Best available players on the board as the Pittsburgh Steelers head into Day 2 of the NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have completed Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft, adding Washington OT Troy Fautanu with the 20th overall pick. Many talented prospects remain available on both sides of the ball at several position groups as Day 2 gets underway. The team has three picks heading into Day 2: No. 51 (second-round) and Nos. […]

Rob Gregson — NFL News Writer
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Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (5) catches the ball for an first down against Kansas State Wildcats cornerback Jacob Parrish (10) in the. First quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, November. 4, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have completed Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft, adding Washington OT Troy Fautanu with the 20th overall pick. 

Many talented prospects remain available on both sides of the ball at several position groups as Day 2 gets underway. The team has three picks heading into Day 2: No. 51 (second-round) and Nos. 84 and 98 in Round 3.

Here are the best available players remaining at each position for the Steelers:

Running back

  • FSU RB Trey Benson
  • Texas RB Jonathon Brooks
  • USC RB MarShawn Lloyd
  • Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen
  • Clemson RB Will Shipley
  • Michigan RB Blake Corum
  • Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright
  • Notre Dame RB Audric Estime
  • Kentucky RB Ray Davis

Pittsburgh is unlikely to take a RB at all in the draft, much less on day two but the crop is deep and will likely see their fist selection come off the board sometime in the 50's. 

Wide receiver

The position Pittsburgh will look to address early on day two, there are plenty of viable options to be had after players AD Mitchell and Ladd McConkey fell out of the first round. 

Tight end

  • Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott
  • TCU TE Jared Wiley
  • Ohio State TE Cade Stover
  • Texas TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
  • Penn State TE Theo Johnson
  • Iowa TE Erick All

The Steelers need another TE like they need a hole in their helmet but we know new OC Arthur Smith isn't opposed to a variety of tight ends, meaning you can't rule one out.  

Offensive tackle

  • Houston OT Patrick Paul
  • TCU OT Brandon Coleman
  • Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie
  • Notre Dame OT Blake Fisher
  • Penn State OT Caeden Wallace
  • Washington OT Roger Rosengarten
  • Pittsburgh OT Matt Goncalves
  • BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia 

After taking their tackle in round one, it would be nothing short of shocking to see Pittsburgh go the same route on day two. The tackle run was notable in the first round, with Pittsburgh taking one of the best, 

Interior offensive line

  • Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson
  • West Virginia OL Zach Frazier
  • UConn OL Christian Haynes
  • Kansas State OL Cooper Beebe
  • Kansas OL Dominic Puni
  • Boston College OL Christian Mahogany

Right behind WR is the need for Pittsburgh to address center, and it just so happens that two of the best are available via Jackson Powers Johnson and Zach Frazier. Getting either one of them may be a challenge at even 51 however. 

Defensive end

  • Western Michigan DE Marshawn Kneeland
  • Washington DE Bralen Trice
  • Penn State DE Adissa Isaac
  • Utah DE Jonah Eliss
  • CSU DE Mohamed Kamara
  • UCLA DE Gabriel Murphy
  • Houston Baptist DE Jalyx Hunt
  • Alabama EDGE Chris Braswell

We know Pittsburgh believes in building strength on strength, meaning it would be difficult to rule out a round-three selection of a pass rusher, especially one like Penn State's Adissa Isaac. 

Defensive tackle

  • LSU DT Maason Smith
  • Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr.
  • Michigan DT Kris Jenkins
  • FSU DT Braden Fiske
  • Oregon DT Brandon Dorlus
  • Clemson DT Ruke Orhorhoro

DT is the heart of the team, but if Brandon Dorlus or Braden Fiske slip into round three, it's going to be tough to pass up on either of them as the team searches for their next Cam Heyward. 

Linebacker

With a need for depth at LB and none going in round one, Payton Wilson or Edge Cooper would be a little rich for the Steelers in the second round but not one that you scoff at. 

Cornerback

  • Iowa CB Cooper 
  • Georgia CB Kamari Lassiter
  • Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa
  • Rutgers CB Max Melton
  • Michigan CB Mike Sainristil
  • Mizzou CB Kris Abrams-Draine
  • Kentucky CB Andru Phillips
  • FSU CB Renardo Green
  • Notre Dame CB Cam Hart
  • Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
  • Washington State CB Chau Smith-Wade

The fact that Cooper DeJean fell out of the first round is fairly surprising, and I don't expect him to last very long into round two. Pittsburgh would need to pull of a big trade to land him.  

Safety

  • Minnesota S Tyler Nubin
  • Georgia S Javon Bullard
  • Texas Tech S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
  • Utah S Cole Bishop
  • Washington State S Jaden Hicks
  • Georgia S Tykee Smith

With all of the safeties on the board, I expect Pittsburgh to take a look in round three at the earliest, but even that seems rich given the team's offseason signing of DeShon Elliott. 

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