Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Draft 2024 guide: Picks, predictions and key needs

“The Beast,” Dane Brugler’s expansive guide to the NFL Draft, is here. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the 20th pick in the NFL Draft when Round 1 begins April 25 in Detroit. The Steelers own seven total picks in the seven-round draft, including one pick in the first, one in the second and two in the third round for four picks inside the top 100.

Steelers’ draft picks

Full draft order

Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.

NFL Draft details

• Round 1: April 25, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 26, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 27, noon ET

All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.

About the Steelers

• Head coach: Mike Tomlin (18th season with team)
• General manager: Omar Khan (second full season with team)
• Last year’s record: 10-7 (lost at Buffalo in wild-card playoffs)

An opportunistic defense and a running game that came alive down the stretch carried the Steelers’ anemic offense into the postseason in 2023. This year, the formula should be similar. So long as T.J. Watt stays healthy, there’s reason to believe the defense will be as good (or better) than last year when it finished sixth-best in scoring. The addition of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith should highlight a talented running back tandem. The real question is: Can Russell Wilson or Justin Fields add a spark in the passing game to push the Steelers into the true contender category?

Steelers’ key position needs 

Center: When the Steelers cut Mason Cole, they created an obvious void in the middle of the offensive line. While reserve lineman Nate Herbig is center-capable, Pittsburgh will almost certainly address center in a more meaningful way, possibly as early as the first or second round. This is an especially good year to be looking for a center. As many as three — Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, Duke’s Graham Barton and West Virginia’s Zach Frazier — could go in the first round. Several others, including Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Wisconsin’s Tanor Bortolini, are worth keeping an eye on later in the draft if the Steelers miss out on those top targets.

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Wide receiver: Historically, the Steelers wait until the mid-to-late rounds to find a hidden gem at receiver. But the approach might change this season based on need and a new front office. By trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers significantly changed the outlook at wide receiver. George Pickens, who is entering his third season, gives them a legit No. 1 whose big-play ability meshes well with Wilson’s patented deep ball. But behind him? The Steelers have candidates like third-year receiver Calvin Austin III and free-agent additions Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson and Cordarrelle Patterson. While those different body types and playing styles give the Steelers options, they would ideally come out of the draft with a new No. 2 receiver. Look for them to address this position around the second-to-fourth rounds.

Offensive tackle: Clearly, the Steelers were hoping to find an upgrade over left tackle Dan Moore Jr. when they moved up to draft Broderick Jones in the first round last season. Although Jones settled in at right tackle, Khan said at the combine that the 2023 first-round pick will eventually bump over to left tackle. That makes a right tackle another major need. This could be a decent year to find one, with 10 tackles ranked inside the top 63 players on Dane Brugler’s big board.

Defensive tackle: The good news for the Steelers is that last year’s D-line investment paid off when Keeanu Benton began to blossom into an impactful player. The bad news? With Cameron Heyward fighting through injuries and Larry Ogunjobi enduring some inconsistencies, the Steelers still need to continue to infuse this position group with new, young talent. It’s time to start thinking about the future here.

Defensive back: The Steelers’ secondary is in an interesting place. While safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is a perennial Pro Bowler and corner Joey Porter Jr. showed promise as a rookie, Pittsburgh could realistically upgrade at all of the other positions on the back end, including outside corner, nickel or even safety. Opposite Porter, Donte Jackson figues to be the leading candidate to start. Cory Trice Jr., a seventh-round pick last year, is another option after losing his rookie season to a knee injury. Still, the fact that Jackson was almost cut by Carolina and Trice is a seventh-round pick coming off a major injury makes this an area the Steelers might want to address if the right player is available. It’s also worth noting many of the best corners are expected to go right around where the Steelers pick in the first round.

