Way-Too-Early 2024 Mock Draft: Steelers Add Star Edge Rusher, DB If Drafting Today
With the 2023 NFL Draft cycle coming to a close and the Pittsburgh Steelers coming away as one of the biggest winners on paper, everyone should be feeling pretty good about the upcoming season. With that being said, as one door closes, another door opens. Behind the last door is the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, which we, at All Steelers, are already preparing for. With that in mind, here is the first attempt at a 2024 NFL Mock Draft.
Last year's piece had the Steelers selecting offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.(Ohio State), cornerback Cam Hart (Notre Dame), and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (Texas). The Steelers did indeed select a tackle in the first round and a cornerback in the second round, but Johnson Jr. was unfortunately off of the board before the Steelers were on the clock, and Hart returned to school for his senior season after an inconsistent 2022 campaign. Overshown was eventually drafted in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys.
Overall, that's not too bad. The odds of this being completely accurate are very slim, but it's a fun exercise to give you an idea of the Steelers' potential needs for the future. It also highlights some potential names to pay attention to during college football Saturdays in the fall.
The order is determined by reverse Super Bowl odds. Here we go!
Round 1, Pick 14: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
With Alex Highsmith coming off a 14-sack campaign and entering the last year of his deal, it's highly likely that he is going to get a huge bag of cash thrown at him. The question will be whether or not that will come from the Steelers, who already have a record-setting contract to his running mate on the other side, T.J. Watt. Highsmith deserves to get paid, but will the Steelers be willing to allocate that much of their financial resources to a singular position? We'll have to wait and see.
With that being said- for now, EDGE is their biggest long-term need on the roster. If you don't follow college football closely, allow me to introduce you to Dallas Turner.
Even as a five-star recruit, when a player immediately comes into a blue blood program and sets the turn on fire as a freshman, you should take notice. That's exactly what Turner did in 2021, notching 8.5 sacks. His sack numbers dropped a bit in 2022, but the underlying metrics actually showed a more consistently disruptive player beyond what the box score would indicate.
Traits get edge rushers drafted high, and Turner has those in spades. He possesses an extremely explosive first step with the ability to bend the corner on his way to the quarterback. He also comes equipped with long arms, a pass rush plan, and the ability to set up opposing offensive tackles for counters along the inside track. Pittsburgh loves their speed rushers, and while Turner is a bit lean, he checks a ton of boxes for what they typically look for in the position. He's due for a monster season.
Round 2, Pick 46: Javon Bullard, DB, Georgia
Pittsburgh's biggest immediate need (for 2023 and beyond) might be the slot cornerback position. Hopefully, they've pieced it together enough to where it won't be their downfall in 2023, but this picks gives them the ability to remedy this problem for the foreseeable future. Philadelphia isn't the only NFL team farming talent from the back-to-back National Champions. Pittsburgh has drafted a Bulldog early in each of the past two years, and that's certainly a strategy that makes sense and one that could continue moving forward.
The first thing that jumps off of the tape with Bullard is his pitbull mentality and infectious energy on defense. He'll hit anything that moves, and even at 5-11, 180 pounds, he plays up a weight class, especially when working downhill toward the line of scrimmage. Most of his snaps have come when aligned in the slot. He's a high football IQ player who diagnoses concepts well on the fly and looks like a high-level communicator in the secondary.
He showed off his coverage chops in the National Championship game, picking off two passes en route to their win against TCU. Bullard has the range and coverage ability to play safety but will likely be tasked with slot duties in the NFL, a skill set that would come in handy for the Steelers' defense right away. This is a trash-talking tone-setter that any defensive-minded coach is going to want on his team, no matter the cost.
Round 3, Pick 78: Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington
Pittsburgh has assembled a well-rounded stable of receiving threats for Kenny Pickett in 2023. Allen Robinson's inflated cap hit for 2024 means that his stay in town will likely be a short one. Calvin Austin III will be a name to watch during the training camp and preseason phases, but he's unproven as of this current time due to an unfortunate injury that ended his rookie campaign. With all that being said, it would be somewhat surprising if the Steelers didn't take a wide receiver in back-to-back years.
Pittsburgh doesn't venture to the west coast very often, but they would be wise to get a good look at Jalen McMillan in the Fall. Along with Rome Odunze, they form one of the best receiving tandems in all of the nation. McMillan played almost exclusively in the slot in 2022, which helped trigger a monstrous breakout campaign season as he finished the year with over 1,000 yards and nine touchdown grabs. He got off to a blazing start to his junior season and never looked back. At 6-1, 190 pounds, he's a three-level threat capable of making plays all over the field.
McMillan has excellent body control and a nice catch radius, but what makes him such an intriguing fit is his ability to work the intermediate/deep middle of the field, as he did a lot of his damage in between the numbers. With star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. back in the fold for another season, the husky offense should light up the scoreboard once again this season, giving McMillan plenty of chances to improve his draft stock. He'd be a really fun, productive compliment to Austin and should develop into a quality third-receiving option at the next level.
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