The Pittsburgh Steelers will begin the second round of the 2023 NFL draft with the first selection of the night. The team won’t have a shortage of options with the pick at No. 32 overall.
It’s common for very good prospects to be available early in the second round. This year, several players with first-round grades did not hear their names called on Day 1, making them available for the Steelers at No. 32.
General manager Omar Khan could go a number of different ways with the pick. Here are five of the top options he possesses for the No. 32 selection:
CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
This one is rather obvious. Porter was rumored to be a target for the Steelers at No. 17.
In fact, during late February, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah simply stated that the Steelers should easily “run up the card” to draft Porter if he was still available for them in the middle of the first round.
But the Steelers traded up from their No. 17 pick and passed on Porter for offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Then, Porter fell all the way out of the first round while four other cornerbacks went off the board.
With Porter at No. 32, the Steelers would fill arguably their biggest need coming into the draft with a player most draft experts considered a mid-first round pick.
“Porter is a tall, extremely long and technical press corner who runs well and uses physicality to reroute receivers,” ESPN’s Steve Muench wrote. “He has good playmaking instincts, but his ball skills appear to be just average. He knows when to peel off to provide help in zone coverage.
“He’s inconsistent keeping outside contain and finishing as a tackler, but he’s aggressive and physical in run support.”
S Brian Branch, Alabama
Branch is smaller in stature than Porter, and the Steelers did not invite the Alabama safety on a pre-draft visit.
However, Branch is arguably a better fit for the Steelers defense. Branch is a more versatile defensive back, having the ability to play both safety and cornerback. He is also an impressive run stopper.
He could be quite a force playing next to safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and help replace versatile cornerback Cameron Sutton, who left for the Detroit Lions in free agency.
“Equally athletic and physical, Branch has terrific short area quickness with the pattern recognition and run/pass anticipation to match up in a variety of ways,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote. “Though you wish he was bigger, his lack of size wasn’t a deterrent on tape, and he posted a high batting average as a tackler in college (an elite 2.3 percent missed tackle rate).
“Overall, Branch might not have elite size/speed measurables, but he is above average in almost every other category NFL teams covet with his well-rounded game to run, cover and tackle.”
Edge B.J. Ojulari, LSU
The Steelers may have a new general manager, but their defense is still built to beat opponents by placing pressure on the quarterback. Teams with that strategy can never have enough edge rushers.
Ojulari is arguably the top pass rusher still available. Brugler ranked him the No. 33 player on his big board before the draft began.
The LSU product needs to work on his run defense, but draft experts claim he’s ready to make an impact as a pass rusher immediately.
“Stand-up rush linebacker with upside as a pass rusher but inconsistent effort stopping the run,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “Ojulari possesses all the tools necessary to start for an NFL team once he adds a bit more polish to his game.”
TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
There are a lot of tight ends available heading into Day 2 of the NFL draft. Other than Washington, the Steelers could target tight ends Michael Mayer from Notre Dame or Luke Musgrave from Oregon State.
Or they could wait until later on Day 2 to target a tight end. It’s a deep class at the position, and the Steelers have other bigger needs.
However, Pittsburgh invited only one tight end on a pre-draft visit, and that was Washington. In a perfect world, he’s likely the team’s preferred tight end choice in the draft.
It’s not hard to see why. With the Steelers, Washington would give quarterback Kenny Pickett another talented pass catcher, especially in the red zone.
“The leanest 270-ish pounds I have ever seen on a football field, Washington executes different kinds of blocks with his athletic range and the physical hands to control, drive and steer defenders,” Brugler wrote. “As a receiver, he gives his quarterback a massive catching target and swallows the football, although his long legs can get tied up on redirection routes or when making sharp cuts out of breaks.
“Overall, Washington will need time to mature in areas, but he offers a unique set of skills to be a weapon as an NFL blocker as he continues to ascend as a pass catcher, especially in the red zone. He is a one-of-one talent with fascinating pro potential because of his rare length, play strength and body flexibility at his size.”
Trade Down to Acquire More Draft Capital
The unprecedented run of four straight wideouts coming off the board late in the first round means wide receiver probably doesn’t offer much value for the Steelers at No. 32.
So, rather than presenting a wide receiver, the best option to complete this list may be a trade back in the second round.
The Steelers have four draft picks in the top 80. But after that, they won’t pick again until the No. 241 selection in the seventh round. The Steelers had the No. 120 pick, but they dealt that to the New England Patriots to move up for offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
A trade back would help the Steelers recoup some of the lost draft capital early on Day 3. And if they don’t move back too far, some of the players on this list could still be available.
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Steelers Draft: Top 5 Options at Pick No. 32