NFL mock drafts have sent the Pittsburgh Steelers several different players at No. 17 in the first round. That theme will probably continue up until the very last moment before the draft begins.
That’s what Sports Illustrated’s Noah Strackbein argued, but he also wrote in his latest mock draft that “new faces have appeared” to become “favorites” for the Steelers at No. 17. That new favorite, according to Strackbein, is Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee.
“One thing is for sure, the Steelers have loved Bryan Bresee this entire draft period,” Strackbein wrote. “They spent a good chunk of time with him at his Pro Day, invited him in for a pre-draft visit and there was once reports claiming he was one of two players they “loved” at pick 17.”
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com called Bresee a “burly but athletic interior tackle who plays with a strong desire to get past the man in front of him.”
How Bresee Fits With the Steelers
NFL draft experts have largely called cornerback and offensive tackle Pittsburgh’s biggest areas of need this offseason. But defensive line depth is an area of need too.
Bresee would fill that hole for the Steelers. Strackbein argued that Bresee is an attractive draft prospect because he will be able to make at least a small impact on an NFL team in 2023.
“Bresee comes to Pittsburgh with the ability to play immediately to some degree, and down the line develop into a star for either Cam Heyward or Larry Ogunjobi,” Strackbein wrote. “Pittsburgh struggled with depth last season, but won’t have that problem in 2023.”
The latest NFL draft rankings from The Athletic and Pro Football Focus each gave Bresee a first-round grade. The Athletic has Bresee ranked as the No. 17-best prospect in the 2023 draft class.
That puts him right in line to the Steelers at No. 17 overall.
“Bresee isn’t your run-of-the-mill 300-pounder,” the PFF draft guide says. “He can really move and is even capable of playing outside the tackles.”
A big, but athletic defender would infuse some much needed young talent along the Steelers defensive line.
Cons to Drafting Bresee at No. 17 Overall
The Clemson defensive tackle, though, doesn’t come without risk. Zierlein wrote that he “currently lacks the rush sophistication and shed technique to make more plays in the backfield.”
Zierlein also implied that Bresee lacks experience. He played just 25 games at Clemson because of a COVID restrictions his freshman year and an ACL tear during his sophomore season.
The ESPN draft experts consider Bresee a better option for the second round. The ESPN big board has the Clemson defensive tackle ranked the No. 43 overall player in the class.
With the Steelers set to make their second pick at No. 32, perhaps Bresee is a better choice early on Day 2 of the draft for general manager Omar Khan.
The Steelers, though, could be stuck in “no-man’s-land” with their No. 17 pick. An ideal scenario for the Steelers would be one of the top offensive tackles or cornerbacks falling to No. 17, but Strackbein wrote that is “hard to imagine” happening.
Because of that, rumors have spread that the Steelers could trade up in the first round. The most popular rumor has the Steelers moving to No. 9 due to a trade with the Chicago Bears.
If one of the top tackles or cornerbacks does drop a little on draft night, a trade up could certainly work for the Steelers. But it depends on how the draft board unfolds.
Should the Steelers stay at No. 17, Bresee certainly appears to be a possibility.
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Steelers Connected to ‘Burly but Athletic’ Defensive Prospect