Halicke: Offensive tackle the priority in draft for good reason

We're just two weeks away from the start of the NFL Draft, and the Steelers still have some needs to address. Among those needs could be an upgrade at offensive tackle. Fortunately for the Steelers, tackle is quite deep in this year's class, and it could be the position taken when the team picks 20th overall in the first round.

Of course, there are positions that require more attention than tackle, including center and receiver. We've already taken a deep dive into three of the top centers in this draft, and fortunately for the Steelers (again), receiver is a position rich with talent this year. They could find someone that could make an impact as a rookie maybe even as late as the third round.

But there is a reason why tackle is a high priority on the South Side, and it's actually quite simple. It's much more difficult to find good tackles than it is to find a good center. Tackle is also a more important position, and if a team can find the right ones through the draft, it also saves a ton of cap space, as well. 

Based on conversations I've had with team sources, tackle is the priority in terms of scouting. In fact, from what I've been told, coaches such as offensive line coach Pat Meyer have been instructed to heavily scout right tackles. So, it's clear that if the Steelers have their way with the first round of the draft, they'll be selecting a tackle, preferably one to play the right side. That also suggests, if the Steelers have their way, that Broderick Jones would move over to the left side, as Omar Khan said he would eventually do when he addressed reporters back in February.

Of course, there's always a caveat to be noted when aiming for any position in the draft. No team should handcuff themselves to one position in any round. For the Steelers especially, tackle may not work out for them in the first round. That might create an opportunity to pivot to address center, receiver or any other position that could appropriately fit "best player available" while also adding to a spot on the roster that makes sense.

But again, if the Steelers have their way, they'd love to get a right tackle in the first round of this year's draft. This year's class of tackles is quite deep, which presents the Steelers with an opportunity to get another quality tackle, despite having to pick in the latter half of the first round. That's not always guaranteed.

Therefore, let's take a look at three options for the Steelers in the first round, along with a snapshot of a few Day 2 options in case the quest to get a tackle on Day 1 doesn't work out.

TALIESE FUAGA
Oregon State

Notre Dame's Joe Alt is the consensus for the best tackle in the draft, but he's played exclusively on the left side. Thus, that makes Taliese Fuaga the top-ranked right tackle on Pro Football Focus' big board, and pretty much one of the best tackles in the entire class.

Fuaga is a seasoned player, starting exclusively at right tackle for the past two seasons at Oregon State, along with 14 games as a reserve in 2020-21. In 2022, his first season as a starter, Fuaga was named second-team All-Pac-12 while starting all 13 games. He followed that up with an even better performance in 2023, being named second-team AP All-American, first-team All-Pac-12 and was named as a finalist for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. During those two seasons, Fuaga played 1,510 snaps and didn't allow any sacks.

On the surface, Fuaga fits the Steelers' mold in a lot of ways. He's an imposing figure, standing 6-6 and weighing 334 pounds. And, he plays with a disposition that anyone who dons the black and gold would love. He's most accomplished as a run blocker and has a true finisher’s mentality. In other words, he's a bully in the running game.

Fuaga possesses exceptional athleticism for a man his size, which allows him to be versatile in either gap/man or zone concepts. Above, Fuaga shows his ability to move laterally and make a punishing block in outside zone, which meshes with Arthur Smith's wide zone system in Tennessee and Atlanta.

In pass protection, Fuaga doesn't have ideal length and his stride length is limited, but his athleticism and sound footwork really makes up for it. He has very sound technique in pass protection, perhaps even better than Jones had coming out of Georgia a season ago. He has a strong anchor and a wide base, which helps combat bull rushes. He's also quite good with his hands in pass protection. 

Fuaga can be a bit overaggressive in both run blocking and pass protection, the latter of which can leave him vulnerable and scrambling in recovery mode. But, he's improved in this area.

Beyond the surface, Fuaga made quite an impression when the Steelers hosted him for one of their 30 allotted pre-draft visits. Per a team source, the Steelers were thoroughly impressed by Fuaga, which makes him a favorite in the first round.

The problem is that Fuaga could very well be off the board by the time the Steelers are on the clock at 20th overall. There's a good chance Alt and Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu are selected before Fuaga, but there are no guarantees after that. Getting Fuaga may require a trade up. But, as we saw with Jones last year, Khan might be more than willing to part with the necessary assets to get a player they truly love. Should Fuaga be anywhere in the Steelers' range, don't be surprised if a trade up happens.

