McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M (American)
The Steelers hit a home run with the selection of Keeanu Benton last year in the second round, but the team would be wise to continue adding high-caliber defensive linemen to the equation, since players such as Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi are at the latter portions of their careers. Let them help develop the next generation of monsters in the trenches.
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The Steelers always have a large contingent in Mobile, with Mike Tomlin usually getting close looks at the players down on the field.
That said, here’s an introduction to players who could help address areas of Steelers need in this draft class. Tomorrow: defense
Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee (American)
First up is one of the most enigmatic players in this year’s draft class. Milton has the build of a Madden create-a-player with gargantuan size (6-5/235) and a cannon for a right arm. He has reportedly thrown a football 90 yards. While he has the arm strength to challenge any part of the field, he needs to refine his footwork and ratchet up his accuracy to become a starting caliber quarterback at the next level.
Milton is a high-quality athlete who can reportedly run the 40 in 4.6. With that athleticism, meshed with his build, it would be intriguing in the AFC North to have a quarterback the size of Ben Roethlisberger with running talent.
Milton’s a hard worker whom coaches and teammates love. Even though he will be a slightly older rookie (24) when training camp starts, he would be an ideal candidate for the Steelers to take a lottery ticket chance in the third round.
?Scouts will fall in love with his pairing of size/arm strength
One of the to prospect groups in this draft is wide receiver. There are talented playmakers in all shapes and sizes. There will be high-caliber productive players who somehow fall into the early stages of day three of the draft.
Pearsall is one of those. He initially started his career at Arizona State with Heisman-winning QB Jayden Daniels throwing him passes until transferring to Florida for his final two seasons.
Pearsall is a fluid moving receiver with impeccable body control, and doesn’t waste steps in setting up his route running. He possesses strong hands to pluck passes in traffic, and has the speed and agility to threaten all three levels of the field. Can line up both inside and outside and is an adept blocker.
#Florida WR Ricky Pearsall has a great understanding of route tempo, spacing with elusiveness after the catch. His body control is always on display but his does a great job stemming his routes as a route runner.
Fuaga is a mountain of a man (6-6-332) at right tackle, and has been a stalwart for the Beavers, helping pave the way for big rushes and keeping his quarterbacks clean. He has light feet to mirror cornering pass-rushers. Has the length and anchor to sit down in his stance and absorb bull rushes, and finishes his blocks with tenacity.
In the running game, he regularly opens up rushing lanes on down blocks and has the agility to get out in space and land blocks on defenders. If the Steelers are set on transitioning, and move Broderick Jones to his natural left tackle spot, Fuaga would be at the top of the list to bookend him at right tackle. That’s IF he is available at pick 20.
If you liked Darnell Wright in last year’s draft, you’ll like Taliese Fuaga in the 2024 draft
While Fuaga may be one of the highest ranked offensive tackles in Mobile, Guyton may be the one lineman whose stock could climb most. The Steelers will have an inside track to get more information on Guyton, since their assistant offensive line coach, Isaac Williams, is the line coach for the American team this week.
What Williams will get a chance to work with is a massive tackle (6-7/328) with great length (34 ¼” arms) and high-end athleticism that he uses to mirror pass rushers off the edge. Is terrific at maintaining his hands throughout the duration of the rush and can anchor and lock out defenders with ease. In the run game he has shown the nimbleness to flow and fit up to the second level. Has yet to scratch the surface of his upside, and could have a higher ceiling than Fuaga at right tackle.
Oklahoma RT Tyler Guyton shows good patience, smooth footwork and hits the defender square with his hands. pic.twitter.com/xFZnxCckZO
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) December 18, 2023
Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon (National)
This year’s all-star games added underclassmen for the first time. Powers-Johnson is an early entrant, coming off a season with Oregon that saw him win the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s best center.
Powers-Johnson fits traits the Steelers have coveted, historically, in their centers. He has excellent athleticism and agility that he uses to regularly impact the running game at the second level. He also possesses a durable and thick frame with quality length that is wound tight with power which he unleashes on contact. Displays terrific communication skills and hand usage that allow him to mesh blocks on stunts and games. Gritty competitor who will be a decade-long starter. Is also, at 21, is one of the youngest players in this draft class.
After adding a high-end talent like Jones at tackle in last year’s class, I believe Tomlin and Omar Khan will look to continue to build the trenches in this year’s class. An addition of Powers-Johnson could cost a first round pick with a strong weed in Mobile.
USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Winner, headline this year’s draft. The quarterbacks will forever be connected. There has een plenty of back and forth on whether Williams and Maye should be the No. 1 pick. And recently, Daniels has entered the conversation.
Instead, he’s going to tell you what he’s going to do. But you have to listen.
So, on my way to the South Side I promised myself I would use my two ears twice as much as my one mouth at Monday’s end-of-season press conference. Here’s what I learned:
While it may seem this period will be a lackluster lull, there are important tasks the team must complete.
Today, I take a look at the key questions this organization will have to answer, thoughtfully and effectively, to ensure a playoff-caliber unit in 2024.
1. Who will serve as offensive coordinator?
We’ll start with the obvious question, and it is one the team is already in the midst of working on. Names such as passing-game coordinator Zac Robinson and former Panthers OC Thomas Brown, and others, have been linked to the team. But clearly the search will go well beyond two candidates. Mike Tomlin indicated he wanted a playcaller with experience, but there is also something to be said for innovation and fresh concepts that could be installed from the likes of a Robinson. However, when selecting innovation over experience, you run the risk of it not translating into success. Regardless, this hire is going to be the most important decision made by the organization this offseason after the offense has held this team back for multiple years.
2. Will Mason Rudolph re-sign with the team?
After watching Rudolph over the final stretch of the season, I am convinced he not only deserves a shot to compete to be the starter next season, but that he should be named the starter heading into camp. He performed beyond admirably in the regular season, showing poise, touch, and moxie, all the tools you want to see from a starting quarterback. Many were critical of his performance against Buffalo, especially for his interception in the end zone, but if it wasn’t for his play the Steelers would have been blown out. The real question here is whether or not Rudolph wants to return. He has said all of the right things in interviews, but if he gets an opportunity elsewhere to be a starter, he may think long and hard about it.
3. Will they make a splash in free agency?
If history answers this question, it’s probably a no. However, with Omar Khan at the helm, we can at least consider a maybe. The team definitely has needs, but they prefer to build through the draft, and when bringing in a player who did not come up through the system, there is no guarantee they can mesh well. And, at least in my early investigation into available free agents, it’s not a tremendous group, especially at positions of need. While there are several quality defensive linemen available, that’s traditionally not a position they target through free agency. And at the positions in which they have a significant need (C, ILB), there’s a pretty thin market. And, no, Kirk Cousins will not be donning the black and gold next season.
4. Who will the Steelers target in the draft?
It’s too early to talk about specific players, but from my perspective the team needs to prioritize C, ILB, CB, and OT. Out of those four positions, the area where I’d like to see the greatest emphasis is inside linebacker. This does not appear to be a deep draft at that position, whereas there is value at center. Need won’t dictate how they approach the draft, and they are always looking for Hall of Famers, regardless of position, but if they are able to find convergence between need and talent, they will pull the trigger. It’s just that this defense is missing a stud inside linebacker. Remember all those successful Steelers squads from the early to mid-2000s? Yep, James Farrior, Ryan Shazier. This team needs THAT.
This one is more for fun, but it seemingly is time to end the Pressley Harvin experiment, and Tomlin admitted Harvin’s inconsistency at his latest press conference. Field position was a hindrance for the team for much of the year, and to have even a reliably average punter would be an upgrade.
Everything’s on the table for improvement in 2024, making for what should be an entertaining offseason. The first shoe to drop will be the hiring of a new offensive coordinator, and from there, the dominoes will fall.
With the full draft order almost set, the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders have decisions to make with the top two selections and whether each franchise goes with a quarterback to kickstart the draft. Justin Fields showed significant improvement in Chicago this season, but most insiders are pointing toward the Bears trying to trade Fields for more draft capital with the allure of USC’s Caleb Williams available at No. 1.
Several teams without a head coach right now — the Chargers and Falcons, most notably — are looking to get someone in place to begin their respective pre-draft process and secure the future for each team in 2024 and beyond.
Here’s a look at Kiper’s picks for the first round and our thoughts on each player:
This is the 99th East-West Shrine Bowl this year, and the practices will take place Saturday through Tuesday, and then the concluding game will take place on Thursday, February 1, in Frisco, TX, at the Ford Center at the Star.
This game has a history of producing productive mid to late-round gems, including Brock Purdy, Isiah Pacheco, and Alex Highsmith. With that being said, let me introduce you to a few players who suit Steelers’ needs.
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It’s disheartening to witness aging stalwarts succumb to Father Time. We watched Joe Greene and L.C. Greenwood lose their ferocity. Jack Lambert submit to turf toe. Jack Ham lose his field awareness. Franco Harris his power. And Troy Polamalu no longer being able to be “Troy.” Aging creates a bottomless list of athletes who once basked in the glory of success.
