Best, worst-case first-round picks for Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers currently own the No. 20 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

It is difficult to project how the board will fall come Thursday night, so here are the best and worst-case first-round picks for Pittsburgh.

Best case: Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham

The Steelers invested their first-round pick (after a trade-up) in last year's draft in offensive tackle Broderick Jones. However, Jones spent his rookie season at right tackle while Dan Moore Jr. was on the left side and allowed eight sacks.

Pittsburgh has said several times that it intends to move Jones back to his primary position of left tackle. Landing a plug-and-play right tackle in Latham would allow the team to do just that.

Latham may be gone by the time the Steelers are on the clock as he ranks as the fifth-best offensive tackle and No. 18 overall prospect on Pro Football Focus's big board. If not, however, it's a no-brainer.

The massive 6-foot-6, 342-pound offensive tackle, whose nickname is "Trench King," allowed just two sacks in 2023.

Worst case: West Virginia center Zach Frazier

It's no secret that Pittsburgh's biggest need is at center, having not added one since releasing 2023 starter Mason Cole earlier this offseason.

Per The Athletic's Mark Kaboly, head coach Mike Tomlin said of the position class that "after a couple centers in the draft, it will likely not be plug and play."

Tomlin seems to be referring to Duke's Graham Barton, Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson and Frazier.

It seems unlikely that Barton and Powers-Johnson would go before pick No. 20, but if that's the case, the Steelers may be forced to reach on Frazier in Round 1.

Frazier isn't a bad player by any means, but many believe he should be a second-round pick as he ranks as the third-best center and No. 33 overall prospect on PFF's big board.

Plus, there are still some medical concerns as he is coming off a fractured fibula that he suffered in the final game of the season at West Virginia.