Mock Draft Predicts Steelers to Make Trade Up for 1,600-Yard Receiver

Getty A mock draft predicted a blockbuster trade for the Pittsburgh Steelers to move up and draft Rome Odunze

After a very successful start to the 2024 NFL offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have some pressure on them to finish filling out their starting lineup in the draft.

They still need to add a center, an offensive tackle, and a wide receiver.

One new mock draft predicts they’ll make a blockbuster move to address that last need.

In his April 4 mock draft for Pro Football Network, Brian Blewis predicted that the Steelers will make a huge splash in the first round. He proposed a trade that would see Pittsburgh send picks 20, 51, and 84 to the Bears in exchange for the draft’s ninth pick.

He then predicted they’d use that pick to land former Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.

Rome Odunze’s Last 2 Seasons Were Huge

Odunze wasn’t a huge contributor in his first two seasons at Washington.

In 13 games over those two seasons, Odunze made just 47 catches for 487 yards.

Then he went off over the last two years, establishing himself as one of college football’s best receivers.

Odunze had a breakout 2022 campaign for the Huskies. He made 75 catches for 1,145 yards and 7 touchdowns during his junior season.

Odunze’s performance earned him a spot on the All-Pac 12 First Team.

He followed that up with a monster senior season.

In 2023, Odunze made 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns for a Washington offense that averaged the 13th most points in college football and led the Huskies to the national title game.

The 1,640 yards were the most in the country.

They also earned him a consensus nomination to the 2024 All-American team.

He followed that dominant season up with a strong performance at the combine. Odunze finished with the second-best time in the 20-yard shuttle and the fourth-best time in the 3-cone drill.

He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds and showed off a 39-inch vertical.

Odunze is seen as an elite prospect and is probably even better than what Steelers fans have been hoping for at the position this offseason.

Overkill for the Steelers

There is no doubt that the Steelers need to get themselves a wide receiver before the start of the 2024 season.

They are set at WR1 with George Pickens after he racked up 1,140 yards.

However, they don’t have much to work with beyond that.

Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, and Cordarrelle Patterson are the next receivers up on the depth chart and none of them reached 250 yards last season.

That has left them needing a WR2 that can fill Johnson’s role.

Odunze would be a whole lot more than that.

In most draft classes, Odunze would be the obvious top option at the position after putting together such an absurd college career.

In this class, he’s going to be an opportunity for somebody because of how much talent there is at the position.

If the Steelers were to draft him, he wouldn’t just be brought in to be the WR2. He’d be real competition for Pickens’ top spot on the depth chart.

That might be more than they need after hiring Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator. He has been one of the league’s most run-heavy coaches, consistently having his team run more than 400 times in a season.

That could make it difficult to find enough targets for Pickens and Odunze.

The Steelers would be left with quite a few other major unaddressed needs that they couldn’t take care of if they made this move, but it would be a whole lot of fun to watch Pickens and Odunze being thrown to by Justin Fields or Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh.