Hindsight is always 20/20, and that comes in all areas of life. Even in the National Football League. Every year towards the end of the season, and with the Super Bowl this Sunday it is the official end of the 2024 season, outlets will do a re-draft of the previous draft class. What is a re-draft you ask? It is when you go back and see where players and teams would have gone in the 2024 NFL Draft if they knew how the season would play out.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, and how injury marred their rookie class this season, this should be an interesting exercise. Before going any further, know the writers at ESPN are the ones re-drafting the 2024 class, and you can see what they decided to do with the Steelers, and players they selected, below:

20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Original pick: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
New pick: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

The Steelers could consider keeping Fautanu in this spot, but he’s tough to evaluate after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Mims also battled through injuries, but he had a solid season and was especially key in pass-blocking situations. Drafting Mims could’ve allowed the Steelers to move Broderick Jones to the left side and insert Mims at right tackle. 

So, the Steelers end up taking Amarius Mims in this re-draft, but what happens to Troy Fautanu? Where does he get selected? Well, before we get there, this re-draft has the Steelers 2nd Round pick being selected in the 1st Round.

31. San Francisco 49ers
Original pick: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
New pick: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia

Pearsall showed promise at the end of the season, but the Niners need to put significant resources into the offensive line, which starts in the middle. Frazier’s 94.7% pass block win rate ranked 13th among all centers, and his 72.2% run block win rate was fifth. There are other appealing options on the board, but Frazier provides a solid long-term option at the pivot. 

Frazier being re-drafted in the 1st Round, when the Steelers got him in the 2nd Round, is a boost to the team’s actual draft class. As for  the Steelers actual 1st Round pick, Troy Fautanu, he was re-drafted at the front of the 2nd Round.

34. New England Patriots
Original pick: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia (LAC traded up)
New pick: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington

After taking their quarterback of the future in Round 1, the Patriots can address one of their biggest needs in the second. They ranked last in the NFL in pass block win rate each of the past two seasons. Fautanu missed the final 15 games of the season because of a knee injury, but that doesn’t mean his career isn’t filled with promise. 

With no other players from the Steelers draft class being taken in Rounds 1-2, it is time to see who the Steelers selected with their re-drafted 2nd Round pick. The same pick which was Frazier, but he clearly was already selected in the 1st Round. Let’s see which direction the team went.

51. Pittsburgh Steelers
Original pick: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
New pick: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

With Frazier long gone in this scenario, the Steelers could get good value by reloading the defensive line with Orhorhoro. Though Cam Heyward had one of his best seasons, the 35-year-old is in the twilight of his career, and the cupboard behind him is getting bare. Orhorhoro missed a chunk of his rookie season while on injured reserve (ankle), but his versatility and upside make him a great fit.

What do you think of the re-drafting process? I think it is safe to say the draft class could look vastly different with hindsight included, and we truly won’t know what the team has in Fautanu until he has a full season under his belt. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the offseason.