Halicke: Draft offers opportunity to truly anchor offensive line

The football season is now officially over. That means most attention now turns to the NFL Draft, which is certainly an exciting time of the year. Sure, free agency is fun, and Omar Khan has shown the willingness to make significant additions through that medium. However, we all know that successful franchises build winners through the draft.

The best way to navigate the draft is to take the best player available each time a team is on the clock. However, sometimes the best-player-available strategy and roster needs can align. The Steelers have several needs on their roster, including quarterback, offensive tackle and receiver.

However, center is an interesting position for the Steelers. Outside of quarterback, it is certainly the most pressing need on offense. And, if the Steelers are to truly become contenders in the AFC, the offense must be much better than 25th in total offense and tied for 27th in scoring.

The biggest change the Steelers have made thus far to improve the offense is hiring coordinator Arthur Smith, who has two very successful seasons as the Titans' offensive coordinator under his belt. Smith will have to tweak his system a bit to the talent that's already on the roster, but the Steelers can and will most likely make some changes to their personnel to better execute Smith's system.

This is where the center position comes into play. Smith had run a wide zone running scheme both in Tennessee and during his three years as head coach in Atlanta. The use of any wide or outside zone concepts requires superb athleticism on the offensive line, especially at the center position. Here's an example of a wide zone concept in Smith's system, and really watch the center (No. 67) make it all the way to the linebacker on the second level while running horizontally:

While Mason Cole, who has one year left on his contract with the Steelers, played in zone rushing systems before signing with Pittsburgh, we have not seen this kind of athleticism on a consistent basis. If the Steelers were to fully commit to being a predominantly perimeter zone rushing team, they would have to upgrade at center. The Titans had a great one in Ben Jones during Smith's tenure. There are always options in free agency, but it might be best to try and find young and athletic centers in the draft and let them grow in the Steelers' system.

So, who are some options the Steelers could take in the early stages of the draft? Here's a closer look at three different options:

JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON
Oregon

Powers-Johnson is the highest-rated center in a pretty good class of interior linemen. Also, he won the Rimington Trophy, which is given to the best center in the country. That's truly impressive considering the 2023 season, his junior year, was his first as a full-time starter and his first playing the center position exclusively.

Not many centers get first-round consideration, but Powers-Johnson provides a lot of reasons why he could sneak into the latter half of the first round. He's got great size at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 334 pounds at the Senior Bowl. He couples that great size with phenomenal athleticism:

Watch Powers-Johnson make the run from the center spot all the way to the perimeter to send a defensive back flying on a screen play. That is not easy for any offensive lineman, and he makes it look effortless. Powers-Johnson's acceleration is really on display here, along with his desire to finish blocks.

Remember the mean streak that had the Steelers so fascinated with Kendrick Green? Powers-Johnson possesses that, but with an outstanding football IQ, a great understanding for the running back's attacking points, excellent technique with his hands and a solid anchor. Because of his size, he's a difficult man to move, and then he himself moves very well in screens and zone running concepts.

While Powers-Johnson is primarily a better run blocker, he put up phenomenal numbers and a lot of great pass-blocking reps on tape. Per Pro Football Focus, Powers-Johnson played 497 pass-blocking snaps in 2023 and allowed only one pressure. Some might say he put up those kind of numbers due to a lack of facing quality defensive tackles. However, Powers-Johnson put a lot of those worries to bed at the Senior Bowl with phenomenal reps like this one:

This is where you see the strong anchor and excellent hand usage, but he also has the ability to recover if he's initially beaten. These are the types of reps that an offensive line coach will salivate over. Powers-Johnson knows how to play the position very well, despite being only 21 years old and playing only one full season at center.

He's not a perfect prospect. His arms are just over 32 inches, which is about average. That might hurt his ability to sustain blocks in situations where he has to reach, such as perimeter zone running schemes. He can also play too upright in similar situations, which gives leverage to defenders he's blocking. He also has some footwork issues to clean up in pass protection.

However, in terms of his fit for the Steelers, Powers-Johnson would be an instant starter right away. He has more than enough athletic ability to play in a perimeter zone running system and he's absolutely versatile enough to run gap concepts, such as Duo and Power. The only question is whether Powers-Johnson would be worth taking with pick No. 20. That's awfully high for a center, and this is a great class for offensive tackles and cornerbacks, two other significant needs for the Steelers. 

20th overall might be a bit of a reach. But, if Powers-Johnson blows Tomlin and Khan away in a potential meeting at the Combine and/or Oregon Pro Day, they may decide he's a Steelers type of player. Remember, franchises build their big boards differently than any draft site. Andy Weidl's board won't look like PFF's.

ZACH FRAZIER
West Virginia

Unlike Powers-Johnson, Frazier has a wealth of experience as a four-year starter at West Virginia, starting his first season at left guard and then his final three exclusively at center.

Like Powers-Johnson, Frazier has great size for a center at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds. He's a very well-rounded player with very little flaws to his game. In fact, no significant flaws, just a need to fix minor inconsistencies.

