Steelers draft grades for every 2024 draft pick: Offensive line upgrades incoming

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is getting a makeover for 2023. Gone is offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Gone is quarterback Kenny Pickett. Gone is receiver Diontae Johnson.

In comes new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and a few depth pieces at receiver.

Going into the NFL Draft, Pittsburgh needed to keep bolstering the offense with the next set of hopefully foundational players.

Did they find what they needed in the draft on both sides of the ball?

Steelers Draft Grades for Troy Fautanu: A

It's impossible to run a good offense in the NFL without a good offensive line. The Steelers had numerous problems in the trenches last season but pass blocking was a massive issue all season. Whether it's Wilson or Fields behind center, the addition of Troy Fautanu with the No. 20 pick couldn't be more welcome.

While 2023 draft pick Broderick Jones is likely to hold down the right tackle, Dan Moore left a lot to be desired on the other side of the line. Fautanu could address that issue immediately. He's a potential plug-and-play starter at left tackle. He also has potential at guard or even center, but given his strong pass-blocking ability, left tackle feels like his spot to lose.

Like several other teams, the Steelers benefited from the overabundance of quarterbacks taken in the first 12 picks of the draft. Fautanu was exactly what they needed and they didn't need to move up to get him.

Steelers Draft Grades for Zach Frazier: A

After letting Mason Cole go, the Steelers needed a center even more than they needed a tackle. They could have grabbed Graham Barton out of Duke, who went to the Buccaneers in the first round. Instead, they opted to wait and grab West Virginia's Zach Frazier in the second.

Time will tell if that was the right move. Right now, it looks like Frazier is a great fit with four years of starting experience, three years as a team captain and two years as an All-American. You'll see mention of his wrestling background everywhere for good reason. He's got giant paws and the strength to lock defenders in place.

He's also the right temperament for the Steel City. He fractured his fibula and did a one-legged bear crawl to the sideline so he wouldn't slow his team down.

He's tough and physical. Like Fautanu, Steelers fans can expect to see him on the field almost immediately.

Steelers Draft Grades for Roman Wilson: A

Speaking of guys who just feel like the epitome of Steelers. Roman Wilson, who Pittsburgh picked up in the third round, is one of those tough wide receivers you could already imagine in black and yellow while he was playing at Michigan.

He's quick, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, but he's not the tallest at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. But there's something blue-collar about him. He catches reliably and is always a willing blocker.

Will he ever be a No. 1 receiver? Probably not. But could he be a long-time Steeler who leaves behind a winning legacy? Yes.

Steelers Draft Grades for Payton Wilson: A

The Steelers' final pick of Day 2 was NC State linebacker Payton Wilson, who could be the steal of the draft. But there's also a good reason he dropped into the third round.

The Bednarik and Butkus Award winner was an absolute stud for the Wolfpack in 2023, tallying 138 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, six pass defenses, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

If he had an ACL in his right knee, he would have been off the board in the first round with teams salivating over his length, athleticism and production. But, indeed, he does not have an ACL in his right knee and that certainly was enough to scare off a lot of teams.

But most teams aren't the Steelers, who got a Hall of Honor career out of Hines Ward despite his missing ACL.

Wilson's knee has held up until now and the position Pittsburgh got him in feels well worth the gamble.

Steelers Draft Grades for Mason McCormick: A

The Steelers continued to address their offensive line depth in Mason McCormick, a guard out of South Dakota State. McCormick can move and is an incredible blocker, as evidenced by just three pressures and zero sacks allowed 831 blocking snaps this past season.

Steelers Draft Grades for Logan Lee: B

The Steelers bolstered the front seven by drafting Missouri defensive tackle Logan Lee to provide depth behind Cameron Heyward. In the sixth round, you're taking a chance on players, and the Steelers are banking on Lee's athleticism to continue to own a stout defensive line for the foreseeable future.

Steelers Draft Grades for Ryan Watts: C

The Steelers waited until their final pick to address the cornerback position. Ryan Watts is a 6-foot-3 cornerback out of Texas, who recorded 38 tackles and three defended passes this past season.