© Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports
Steelers Could Get Lucky at Center
The Pittsburgh Steelers may see the NFL Draft fall perfectly.
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers may find themselves getting somewhat lucky during the NFL Draft, being able to land a center without much stress, and during a time they'll feel they aren't reaching for a prospect.
Pittsburgh has done their homework on multiple centers in the NFL Draft, including Jackson Powers-Johnson, Zach Frazier, Graham Barton and Sedrick Van Pran. Leading up to draft month, it felt as if at least one, possibly three of those options would go in the first round. Now, it appears they may all slide.
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believes both Powers-Johnson and Frazier could be moving backward on most teams' draft board.
"You see where we are with Jackson Powers-Johnson, I see a lot of first-round mocks with him, but most of my friends in the NFL, they are thinking more second round," Kiper said on a recent episode of the First Draft Podcast. “They don’t get some of the mocks. But hey, those mocks are talking to their people; we don’t talk to everybody. But I will say on Jackson Powers-Johnson, my intel says second round on him."
The Steelers are expected to avoid a center in the first round, opting to wait to fill the position. With two of the biggest names sliding, they may have the opportunity to sit at pick No. 51 and select their best option, with multiple choices still on the board.
Pittsburgh appears comfortable with letting Nate Herbig start at center if need be. Still, they have a glaring hole at the position and would likely try to fill it with a rookie moving forward. That felt like a troublesome situation, limiting their options at other positions. Now, it feels like it might all work in their favor.
