roche | LB | Miami (FL) | 216th
2020 | Antoine Brooks | DB | Maryland | 198th
2019 | Sutton Smith | LB | Northern Illinois | 175th
2019 | Isaiah Buggs | DT | Alabama | 192nd
2019 | Ulysees Gilbert | LB Akron | 207th
Pick Is In
Ryan Flournoy, Sr, 6’2″, 205, WR, Southeast Missouri
The former JUCO receiver was invited to Hula Bowl and exceeded expectations with a follow up invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Felt his performance in Mobile, Alabama was on par with any prospect and his overall body of work both receiver and getting after it in the running game was effective enough to earn him a day three selection into the NFL Draft. Pittsburgh has a successful history of drafting receivers both early and late and Flournoy could be the next fixture in the offense once Diontae Johnson exits stage left in 2025 when he becomes a free agent.
Background Check: 7th Round Last 5 Drafts
2023 | Corey Trice | DB | Purdue | 241
2023 | Spencer Anderson | OL | Maryland | 251
2022 | Mark Robinson | LB | Mississippi | 225th
2022 | Chris Oladokun | QB | South Dakota State | 241st
2021 | Tre Norwood | DB | Oklahoma | 245nd
2021 | Pressley Harvin | P | Georgia Tech | 254th
2020 | Carlos Davis | DT | Nebraska | 232nd
2019 | Derwin Gray | G | Maryland | 219th
Pick Is In
Beau Brade, Sr, 6’1″, 210, S, Maryland
The Big-10 usually shows up on the box score when it comes to seventh round selections, and it holds true in 2024. GM Omar Khan picks of Porter Jr. and Corey Trice indicate a preference of big defensive backs and Jones fits the mold of the secondary. A team captain at Maryland, Brade is a safety with ideal size. He started all 12 games he played in and led the team in tackles for the second straight season with 75 total tackles and 48 solo.