Steelers draft analysis

Steelers big board: 76 prospects to consider, including 15 in Round 1

Why the Steelers must face reality about roster needs as NFL Draft looms

What the Steelers’ pre-NFL Draft visitors tell us about their approach

Steelers NFL mock draft reaction: Dane Brugler hits on Pittsburgh’s biggest needs early

Steelers NFL draft-day trade scenarios: With Omar Khan leading the way, never say never

Steelers 2024 NFL Draft big board 1.0: Prospects to watch in Rounds 1-3

The Steelers are doing their homework on receivers. Who would fit their needs best?

Resetting the Steelers’ depth chart before the draft

The Steelers need OL, and this NFL Draft is loaded. Here’s how they might approach it

Steelers GM is living up to his nicknames, whether it’s ‘Khan Artist’ or ‘King Khan’

Trading up for Broderick Jones worked. Why not try it again?

The Athletic’s latest mock drafts

April 24: Beat writer mock 3.0
When a potential top-10 pick goes sliding, Mark Kaboly scoops him up at No. 20.

April 22: Steelers 7-round mock draft
For the second consecutive year, Kaboly has the Steelers trading up for an offensive tackle in Round 1.

April 19: NFL analytics mock draft
Our projection model and consensus big board point to a high-ceiling offensive tackle for Pittsburgh.

April 17: Dane Brugler’s 7-round mock draft
Brugler picks all 259 picks, with the Steelers landing a center in Round 1, a receiver in Round 2 and an offensive tackle in Round 3.

April 15: Mike DeFabo’s mock four different ways
Mike DeFabo explores different approaches the Steelers could take to hit on all of their key needs.

April 8: Nick Baumgardner’s three-round mock
Baumgardner has the Steelers adding two potential starters on the offensive line, plus contributors at wideout and cornerback.

April 4: Bruce Feldman’s Round 1 mock
With insight from rival college coaches, Feldman has Pittsburgh landing an offensive tackle who once was projected as a top-five pick.

March 25: Round 1 mock: QBs go 1-2-3-4
When a top offensive tackle starts to slip, Ben Standig has the Steelers pouncing.

March 21: Beat writer mock draft 2.0
Kaboly lands the Steelers another Georgia offensive tackle in Round 1.

Steelers’ last five top picks

2023: OT Broderick Jones, No. 14 — As the first pick of the Khan era, Jones will always have a special place in Steelers lore. His addition into the lineup at right tackle in Week 9 helped jump-start a stagnant rushing attack. While Jones showed he has the athleticism and playing personality to succeed on the right side, his future remains at left tackle. In an ideal world, he’ll have a chance to bump over to the left side at some point this season.

2022: QB Kenny Pickett, No. 20 — A former Pitt quarterback playing NFL football in the same stadium where he starred in college should have been a feel-good story. Instead, it ended in disappointment. When Pickett failed to take a meaningful step forward in Year 2, the Steelers went out and got free-agent veteran Russell Wilson. The move irked Pickett, who asked for a trade, ending his tenure after just two seasons.

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2021: RB Najee Harris, No. 24 — In a league where running backs are often seen as replaceable, the Steelers took a big swing when they used their 2021 first-round pick on a ball carrier. Harris has the body type and running style the Steelers value. He’s proven to be a productive player late in the season. However, whether it’s Harris himself or the offensive line, the Steelers need to find more consistency running the ball in the first half of the year. A decision on his fifth-year option must be made by May 2.

2020: WR Chase Claypool, No. 49 — Claypool’s breakout four-touchdown game in 2020 feels like a lifetime ago. He went from a player full of promise and potential to a massive disappointment who became one of the most outspoken critics of the offense. His opinion of himself never matched his production. Somehow, Khan traded Claypool for the second-round pick (which became No. 32) that the team later used to draft Porter.

2019: LB Devin Bush, No. 10 — At one point, Bush was seen as the missing piece to complete the Steelers’ defense and the answer to their revolving door at inside linebacker. After just a few short seasons and a major knee injury, he’s now largely considered one of the biggest busts in Steelers history.

(Photo of Amarius Mims: Brandon Sloter / Image Of Sport / Getty Images)