Center is a crucial position that the team will probably seek eventually. Mason Cole was very inconsistent in his second season with the organization after signing a three-year contract in the 2022 summer. His passes were disorganized, and he lacked the toughness to overwhelm the opposition’s defense. Khan has every incentive to challenge the seasoned player head-to-head.
A top candidate for the role in the 2023 class is University of Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. Originally considered a second-round pick, he was a huge contributor to the high-scoring Ducks offense. Regretfully, for Steelers supporters who might be in love with him, the most reputable
When Yates asked Kiper to analyze who would be a “riser” on draft boards following the Senior Bowl workouts, Powers-Johnson was the first player he brought up. When Pittsburgh selected a center in the first round of the previous draft, Maurkice Pouncey went on to have ten fantastic seasons as a player. With so many needs, the issue then becomes: Would the Steelers be willing to replace Cole with Powers-Johnson by selecting him with the 20th overall pick?
Kiper didn’t stop raving about Powers-Johnson’s talent and expressed his genuine belief that he might be an excellent player in the NFL for a very long time. He had faith in his assessment.
Choosing a center in the first round could be a bit of a stretch given the needs at defensive line, cornerback, wide receiver, safety, and possibly even quarterback. There are a lot of talented candidates for the job; two more names to keep an eye on are Zach Frazier and Sedrick Van Pran. But considering Kiper’s noteworthy endorsement of Powers-Johnson, it’s difficult to remain neutral.
Cole was at an all-time low in 2023—it was astounding. Cole should not be in the starting lineup if the Steelers are serious about improving their offensive performance. Though he is regarded as an excellent leader, he hasn’t proved himself worthy of a third season as Pittsburgh’s starting center. Going for someone like Powers-Johnson in the first round would not be the most insane thing to do.
