Apr 19, 2024 5 min read

By Dale Lolley

For the Observer-Reporter.com

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

With the NFL Draft coming up Thursday through Saturday, the focus in the league turns from free agency to the acquisition of rookies.

When he spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February, Steelers general manager Omar Khan made one thing certain when it comes to the acquisition of players – versatility matters.

“Position flexibility has always been important to me,” Khan said when asked specifically about the team’s center situation. “We have guys who are center capable. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to look at free agency, the trade market and the draft process. There are good players in every one of those areas.”

Yes, Khan was referring to center, but he could have been talking about any number of positions, especially if you look at the players the team has acquired in free agency in recent seasons.

James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Mason Cole, Nate Herbig, Patrick Peterson, Damontae Kazee and Armon Watts are just a few of the players acquired who can play multiple spots.

That brings us to this draft, where the Steelers own the 20th pick in the first round.

The Steelers would love to acquire one of the top tackles in this tackle-rich draft to plug in on the right side and shift Broderick Jones over to the left side of the line.

But they also know Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, both left tackles, likely won’t be available to them.

That means they’re likely hoping Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State, Troy Fatanu of Washington or J.C. Latham of Alabama slips to the 20th pick.

Georgia’s Armarius Mims or Tyler Guyton of Oklahoma also would fill that desire, but both might need additional time before they’re ready to play. Mims, in particular, is inexperienced, having started only eight games in his college career and leaving four of those early because of injury or because the Bulldogs were blowing their opponent out.

He might have the most athletic upside of any of the tackles in this draft, but he’s also the riskiest given his lack of playing time and injury history.

And sometimes, it’s better to just hit doubles instead of swinging for the fences.

Given the moves the Steelers made this offseason, including the signing of quarterback Russell Wilson to a one-year deal, they’re in a win-now mode.

“I think every year we try and figure out, how do we get better and how do we get better as quickly as possible?” team president Art Rooney II said at the league meetings last month in Orlando. “I think that’s really the bottom line, to try to get better as quickly as possible.”

So, if none of the offensive tackles are available, what makes the Steelers better as quickly as possible?

It comes down to two players, Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean or Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton.

DeJean is talented enough to play safety or cornerback and also has experience as a slot corner. He also happens to be an excellent kickoff and punt returner.

DeJean would complete the Steeles’ defense and make them very dangerous. He played games at safety, cornerback, in the slot and even at linebacker at Iowa and had seven interceptions the past two seasons, returning three of them for touchdowns.

Barton, meanwhile, started at center his freshman season at Duke before moving to left tackle for his final three years because he was the team’s best offensive lineman.

At 6-5 and 311 pounds, he proved to be extremely athletic at his pro day, running a 4.95-second 40-yard dash and showing great feet in position drills and in the shuttles.

Like DeJean, he can play multiple positions.

“I think he has legit 5-position flexibility,” said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “He can move around and do different things. (He) played left tackle. I think he’s best at center, but he can survive at tackle if you need him to. I think he’s fully capable of playing guard, too. He’s the best (center) in space, change of direction, just overall athleticism. He’s really, really talented.”

Both DeJean and Barton should be available to the Steelers with the 20th pick, especially if the aforementioned offensive tackles all have been selected, which is very likely.

And either of those two players would offer the flexibility Khan craves while also offering the Steelers the ability to get better quickly that Rooney mentioned.

The Steelers have five legitimate needs heading into this draft – center, right tackle, wide receiver, slot corner and defensive line – they can then address with the remainder of their picks.

A second-round wide receiver such as South Carolina’s Xavier Legette, Florida’s Ricky Pearsall or Michigan’s Roman Wilson would make a lot of sense.

In the third round, if they don’t get a tackle in the first round, Notre Dame’s Blake Fisher or Brandon Coleman of TCU would compete right away for a starting spot at right tackle.

Options abound in each round in what is a talent-rich draft. But how it works out all will be determined by which direction they take in the first round.

Dale Lolley hosts The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.