It’s a club that soon could be adding Cam Heyward. The Steelers great will be 35 before the beginning of training camp and he is entering his 14th season. He has one year remaining on a contract that will count $22.4 million against the Steelers’ salary cap, but the franchise would clear $16 million in cap space by releasing him.
The three-time All-Pro said he wants to return, but that he won’t take a pay cut. It leaves the Steelers two options: extend Heyward’s contract to reduce his cap hit or release him. Their front-office understands the ramifications – even in this era of big money and exploding caps – of kicking money down the road. But it can’t afford to be sentimental if it believes he no longer can be an impact player.
Heyward earned Pro Bowl status in 2022 – a season in which he had 10.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hits and 74 tackles, including 14 for a loss. He showed no signs of slowing down until injuring his groin in a 30-7 Week 1 loss to the 49ers. He returned eight weeks later, but he rarely performed in a way Steelers fans have come to appreciate and expect.
His symbolic pushups that had become synonymous with his dominance didn’t happen in the 11 games in which he played. He had only 2 sacks, 3 quarterback hits and 6 tackles for a loss. He likely never fully recovered from his groin injury, but that doesn’t guarantee he will, and therefore regain his presence.
It’s a gamble the Steelers might want to avoid unless Heyward is willing to re-work his deal. He’s still an asset, but not like he once was. The team could use that $16 million to strengthen weaknesses at a number of positions, including inside linebacker, strong safety, center and receiver.
It reeks that these critical moves might have to be made at the expense of Heyward. He’s a leader and a winner on – and off – the field, a terminator so nasty his father likely would have reconsidered running in his direction.
Heyward epitomizes Steelers football. He’s nasty on the field, but a teddy bear off it. He’s an exceptional person – a man who gives back to his community with as much fervor as he delivers on game days.
The Steelers selected Heyward with the 31stpick of the 2011 draft. He became a full-time starter by his third year and blossomed into a star. His 80.5 sacks – a remarkable stat for a 3-4 defensive end – is tied for second with James Harrison on the Steelers’ all-time list.
Polamalu likely would agree that Heyward “could have played with them” – meaning the 1970s’ Steelers teams. He’s a borderline Hall of Famer, nearing the end of a career that is a Lombardi shy from being perfect.
It’s difficult to imagine the Steelers without Heyward, but we have to be prepared for his possible exit. It’s unlikely to be a storybook ending. Few stars leave the field on their terms. Jerome Bettis walked away in his hometown with a Lombardi tucked under his arm, but he’s the exception.
Heyward’s career could end with another team. Hopefully, it doesn’t. It just wouldn’t be right.
Few players have been more worthy to be a Pittsburgh Steeler than Cam Heyward. You could say it’s in his DNA.
That will bring us to the Combine, and then 11 days later to free agency.
It’s the perfect time to get some questions answered.
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He coached 33 years and registered a 328-156-6 record, making him the winningest head coach of all-time. He led teams to six Super Bowl appearances – one with the Colts and five with the Dolphins – winning two of them. His coaching tree includes Chuck Noll, Bill Arnsparger and Howard Schnellenberger.
Shula is NFL coaching royalty – a Hall of Famer. His name is synonymous with success. No one considers him a failure, even though he had issues that might have had him excoriated today.
Shula’s 1968 Colts team finished 13-1, allowed 10.3 points per game and entered Super III as a 17-point favorite over the AFL champion Jets. Does anyone need to be reminded of the outcome?
But he coached the Dolphins to victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII – the former finishing 17-0. Shula couldn’t have been hotter before he quickly cooled off. After Super Bowl VIII, his teams failed to win a playoff game the next eight seasons, missing the playoffs three times. How did the Miami franchise’s brass ever tolerate this?
Thankfully for Dolphins fans, it did. Shula had Miami in the Super Bowl twice in the following three years and advanced to the AFC Championship Game a year later. He lost all three games, but he got them there, which seems to be all Mike Tomlin needs to do to keep the fan base from battering him.
Tomlin’s teams haven’t won a postseason game in seven seasons, missing the playoffs three times. Notice a trend. It’s a rough patch, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t fix it. Sometimes, it takes time, patience, and a little luck.
Shula had three Hall of Fame quarterbacks. He inherited Johnny Unitas and Bob Griese, and had Dan Marino fall into his lap with the 27th pick in the 1983 draft. A little luck doesn’t hurt. Yet, in Shula’s last 10 seasons, all with Marino at QB, he had a 3-4 playoff record.
