The 2024 NFL Draft is now in the rearview mirror. After a flurry of selections from April 25 to April 27, 257 players were selected to join the NFL.
With that, we give you our full recap of the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ draft, with analysis on every selection the team made during the weekend and an in-depth look at their top pick.
For more information on the players your favorite team drafted, it’s not too late to get the 2024 NFL Draft Guide, which includes expanded scouting reports, draft grades, offseason reports, unique advanced data, PFF grades and much more.
Click here for more draft tools:
2024 Mock Draft Simulator | 2024 Big Board | 2024 Draft Guide
2024 Player Profiles | 2024 Mock Drafts | NCAA Premium Stats
2024 Draft Picks
- 1 (20): T Troy Fautanu, Washington
- 2 (51): C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
- 3 (84): WR Roman Wilson, Michigan
- 3 (97): LB Payton Wilson, NC State
- 4 (119): G Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
- 6 (178): DI Logan Lee, Iowa
- 6 (195): CB Ryan Watts, Texas
Fautanu — There have been questions about whether Fautanu will play inside or outside in the NFL, but he may have landed at the most likely spot where he can play left tackle, his natural position. Fautanu ranked 15th on PFF’s final big board and fifth among all FBS tackles this past season in PFF pass-blocking grade (88.2).
Frazier — Frazier was a four-time state high school wrestling champion, and that background has led to great handwork and body control. His 84.6 PFF grade since 2021 ranks third among FBS centers, and he owns just a 2.27% pressure percentage allowed over the same span.
Roman Wilson — The PFF big board pegged Wilson as an early second-rounder. He is an effortless separator with great hands, as evidenced by his one drop on 67 targets and 90th-percentile separation percentage. He easily slots in as a replacement for Diontae Johnson to create explosive plays downfield.
Payton Wilson — The news of Wilson’s not having an ACL in one knee explains the fall for a first-round talent. If it weren’t for that recent news, this would be an elite grade. Wilson’s grading profile was excellent in 2023 with an 89.9 overall grade and a 90.4 in coverage. If the lack of an ACL doesn’t prevent him from playing in the NFL, Wilson has everything you want in a linebacker: length, intelligence and athleticism. His health is the biggest question mark.
McCormick — The Steelers continue to build up the offensive trenches, grabbing their third lineman on Day 3. Since 2022, McCormick has earned a 90.3 PFF grade, the best among all draft-eligible FBS guards.
Lee — Pittsburgh adds Lee to an interior group that ranked 11th against the run last season. He ranked fifth among Big Ten defensive tackles in run-defense grade (80.4) and fourth in quarterback pressures (28).
Watts — The Steelers add some size at the cornerback position with Texas’ Ryan Watts, who allowed just one touchdown from 267 coverage snaps and brings the physicality Steelers fans will love. Watts put up an 84.9 run-defense grade over the last two years, second among Big Ten cornerbacks in that span.
DRAFT GRADE: A+
Rookie Spotlight: T Troy Fautanu, Washington
Scouting summary
Fautanu is one of the best athletes in this offensive line class. His flexibility, agility and coordination could allow him to play meaningful reps at all five offensive line spots, but his long-term home is likely at guard or center.
He has fast hands for flashes, repositioning and first contact. He also has a motor that never quits and looks to finish defenders whenever he can.
Fautanu's aggressiveness is good to see, but it can get him in trouble. He tends to overextend when punching and oversetting in pass protection. His power profile is good only when he has momentum. His lack of lower-half weight shows up when he is asked to anchor.
Wins above average
WAA represents the number of wins a player is worth over an average college football player and is a metric evaluators can utilize to assess performance.
It combines how well a player performed in each facet of play (using PFF grades) and how valuable each facet is to winning football games. The result is a first-of-its-kind metric that allows for cross-positional valuation and predicts future value at the player and team levels.
How Fautanu ranks in the stable metrics
While Fautanu might not have been the most prolific offensive lineman, his foundation and measurables give him a great opportunity to develop at the next level.
The Washington tackle finished above the 87th percentile in the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jump. While his 50th-percentile pass-blocking grade might not look great, he still posted a respectable 3.4% pressure rate since 2020.
The bottom line
Fautanu is a true athlete of an offensive lineman with starting-caliber traits for center or guard. His movement skills would be a big plus in a zone-blocking scheme.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.