MOBILE, Ala. -- The Steelers have many ways they can upgrade their roster during the offseason, and ideally a strong draft in April will help them accomplish that goal.
The practices ahead of the Senior Bowl game at Hancock Whitney Stadium begin Tuesday. During three days of practices, representatives from all 32 teams will meet with 125 players doing everything they can to elevate their stock ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine in early March.
Last offseason, the Steelers traveled to Mobile, Ala., with an obvious need at quarterback, so most of the attention focused on Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis and a few other quarterbacks due to Ben Roethlisberger's retirement. Obviously, the Steelers wound up selecting Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
This time around, the positions of need for the Steelers are nowhere near as high profile as the quarterback position.
On the offensive side, the Steelers could use an upgrade anywhere on the offensive line, though the biggest need comes at tackle. Pittsburgh could also use an additional receiver to complete a depth chart that already includes established No. 1 Diontae Johnson, rookie standout George Pickens and the potentially electric Calvin Austin III.
On defense, the Steelers have to be open to upgrading just about any position, though inside linebacker and cornerback top the list of needs. The Steelers are pretty set on the edges with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, and while Cam Heyward is still playing at an elite level, defensive tackle could use an infusion of young talent other than just DeMarvin Leal. Safety isn't much of a concern if Terrell Edmunds re-signs with the Steelers in free agency. If he doesn't, the safety position might become another area of focus all of a sudden.
Now, the main question for most fans is who the Steelers might select with the 17th overall pick in the first round. While that question will repeatedly be asked over the next few months, because of the needs of the team, the Senior Bowl will be a time for the Steelers to get an up-close look at players that are currently projected to be selected on the second and third days of the draft.
Of the four biggest positions of need -- offensive tackle, defensive tackle, inside linebacker and cornerback, in no particular order -- the highest-ranked player on Pro Football Focus' big board is Cody Mauch, a left tackle out of North Dakota State that's ranked 42nd overall. But, this is the time of year where players like this can grab the attention of fans ahead of the draft. It's also the time of year where these players can make a great impression on scouts and coaches.
For example, Mauch is an intriguing player that could fit into the Steelers' system. Mauch is lauded for his athleticism and ability to move in run blocking. With the Steelers favoring more zone schemes over gap schemes in their rushing attack, Mauch's skill set could really help take the running game to another level. In addition, his pass protection doesn't seem to be much of a hindrance either.
The problem is, despite having good size at 6'6" and 300 pounds, his arms are far shorter than most NFL scouts want to see from an offensive tackle. That could make it difficult for him to achieve any level of efficiency in pass protection, which is an absolute must for a tackle. There are already rumblings that Mauch may have to move to an interior lineman spot, which could come with a fair share of growing pains.
Another tackle, Darnell Wright out of Tennessee, is someone else who could address the Steelers' needs at tackle, most likely in the second round of the draft. Wright really took a lot of steps forward as a pass protector in his fourth year as a starter in 2022, highlighted by an outstanding performance facing off with Alabama's Will Anderson, who's thought of by most everyone as the top edge rusher in the draft.
Obviously, the Steelers could use any kind of upgrade that makes Pickett's life easier in the pocket. The issue is Wright played right tackle for the majority of his career, and there are long-term concerns about his ability to switch over to the left side. Of course, the Steelers could use an upgrade at either side of the line. But, left tackle is a more pressing need.
With the way the draft could play out for where the Steelers sit in each round of the draft, cornerback is currently the most likely position to be addressed in the first round. As noted with just two tackles above, there will be options for the Steelers at both offensive tackle and defensive tackle with their two second-round picks. The third round could be a great place for the Steelers to address inside linebacker or perhaps receiver.
Texas' DeMarvion Overshown is one of the higher profile off ball linebackers at the Senior Bowl, and as we sit here at the end of January, could be a possibility for the Steelers in the third round. Overshown displays great athleticism, impresses with the ability to overwhelm guards at the college level on stunts and blitzes up the middle, can pursue in the open field and has great range in zone coverage.
His issue is size, which could become a major problem once he faces much larger and flat out better NFL linemen -- not only during blitzes, but also trying to get off blocks in the running game.
These are just three instances of players getting their first crack at showing everyone is the world what they can do and quelling the doubts about what they can't do at the NFL level. And because the Steelers have a lot of homework to do at a number of positions, this year's trip to Mobile is different than the quarterback scouting fiasco it was a year ago.
The last time the Steelers took an offensive lineman in the first three rounds of the draft was when they selected Kendrick Green in the third round of the 2021 draft. Then after selecting Chukwuma Okorafor in the third round of the 2018 draft, the last time was all the way back in 2012 when the Steelers took David DeCastro in the first round and Mike Adams in the second round. The majority of the early picks in the draft over the past decade have focused more on skill positions rather than those who play in the trenches.
Just because the Steelers haven't had much success in the past several drafts at cornerback, it doesn't mean they should shy away from addressing the position. In fact, that makes weeks like this all the more important to do their due diligence on each of these guys, whether they're available in the first or fifth round of the draft.
This week won't be nearly as sexy as last year because we're not talking about quarterbacks. But, the Steelers could walk out of Mobile with a much better idea of how to build a better team.
