2023 NFL Draft Steelers address biggest

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Almost instantly, the ' 2023 draft was hailed by many as a slam dunk succe s. If you didn't know any better, you would think that the cla s the Steelers just a sembled will one day rival Pittsburgh's fabled 1974 rookie cla s that yielded future Hall of Fame players.OK, it's safe to say Jaelen Strong Jersey  that the Steelers' recent draft cla s won't rival the '74 cla s in terms of gold jackets worn and championships won. But they may very well add to the franchise's collection of hardware when it's all said and done.A nine-win team the past two years, the Steelers appear to be poised for their first season of double-digit wins since 2020. Pittsburgh's rookie cla s, a group headlined by first-round pick and second-round pick , will surely play an integral role in a potential playoff run for the black and gold this season.Now that the dust has settled, here's a closer look at what the Steelers didn't do in the 2023 , as well as the one thing GM Omar Khan and Co. definitely got right.  No skill position players draftedThat's right. For the first time , the Steelers did not select a running back, a quarterback or a receiver during the draft. Pittsburgh did sign former Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan and former San Diego State running back/receiver/returner Jordan Byrd as undrafted free agents.As Mike Tomlin noted during his post-draft pre  Duke Johnson Jersey ser, the team's recent acquisition of former Pro Bowler made receiver le s of a priority leading up to the draft. Allen is now part of a solid receiving trio that also includes former Pro Bowler and last year's rookie standout . Byrd, who scored touchdowns at four different positions in college, will try to earn one of the last spots on the roster while competing against , and , among others.The Steelers' running game could have used some new blood via the draft. Injuries limited third stringer to just three games over the past two seasons. Master Teague, who recently re-signed with the Steelers, is also coming back from an injury that sidelined him for the entire 2022 season. , the only running back currently on the roster, hasn't played in a regular season game in two years.  While the Steelers' depth at running back could be better, there's no reason to sweat about Pittsburgh's quarterback situation behind and . As noted earlier, the Steelers picked up Morgan after the draft, and they will add a fourth quarterback to the mix sometime between now and the start of training camp. Elite quarterbacks may be hard to find, but backup quarterbacks are anything but.Addre sed each of their biggest needsLike a weekend shopper succe sfully checking off their grocery list, the Steelers' bra s systematically checked off everything on their proverbial pre-draft wish list. Pittsburgh did so in succe sion, starting with offensive tackle when they traded up three spots to acquire Jones with the 14th overall pick.Jones and the Steelers are a match made in football heaven. Tomlin acknowledged Jones' lack of starts at Georgia when he called him a "Diaper Dandy" shortly after drafting him. Jones' lack of experience in college was likely one of the reasons why he wasn't the first offensive tackle taken off the board. But in Pittsburgh, Jones doesn't have the pre sure of starting right away. He will instead be asked to fill the team's current need at swing tackle while playing behind .  Ozzie Newsome Jersey and .  Not even the most optimistic mock draft had Porter still being available when Pittsburgh was on the clock with the 32nd overall pick. But to the surprise of pretty much everyone, Porter was still available after the 31st pick was submitted on Thursday night. The Steelers, after fielding calls for the 32nd pick, ultimately decided to take the hometown kid in Pittsburgh.The addition of Porter also fills a void in Pittsburgh's defense that was left by offseason departure. Porter's arrival may open the door for to switch positions from cornerback to free safety. That will allow to move from free to strong safety.With their next pick, the Steelers checked off the next item on their list: interior defensive line. They did so by taking , one of the top-ranked interior defensive  Cleveland Browns Jersey lineman prospects in the draft. Benton was the first of two former Wisconsin Badgers defenders the Steelers selected in the draft. The second was outside linebacker , the younger brother of Pittsburgh offensive lineman .  Of all the Steelers picks, Herbig may be the one with the biggest upside. He had 20 sacks, 30 tackles for lo s and two forced fumbles during his final two seasons in Madison. Like Jones, Herbig isn't tasked with being an immediate starter. Instead, he will be asked to provide quality depth behind and while also cutting his teeth on special teams.Don't worry, we didn't forget about one of the other underrated picks of the Steelers' draft. Like Porter, not many people thought former Georgia tight end would still be available late in the third round. But there he was, all 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds of him, when the Steelers were on the clock with the 93rd overall pick. Pittsburgh didn't hesitate and moved quickly to draft Washington, who embraces blocking the way offensive linemen embrace all you can eat buffets."I think the awesome thing about him besides his measurables is his mindset," Tomlin said of Washington, Kareem Hunt Jersey  whose blocking helped Georgia average over 205 rushing yards per game last season. "Here's a guy that I think maybe has 'sixth offensive lineman' on his license plate. He embraces the things that come with being who he is, and knowledge of self and embracing that I think is one of the things that made him attractive, besides the unique physical traits and the things that he's been able to accomplish. The mindset, the willingne s, too, is equally exciting."  Pittsburgh capped off the draft by adding more depth at cornerback and offensive line. In Jr., the Steelers acquired a big, physical defensive back who had a knack for making big plays during his time at Purdue. Their final pick, , thrived at Maryland while getting starts at guard, center and tackle over the past two seasons.Time will ultimately determine whether or not the Steelers' 2023 draft was a succe s. But it certainly has the potential to be one of the better ones for a franchise that has a slew of notable drafts over the past 50-plus years.