The 2024 NFL Draft is just less than a week away, and it’s time to decipher which players would be good fits for our Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers will be looking to add playmakers at several position groups throughout the selection process, and the good news is this Draft sets up well for their needs.

In this series, we’ll be looking at players at each of the Steelers top 5 positions of need. In no particular order, these are the positions I see the Steelers most likely targeting at some point in the Draft:

Wide Receiver
Offensive Tackle
Cornerback
Center
Defensive Tackle

We already discussed the WR, OT, and CB position groups. In this edition, we’ll look at an intriguing Center class with several potential starters that could interest the Steelers in the 2024 NFL Draft.

GRAHAM BARTON | DUKE
AGE: 22 | HT: 6’5″ | WT: 314 | SENIOR

Barton is at or very near the top of the Steelers 1st Round Big Board, and it’s not hard to see why. The former Center and Left Tackle for the Blue Devils is one of the most athletic linemen to come out in recent memory. He’s not extremely long, which is why most scouts project him to move back inside to OC or OG at the NFL level. He has impressive strength and movement skills, and also boasts great recognition at the line of scrimmage to decipher defensive sets and pick up blitzers in space. He gets good push in the run game and is very sophisticated in pass pro.

For Pittsburgh, Barton is an elite prospect for the pivot. The Steelers ask more of their Centers than most, and Arthur Smith’s zone blocking scheme is a perfect fit for Barton’s athleticism. If he’s there at Pick 20, I think he’s the selection, even if one of the top OTs or CBs falls to them.

ZACH FRAZIER | WEST VIRGINIA
AGE: 22 | HT: 6’3″ | WT: 313 | SENIOR

Don’t rule out Frazier in the 1st Round conversation for Pittsburgh. Frazier is a mauling OC with power at the point of attack and enough athleticism to work in space. He’s a little clunky moving laterally, but he makes up for it with good contact balance and hand usage. The former Mountaineer is an absolute menace as a run blocker moving North and South. He can struggle to set a strong anchor and relies too much on his upper body strength to control the rep. That could hurt him at the NFL level.

Overall, Frazier has the experience and skill to be a Day 1 starter at OC. He could be a target for the team in the back half of the 1st Round if the team decides to trade out of Pick 20, or he could be an early 2nd Round option if the Steelers look to move up on Day 2.

JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON | OREGON
AGE: 21 | HT: 6’3″ | WT: 328 | JUNIOR

The “other” JPJ among Steelers fans, Powers-Johnson has been a fan-favorite this draft cycle, although the Steelers have expressed more interest in the 2 prospects listed above. Despite that, the former Oregon pivot man is an impressive physical presence on the IOL. He has elite size and strength for the position, with the ability to win reps against even the most physical nose defenders at the next level. There are some injury concerns that could push him down the draft board, and I don’t think he’s a 1st Round target for the Steelers, but if he’s still hanging around in the 2nd and the Steelers haven’t addressed Center, he would be very enticing at 51.

TANOR BORTOLINI | WISCONSIN
AGE: 21 | HT: 6’4″ | WT: 303 | SENIOR

Bortolini is a technically sound OC prospect from a College the Steelers know well. His elite athletic testing scores at the Combine were surprising when compared to the tape, where you saw good, not great, movement skills supported by an impressive technical understanding of the position. He won’t blow you away with astounding strength but his footwork is good and he sets a good anchor in pass pro. As a run blocker, he is best in space where he can get better positioning on reactionary defenders and not get bulldozed by North and South attacking defenders.

Pittsburgh isn’t likely to leave Day 2 without a Center, and Bortolini could be a solid consolation prize at the end of the 3rd Round or early 4th Round if they miss out on the more high-profile prospects. Overall, Bortolini has solid upside in the right system and could be ready to compete for starting snaps sooner than later.

HUNTER NOURZAD | PITT
AGE: 23 | HT: 6’3″ | WT: 317 | SENIOR

A developmental OC prospect out of Pitt, Nourzad isn’t extremely athletic, but he does have NFL play strength and plenty of power. He sets a naturally wide base in pass pro and is an absolute mauler in a phone booth as a run blocker. Power schemes are more favorable for Nourzad, but he has rare natural power at the position. A high floor, low ceiling prospect with good, not great, traits.

Nourzad does have OC/OG flexibility which could be intriguing to teams on Day 3 of the Draft, and if the Steelers somehow are still without a Center after the first 2 days, the former Pitt Panther will definitely be on their radar.