Steelers’ 2024 Day 3 Draft Picks
Saturday brought the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, and three additional draft picks for the Steelers; one in the fourth round and two in the sixth round.
Mason McCormick - OL from South Dakota State
Much to the dismay of many Steeler fans, the Steelers selected G Mason McCormick in the fourth round, 119th overall. The twitter/x GMs of Steeler Nation are of the mindset that we should’ve selected a DB with that pick. After the IMMACULATE day one and day two that the Steelers had in the draft, you would’ve thought that the sky was falling down in Pittsburgh at the start of day three with all of the criticism of this pick.
Admittedly, my knowledge of Mason McCormick is limited to his impressive performance at the combine, and what I have read about him today. With that being said, I’m not one of those fans that’s disappointed with this pick. I’ll start with the obvious reason why: I’m not an NFL scout or GM. I’m a blogger. I trust Omar Khan. Additionally, this notion that we needed to jump the gun on a DB in this draft is just flat wrong, in my humble opinion. Clearly, the Steelers’ brass agrees with me. This draft should serve as a clear indication of how Khan and Tomlin feel about Darius Rush, Cory Trice Jr., and Donte Jackson; and I agree with them. I understand the concern for Trice’s health, but if - and I realize that’s a MASSIVE if - he’s able to stay healthy, I think the Steelers’ secondary could rank in the top ⅓ of the league.
As for the selection of Mason McCormick, Steelers’ offensive line coach Pat Meyer indicated that the team wanted to continue to get youthful along their offensive line. McCormick will join James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo in the competition for the starting guard position in 2024. I call that great depth at an important position.
Logan Lee - DE from Iowa
With the second pick in the sixth round, 178 overall, the Steelers selected Logan Lee, a defensive tackle from Iowa. Former captain of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Lee proved to be durable during his tenure, starting in 41 straight games. That durability was certainly on the minds of Khan and Tomlin when they made this pick, as they looked to add some young depth at a position that struggled when Cam Heyward missed several weeks due to injury in 2023.
Logan Lee figures to be a big help in the run game, and could add some splash on special teams, considering he blocked a couple of field goals during his time at Iowa. While Lee has strong hands and frame, he lacks the explosiveness necessary to make him a significant factor as a pass rusher, hence why he was available in the sixth round. He joins DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and Dean Lowry in the battle for a spot on the 53-man roster. We’ll see what defensive line coach Karl Dunbar is able to squeeze out of him.
Ryan Watts - DB from Texas
Now, I know I just said earlier on in this soliloquy that the Steelers didn’t need to jump the gun on a DB in this draft, and I meant it. With that being said, I’m glad we took one, and I’m glad it was Ryan Watts. A buddy of mine is a big Texas fan, so I was actually aware of this kid and excited when I saw he was joining the black and gold. The Steelers got him with the 195th overall pick, in round 6 of the draft.
I don’t think Ryan Watts is going to make a good OUTSIDE corner at the NFL level. To put it bluntly, he will get COOKED by speedsters on the outside. However, he plays the game of football strong and angry, and he has a ton of length. I can see him becoming a special teams ace, and I suspect he’ll line up in the slot a lot, particularly in run packages and against tight ends. At Texas, he spent a lot of time blitzing out of that slot corner spot as well. Watts can be coached into a very serviceable piece for the Steelers for years to come, and you couldn’t ask for a better way to end the draft, in my opinion.
The Steelers won the draft, I can promise you that. More on that tomorrow.
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