One of Frazier's biggest strengths is understanding angles and leverage in blocking. He's a very smart football player, but a big reason for knowing how to use leverage comes from his days as a wrestler in high school. For four straight years (2017 to 2020), Frazier was the heavyweight state champion in wrestling. The same leverage and strength that he used in wrestling has helped him become one of the best center prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Frazier plays with the natural leverage and feel that you’d expect from a former state-champion wrestler. Because of that, his base is always aligned properly, and he plays with good pad level and has a solid anchor to win blocks in both the run and the passing game.

In the run game, Frazier is a physical blocker and knows how to finish. He's not the most athletic interior lineman, but he is more than athletic enough to execute zone blocking schemes:

This shows Frazier's quick step at the snap, his ability to move fast enough laterally to join the guard on the block to the 2-technique (the defensive lineman lined up over the guard), establish a block and eventually take him and drive him to the ground.

In the passing game, Frazier doesn't have the best length, but has great extension mechanics. He moves very well laterally, has the smarts to recognize and pick up stunts and isn't overwhelmed by power rushes. He wasn't quite as successful as Powers-Johnson in terms of numbers, but still only allowed seven pressures on 359 pass-blocking snaps in 2023, per PFF.

Ultimately, Frazier has all of the tools to be a scheme-versatile starter at center right away. His versatility, strength and mobility makes him a great fit with the Steelers. Frazier definitely profiles more as a second-rounder. Powers-Johnson is just a higher-ceiling prospect with no real holes in his game. Frazier's ceiling is a tad lower, but not by much. He also has a high floor, which is why he'll most likely be an early Day 2 pick.

As of the time this article was published, Frazier ranks No. 44 on PFF's big board. The Steelers have the 52nd overall pick, so there's a real chance Frazier isn't on the board when the Steelers make their second-round pick.

SEDRICK VAN PRAN
Georgia

Should the Steelers not select Powers-Johnson or Frazier in the first two rounds, Van Pran could be a potential option in the third round. Van Pran’s still one of the top natural center prospects in the class and could be a quality find in the Day 2 range.

Ever since 2021, Van Pran has been Georgia’s full-time starter at the center position. A couple valuable things that can be taken away from his time there: Van Pran can set the tone for the offensive line, but also be a catalyst for cohesion in the unit. Those traits always translate to the NFL level.

At 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, Van Pran isn't quite as compact as Powers-Johnson or Frazier, but he is still powerful and incredibly explosive. In the run game, Van Pran has the flexibility to recover positioning, seal off lanes and he's excellent at getting to the second level on both gap and zone schemes. But, one football term that describes Van Pran: He's a "people-mover." That's something that would align with Pittsburgh's needs:

This rep, man. It doesn't require the most amount of athleticism, but Van Pran sends an off-ball linebacker flying while on the move. That's not easy to do, and it certainly won't happen with any regularity at the NFL level. However, this rep is a perfect blend of the power and mobility Van Pran possesses.

To reiterate, he's a people-mover. But, in the passing game, he’s also very alert and combative with his hands as a blocker. Those are a couple of good traits, along with consistently establishing a wide base. Van Pran didn't struggle much in pass protection, allowing 13 pressures and no sacks in 485 pass-blocking snaps in 2023, per PFF. But, he has a couple things he needs to work on.

Van Pran still needs to work on his hand usage, and perhaps his largest issue is lapses in leverage. Questions about leverage, especially in pass protection, leave valid concerns for how he'll deal with power rushes at the NFL level. There are a lot of interior defenders at this level at will bully guys that can't stand their ground.

It's an interesting dynamic. Van Pran’s a powerful blocker, but there are concerns about how he'll absorb power. How, exactly? He loses his balance due to some shoddy footwork when he isn't centered on a defender, and he loses pad-level advantage a little too often. Van Pran's footwork off the snap on run plays also needs some refinement. He's put far too many steps backward as his first step on tape, which gives leverage to the defender.

Nevertheless, getting stronger and continuing to work on leverage should help Van Pran grow. And on a broader scale, he has high-end explosiveness, football IQ and tenacity. He can really be a force in zone running concepts. He may even rival Powers-Johnson and Frazier on how well he gets to the second level:

Van Pran's ability to get to the second level on this perimeter zone play is even more impressive considering how he doesn't abandon the nose tackle and leave the guard to pick him up without any help. Van Pran makes sure to hold off the nose tackle until he knows the guard has him, then bursts forward to get to the linebacker. Then for the cherry on top, drives him from the 13-yard line at the hashes to the ground at the 4-yard line on the sideline.

Van Pran absolutely can be an impact starter as a run blocker early in his NFL career, and could develop into a Pro Bowl caliber player should he fix his leverage issues in both phases. Overall, he's a good fit in Pittsburgh, especially considering his versatility as a run blocker. But 52nd overall is too early to take him, and he may or may not still be available at 84th overall.

However, if the Steelers don't address center in free agency, any of these three players would stand a very good chance of becoming the starting center in Week 1 of the 2024 season.