PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Before you go assuming the Steelers will turn their highly regarded draft class into a number of new starters. Not so fast. This is not the Steelers of a couple of years ago where rookies had to start for a lack of depth. These rookies will have to earn their spots.
It starts with the first overall pick. The team traded up to draft left tackle Broderick Jones from Georgia. You assume when you move up to pick a player he’s an automatic start. Jones didn’t work with the first-team during OTAs and mini-camp. Credit to Dan Moore for not rolling over when Jones was drafted. The incumbent came in motivated and has made left tackle a position battle to watch.
Joey Porter, Junior is going to play. If he is a starting corner in the base defense is a question. Porter appeared to have a good grasp of what was going on during off-season workouts. He will be tested more during training camp. There is no question that he will play many snaps this year, whether he or Levi Wallace start the first snap of the season is in question.
Assumptions made the Steelers other second round pick will be an immediate starter as well. Keeanu Benton seems to have all the tools to be the Steelers first-team nose tackle, but Montravius Adams isn’t going to step aside. You might think with Benton’s pedigree he’s much bigger than Adams. Actually they are listed at the same height with Benton weighing five pounds more. Coming over to the Steelers late in 2021, Adams has started 13 of the 22 games he’s played. Benton has a good shot at the starting position, but it’s not a lock.
Third round pick Darnell Washington has many excited, including the Steelers. The Georgia tight end slipped down the board on most mock drafts over concerns with a knee injury suffered his last year with the Bulldogs. Washington is 6’7”, 264 pounds and should find a role, but eventually. Pat Freiermuth will start and Zach Gentry is the firm number two with potential for tight end snaps for Connor Heyward as well.
Expectations for the final three picks are to grow in the system with the opportunity to play on special teams. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig (fourth round, Wisconsin), corner Cory Trice, Junior (seventh round, Purdue) and offensive lineman Spencer Anderson (seventh round, Maryland) would need speculator camps, or injuries, to likely get an opportunity to play. Herbig could move himself into the fourth outside backer spot and Trice could play when extra defensive backs are needed, but much work to do.
These rookies not guaranteed starting spots shouldn’t be considered a knock against the draft class, rather the improvement of the Steelers depth over the last two seasons. Several will make contributions over their careers, it just may not happen right away.