Tomlin inherited Ben Roethlisberger, but he hasn’t found his successor. The only commonality Kenny Pickett has with Marino is choice of university.
Tomlin is a flawed head coach, no different than Shula, Noll, Tom Landry, or Bill Belichick. Tomlin’s faults come primarily from poor drafting during most of the previous decade, a duty he shared with former general manager Kevin Colbert.
So, question talent evaluation. That has been the root of any franchise’s problems.
The Steelers, however, selected a deep and impressive 2023 draft class under the direction of new GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl. It’s proved its potential. Mix another strong draft class this April with shrewd free agent signings and coaching staff hirings and watch Tomlin’s stock soar.
Coaching doesn’t create great teams. Great players create great coaches, particularly in a vacuum where only wins and losses matter. My former high school basketball coach might have put best when he said:
“The most important (part of coaching) is good players. X’s and O’s, as well as motivation, don’t work very well when you have lousy players. But they work great when you have great players.”
Wise words, no doubt. Need more proof? Check Belichick’s record without Tom Brady, Noll’s without Terry Bradshaw, Landry’s without Roger Staubach and Shula’s without his trifecta of Hall of Famers. They all struggled but were given time to fix it.
Tomlin will get his time. Steelers owner Art Rooney II said Tomlin will receive a contract extension. His head coach had an honest conversation with the media Thursday and he seems eager to make things right.
Tomlin knows his time in Pittsburgh is deep into the back nine, but that doesn’t mean he still can’t score an ace. He just needs to work quickly.
Sand is filling the bottom of the hour glass, but it’s hardly time to turn it over.
Some on the beat believed his message to be insincere, and there was no authenticity at all. But I’ll have to disagree.
Right out of the gate, the beleaguered head coach was asked about two of the most pressing questions facing his team Who will (or won’t) be the next offensive coordinator” And who will be the starting quarterback in 2024?
And rather than tip-toeing around these questions and being sensitive to potential internal candidates Mike Sullivan and Eddie Faulkner, Tomlin directly stated neither were an option and that the hire would be an external candidate.
And when it came to the quarterback position, Tomlin did not display loyalty to Kenny Pickett as the starter. Instead, he showed loyalty to what was best for the team, acknowledging the impactful play of Mason Rudolph, and that it would be an open competition for the top spot on the depth chart. He also admitted that the Steelers were interested in re-signing the free-agent-to-be Rudolph.
The two responses revealed a coach who was honestly reflecting on the outcome of the season and what is needed to get over the first-round postseason losing slump the Steelers are laboring to overcome.
One of the greatest criticisms of Tomlin is that he is faithful to a fault to his coaching staff and his players, to the extent that it prevents him from making decisions in the best interest of the team, but are instead in the best interest of the relationship. But that wasn’t the case yesterday. Relationship or not, the message was loud and clear, even though not explicitly stated: Winning is the priority and is independent of the relationship.
There were many transparent moments from the press conference, and if you have yet to watch it, I strongly encourage you to do so, because it resonates as an impending defining moment in the career of Tomlin. While he has never had a losing season, he certainly is at a crossroads, and yesterday’s press conference offered insight into his mindset and heart involving the direction of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Should the team make the perfect addition at offensive coordinator and turn the quarterback competition into a process that strengthens the team, this moment could be pointed to as the turning point, the symbolic moment of the reinvention of Tomlin’s career.
Or, if it’s the antithesis, and 2024 is another showing of “mediocre winning” (9-8), it could mark the true beginning of the end, where words and projections into the future amounted to nothing more than empty promises which critics will point to (see “unleash hell,” circa 2009).
One of these outcomes will come to fruition, but something tells me it will be a brighter one for Tomlin and the Steelers.
Admission and acceptance of weaknesses and what must be fixed is the first step in improvement. And yesterday, that was on full display.
(Jim Wexell’s “Takeaways from Tomlin” will appear Saturday morning.)
He drives one of those massive snow plows that seemingly plow through any amount of snow. The name of his truck is “Lady Lake Effect.” And he let everybody know that he just got stuck while plowing a day or so before the Steelers took on the Bills in Orchard Park.
At this point, I really was having doubts that the game would even be pulled off. My friend needed another plow, as well as some maintenance workers to come and pull him and his huge rig out. One big salute to my friend and his work force that worked relentlessly around the clock, and allowed the game to go on. “Lake Effect” snow is nothing to take lightly. I lived in Orchard Park long enough to know not to mess with it.
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