There’s a growing trend surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, and it has nothing to do with the team’s quarterback situation. In his latest NFL mock draft, Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings proposed the Steelers trading up to select Alabama right tackle JC Latham.
In the mock draft, Cummings predicted the Steelers to send the No. 20 overall pick, the No. 84 selection and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the No. 17 selection and a 2025 sixth-round choice. The Steelers then landed Latham at No. 17 overall.
“In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers traded up from No. 17 to No. 14 to take Broderick Jones,” Cummings wrote. “In this 2024 NFL Mock Draft, they trade up to No. 17 for Alabama’s JC Latham, sniping him ahead of Cincinnati.”
“Latham is a near blue-chip prospect on my board, whose acquisition is a two-fold victory for Pittsburgh. He’s a menacing blocker who also allows Jones to move to the left side.”
This was the second mock draft over the past week that predicted the Steelers to move up the draft board for an offensive tackle. CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards projected the Steelers to trade up four spots to draft Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga.
According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, Pittsburgh landing either tackle in the middle of the first round would give them good value. Jeremiah has Fuaga ranked No. 11 among all prospects available in the 2024 class.
Latham is rated at No. 13 on Jeremiah’s big board.
“Latham is a massive right tackle. He has an enormous power base and taps into it in both the run and pass games,” wrote Jeremiah.
“Overall, Latham doesn’t have ideal foot quickness or awareness, but his size and physicality are very tantalizing.”
Steelers to Repeat 2023 Strategy?
The Steelers will likely continue to be a trade up candidate for an offensive tackle in mock drafts because the team traded up last year. In the 2023 draft, the Steelers dealt their No. 17 and No. 120 overall picks to the New England Patriots for No. 14 overall.
That trade allowed the Steelers to jump the New York Jets, who were rumored to be interested in Jones.
Cummings’ proposed trade does the same thing. It would leap the Steelers ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, who could be interested in Latham.
As Cummings argued, the Steelers drafting Latham does more than just repeat history from last year. It builds off Pittsburgh’s 2023 first-round choice.
With Jones and Latham, the Steelers would, theoretically, have two franchise starting offensive tackles. Furthermore, with Latham, Jones could move back to left tackle, his more natural position.
The Steelers picking Latham would also move incumbent starting left tackle Dan Moore into a reserve role. He has been inconsistent in three seasons as a starter. Also, Moore’s rookie contract expires after 2024.
JC Latham versus Taliese Fuaga
The 2023 draft wasn’t the first time in recent memory the Steelers were aggressive about filling a need in the first round. They also traded up from No. 20 to 10 in the 2019 NFL draft for Devin Bush.
Then the Steelers traded their 2020 first-round selection altogether for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Steelers made another move up the board. The question is whether they will do it for either Fuaga or Latham.
The Bleacher Report draft experts have Latham rated as a better prospect than Fuaga. However, ESPN, PFF and Jeremiah gave Latham the slight edge.
Both are elite tackle prospects. But will the Steelers find either one worthy of giving up additional draft capital to secure?
Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims has been a popular choice for the Steelers in mock drafts. The team has also been connected to centers Jackson Powers-Johnson and Sedrick Van Pran.
Any of those prospects offer a potential upgrade for Pittsburgh’s offensive line.
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Proposed Trade Gives Steelers ‘Two-Fold Victory’ With ‘Massive’ RT