Steelers Draft: Top 5 Realistic Second-Round Targets

Getty There are a lot of strong prospects, including center Jackson Powers-Johnson, still available for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to wait until the 19th selection of the second round to make their next pick. But with plenty of top-rated prospects still on the board at the end of the first round, the Steelers have a good chance of landing another impactful player.

In a perfect world, the Steelers will address another one of their offensive needs. That’s what general manager Omar Khan did with the selection of offensive tackle Troy Fautanu at No. 20 overall.

But there could be a few intriguing defensive options as well for the Steelers when they make their next pick at No. 51.

Here are 5 of the more realistic second-round options for Pittsburgh:

C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

Along with offensive tackle Amarius Mims, who the Cincinnati Bengals drafted at No. 18 overall, Powers-Johnson was the most popular choice for the Steelers in NFL mock drafts this offseason.

A lot of those mocks predicted the Steelers to grab Powers-Johnson at No. 20. But late in the draft process, the Oregon center appeared to see his draft stock fall. Then on April 25, he wasn’t selected in the first round.

Powers-Johnson is one of a few centers in the 2024 draft class that could start immediately. The Steelers should be searching for a starting center on Day 2.

“Overall, Powers-Johnson is a young, inexperienced prospect who burst onto the scene this season as a first-time starter thanks to his elite blend of size, athletic ability, power and toughness that he used to dominate competition,” Bleacher Report’s Brandon Thorn wrote. “He does have a few technical aspects of his game to clean up, but his physical traits and makeup should allow him to start right away at either center or guard without being dependent on scheme while providing Pro Bowl potential within his first contract.”

C Zach Frazier, West Virginia

The Steelers do not have a natural center currently on their 2024 roster. Therefore, it would be very prudent of Khan to grab a center on Day 2 capable of starting right away.

With that in mind, Frazier is another potential target.

“Frazier is an experienced center-only prospect with adequate size, solid athletic ability and very good play strength that he combines with high-level football intelligence and competitive toughness to run the show pre-snap, lead and find ways to get defenders blocked in a variety of schemes,” Thorn wrote. “He projects as a long-term, dependable starter at the pivot.”

But to land either Powers-Johnson or Frazier, the Steelers may need to trade up in the second round. The consensus draft rankings from Pro Football Focus and Bleacher Report have both centers ranked among the top 30 prospects in the class.

It’s possible Powers-Johnson and Frazier will both be early second-round picks. If that’s the case and the Steelers don’t trade up for one of them, they may have to settle for Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran later in the draft.

According to some draft boards, Van Pran is a significant step down in talent from the top centers in the class.

WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

Like center, the Steelers will enter Day 2 of the draft with a significant need at wide receiver. George Pickens is the only wideout currently on Pittsburgh’s roster who had more than 210 receiving yards last season.

So, if the best center options are gone, the Steelers could easily turn to receiver in the second round. The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly projected the Steelers to target Corley in his mock draft on April 22.

“The Steelers brought in six receivers for pre-draft visits, and they were all in the second-round projection range,” Kaboly wrote. “Considering how deep this draft is at receiver, the Steelers’ hot spot of selecting wideouts on Day 2 and their obvious need at the position, Corley would fit well.

“Corley, 22, had a monster year as a junior with 101 receptions for 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns. He came back and proved himself again by catching 79 passes for 984 yards and 11 more scores last season.”

Kaboly named Michigan’s Roman Wilson another receiver Pittsburgh could target in the second round.

Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey and Florida State’s Keon Coleman will still be on the board to begin the second round as well. However, they aren’t expected to be available for long on Day 2.

CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

The first cornerback didn’t come off the board in the 2024 NFL draft until No. 22 overall. There was a small run on the position in the final 10 picks of the first round, but there are a lot of elite cornerbacks still on the board.

Lassiter is the most likely cornerback option for Pittsburgh. Kaboly mentioned Lassiter as a potential target for the Steelers in the third round. But depending on how the board unfolds, Khan probably wouldn’t hesitate to grab Lassiter in the second round if he believes in the Georgia cornerback.

The Steelers saw a lot of turnover at cornerback in NFL free agency. If they target the position in the second round, it will be for a player they anticipate eventually starting opposite Joey Porter Jr.

“Lassiter is considered a hard worker and self-made football player,” Kaboly wrote. “He didn’t have an interception last year but did have 15 passes defended.”

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. connected Lassiter to the Steelers in the first round early in the draft process. But Kaboly argued Lassiter’s draft stock fell after his below average combine performance.

Other cornerbacks to watch on Day 2 include Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., and T.J. Tampa.

DL Braden Fiske, Florida State

Center and wide receiver are clearly the top remaining needs for the Steelers. It’s difficult to argue that cornerback wouldn’t be next.

But if the Steelers address a position group other than those three in the second round, defensive line could be the choice. Cameron Heyward is closing in on the end of his career, and Pittsburgh could use another young prospect to pair with 2023 second-rounder Keeanu Benton.

Fiske, who the Steelers showcased a lot of interest in during the draft process, is an intriguing potential choice.

“Fiske will be criticized for his lack of length and 31-inch arms, which don’t seem to fit what the team traditionally looks for,” Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora wrote. “But his production is there, with nine tackles for loss and six sacks a year ago.”

If he continues to fall, Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton, who was a potential first-round pick heading into the draft, is another possible target for the Steelers.