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While head coach Mike Tomlin maintained his streak of not having a losing record, the Pittsburgh Steelers missed the playoffs in three of the last five seasons.
Part of the reason for their mediocre finish in 2022 was a struggling offense that ranked 28th in points per game last season (18.1).
The Steelers made seven selections in the 2023 NFL Draft. Staying true to their identity, most selections are geared towards fortifying their troops in the trenches, particularly on offense. However, four of their picks are on defense, mainly to stop the passing attacks of their staunch rivals.
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Who did the Pittsburgh Steelers select in the 2023 NFL Draft?
Round 1, 14th overall – Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Round 2, 32nd overall – Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Round 2, 49th overall – Keeanu Benton, NT, Wisconsin
Round 3, 93rd overall – Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Round 4, 132nd overall – Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin
Round 7, 241st overall – Corey Trice, CB, Purdue
Round 7, 251st overall* – Spencer Anderson, OG, Maryland
* - compensatory pick
A Family Affair In Pittsburgh
The Steelers could have three pairs of brothers on their roster if they re-sign Derek Watt. They have tight end/fullback Connor Heyward and his brother, defensive end Cameron Heyward. There’s also Nate and Nick Herbig, who will play on opposite sides of the ball.
Pittsburgh brought Nate from the New York Jets via a two-year, $8 million contract. He will beef up the Steelers’ interior offensive line. Meanwhile, Nick will fortify a linebacker rotation with Alex Highsmith, Elandon Roberts, and 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt.
Herbig ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds, fast enough to cover wide receivers on crossing routes or chase running backs on jet sweeps. He had 11 sacks in his final year at Wisconsin, making him First-Team All-Big Ten last season.
Steelers Gearing Up For AFC North Wars
Their division rivals have added weapons in their respective passing attacks. The Baltimore Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr., drafted Zay Flowers, and will get back a healthy Rashod Bateman. The Cleveland Browns drafted Cedric Tillman and traded for Elijah Moore to line up with Amari Cooper. Finally, the Cincinnati Bengals have Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase.
Those players will be a handful, especially when the Steelers face them at least twice yearly. Hence, they added Porter Jr., a first-round talent who fell into the second round. He had 11 pass deflections in his last season at Penn State.
Meanwhile, Trice had 106 tackles, five interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns in five seasons at Purdue. Porter Jr. and Trice will support Ahkello Witherspoon and Patrick Peterson in stopping some of the league’s best receivers who are playing in the AFC North.
Steelers Maintaining Their Identity
Then and now, the Steelers ascribe to the philosophy of building the team from the inside out. That’s why they took Broderick Jones and Spencer Anderson. Meanwhile, developing Washington’s pass-catching ability can spell doom for opposing defensive backs. But he is a mean blocker who can buy time for Kenny Pickett and Najee Harris.
Finally, Benton can compete with Breiden Fehoko for the starting nose tackle role. The former Wisconsin standout was a Third Team All-Big Ten member last year after tallying 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He is a persistent force in disrupting the interior offensive line, and it would be difficult to get him out of his position.
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