Pittsburgh Steelers draft picks 2023: Round-by-round selections

nate davis and jim reineking, usa today

Sun, Apr 30, 2023, 12:43 AM·2 min read

Here is a 2023 NFL draft pick-by-pick breakdown for the Pittsburgh Steelers:

Round 1 (No. 14 overall, from Patriots) — Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: Pittsburgh vaults the Jets, conspiring with the AFC East rival Patriots, to snag the lineman very likely in Gang Green's crosshairs. Probably this draft's premier pass blocker, the 6-5, 311-pound All-SEC performer capably guarded QB Stetson Bennett IV's blind side the past two years as the Bulldogs won a pair of national title. Now Jones, 21, upgrades a Steelers line that's needed a boost for some time, QB Kenny Pickett and RB Najee Harris immediate beneficiaries. Draft tracker

Round 2 (32, from Bears) — Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State: With the pick acquired from last year's trade of WR Chase Claypool comes just the proper overlap of talent, need and serendipity required to bring the son of former Steelers OLB Joey Porter back to the Steel City. Porter Jr. dropped Thursday, failing to become the inaugural first-round defensive back in Nittany Lions history. But the All-Big Ten star is big (6-3, 193) and physical and should be a long-term solution to a secondary that lost CB Cam Sutton in free agency and is counting on soon-to-be 33-year-old Patrick Peterson. Rarely tested in 2022, Porter didn't allow a TD pass last season. Draft tracker

Round 2 (49) — Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin: Some interior beef to suck off some blocks from DE Cam Heyward and OLB J.J. Watt, but don't discount Benton's quickness, either. The third-team All-Big Ten player created plenty of havoc last year with 4½ sacks and 10 TFLs. Draft tracker

Round 3 (93, from 49ers through Panthers) — Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia: At 6-7, 264 pounds with 4.64 speed, he's an imposing red-zone target who can also effectively serve as a swing tackle. (For further proof, check out Washington's one-handed stab on the boundary during combine workouts.) Draft tracker

Round 4 (132, from 49ers through Panthers) — Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin Draft tracker

Round 7 (241, from Vikings through Broncos) — Cory Trice, CB, Purdue Draft tracker

Round 7 (251, compensatory from Rams) — Spencer Anderson, G, Maryland Draft tracker

Pittsburgh Steelers' last five top draft picks: