The Pittsburgh Steelers start the 2022 NFL season next week in Cincinnati against the defending AFC champions. The Steelers are coming off a Wild Card appearance despite being last defensively against the run, an offensive line that leaked like a sieve, and an aging much maligned Ben Roethlisberger that only led the NFL in come from behind victories. According to the NFL talking heads on multiple networks, Mitch Trubisky or Kenny Pickett will be an upgrade over an aging Hall of Fame signal-caller, so the Steelers should be headed for a successful season.

Omar Khan is introduced as the Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager at a press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Friday, May 27, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)

Pittsburgh had a productive off-season and Omar Khan is off to a great start as a general manager. He has pulled off some savvy free agent signings and trades, but the mark of greatness for the front office in Pittsburgh is the NFL Draft. Kevin Colbert was great at finding wide receivers, he drafted Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu and spent 10 years looking for and missing on defensive backs in the draft.

Khan will be judged over the next few season’s draft classes and filling the Steelers needs in April. College football kicks off in earnest this weekend, so here are some way too early potential draft targets that could really help improve the black and gold in 2023. Assuming the Steelers are drafting in the late teens, early twenties, these are the potential top players who should be available:

Beebe is a redshirt junior who has started 21 games over the last two seasons. He is the youngest lineman to ever be named First Team All Big 12. Pro Football Focus has him on their preseason All-American Second Team. At 6’3″ and 329 pounds, he will fly a little under the radar because it is unlikely his team will enjoy national attention. A young stud left tackle is just what the doctor ordered as it would allow Dan Moore Jr. to shift to right tackle where he is better suited to help the team.

Vorhees is a sixth-year senior at USC and will be 24 when he enters the NFL Draft. He has started at both guard positions and tackle in college. His versatility will be appealing and according to Pro Football Focus, he is the second ranked interior offensive lineman in the country. He is a preseason First Team All-American at guard, and he seems to fit the mold of a player who can fill multiple positions for the Steelers as a plug and play talent.

Devin Bush is probably not coming back to the Steelers no matter how successful a 2022 campaign he puts together. Myles Jack is going to make fans very happy this season with his play. Campbell is a 6’5″ thumper, and he was also an accomplished basketball player in high school. He is a senior and is already very good in pass coverage. Offensive line is the team’s biggest need, but the opportunity to get a top tier linebacker named Jack is in the Steelers wheelhouse.

Johnson is a 6’3″ safety and is a preseason First Team All-American. He is a junior, but was second on the team in tackles and fourth in tackles for loss. His ability to make plays in the running game is especially attractive considering he would be paired with Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers brought back Terrell Edmunds, but Johnson was All-SEC Second Team last season as a sophomore and has the potential to be a special player in the Pittsburgh defense.

The Steelers have drafted play-makers in the last few drafts, and they have mostly hit with Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, Najee Harris and the current crop of outstanding rookies. The defense is elite, but if upgrades present themselves naturally, the Steelers should strongly consider impact best player available over need. However, it has been a decade since Pittsburgh drafted David DeCastro in the first round of the NFL Draft. The offensive line is the worst unit on the team, and it is time for the streak to end.

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Who are your way too early draft targets? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.

I have been rooting for the Steelers actively since 1975. I love the Black and Gold and support them through thick and thin. I am a Navy Veteran, living in Jacksonville, FL and never miss a chance to go to the neutral site games here in Jacksonville. I am new to the Steeler Nation website, but I love discussing Steelers Past, Present and Future.

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