JC LATHAM
Alabama

Latham was a five-star recruit out of Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha, Wis., and played three seasons under Nick Saban at Alabama. He's spent the past two seasons as the starting right tackle, and was named second-team AP All-American and first-team All-SEC in 2023.

At 6-6 and 335 pounds, Latham is good size for right tackle, but he also has 35 1/8-inch arms, which puts him well above the 50th percentile at the position in height, weight and length. Latham combines that size with surprising athleticism and the ability to move like a player much smaller than he is.

Unlike Fuaga, Latham isn't quite as accomplished as a run blocker, but he's more than good enough to immediately improve the Steelers' run blocking. He can be a bit overzealous and overreach at times, but once he's on a block, it's pretty much been game over for the defender:

While a player of Latham's size should perhaps be a bit stronger, he shows here how capable he is of being a people-mover in run blocking. That'll work just fine, no matter the scheme. And, he's a devastating combo blocker.

Latham's value really lies in his pass protection. His foot speed and overall coordination are truly impressive, and he couple that with superb hand usage and hand speed. This allows him to maintain good balance while sticking with rushers trying to go around him to get to the quarterback.

Watch this compilation of pass protection reps:

These reps show how Latham finds different ways to win reps. But, one thing that's consistent is how he remains patient with his hands to bait pass-rushers. He makes the defender make the first move, and Latham is quick enough to react accordingly. 

If there's a weakness to Latham in pass protection, he can get beaten by bull rushes. That comes with struggles to anchor at times, but coaches believe they can refine that kind of stuff.

Because of Latham's upside in pass protection, it's very possible that Latham could be taken higher than Fuaga, maybe even sneak into the top 10. But, in case he doesn't, the Steelers would most likely run to the podium should Latham be available at 20th overall. Don't count on that happening, but Latham might be another tackle worth a trade up.

AMARIUS MIMS
Georgia

Mims is a bit of a different prospect than Fuaga and Latham. While Mims was a five-star recruit out of high school, there's a bit of uncertainty regarding his game as he prepares to make the leap from college to the NFL. However, he may have the highest ceiling of the entire class.

Mims is built like an NFL tackle, standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 340 pounds with 36 1/8-inch arms. He couples that great size and elite length with eye-popping athleticism, strength and decent technique with his hands.

Here's a cut up of some exceptional reps, displaying his abilities in a variety of ways:

My personal favorite is the second play where he's able to get out in space quickly and pay a punishing block. Somebody who's that large who can move like that is worth consideration. Even with that athleticism, I like Mims more in gap/man schemes over zone. He's stronger on his blocks in gap/man while he is a bit inconsistent at getting to the second level while moving laterally.

Mims is intriguing for a lot of very valid reasons. The biggest reason for any hesitation is a significant lack of experience. He only started eight games for Georgia, logging only 682 snaps. Even though he played in the SEC, that lack of experience cannot be overlooked. 

Because of the lack of experience, Mims is not a polished product by any means. One thing that really leapt out at me while watching his tape is some clunky footwork in pass protection. For as smooth as he is while running in space, the footwork in pass protection needs to be refined. He's very combative with his hands, but he still needs some work in that area, too.

You'd think these issues could be coached out of him, especially given his lack of experience. He is only 21 years old, so there's a good chance he could turn into something special. If the technique ever catches up to his physical tools, Mims could far and away become the best tackle in this class.

But, Mims' lack of experience puts him atop my second-tier of tackles in this class. My first tier includes Alt, Fashanu, Fuaga, Troy Fautanu and Latham. When there's a significant level of uncertainty with a prospect, that puts him further down the draft board.

That doesn't mean Mims isn't worth a first-round pick. If the Steelers are confident they can coach this kid up, then he may be the best choice of the bunch. And, the Steelers have done their due diligence on Mims. Tomlin, Khan and Smith were all at Georgia's pro day, and the Steelers hosted Mims for a pre-draft visit. Reasonable expectations for Mims is that he takes some time to develop into his potential.

Mims should be available at 20th overall, unless some team in the first 19 picks is head-over-heels in love with him. Should all the other tackles be off the board at this point, Mims might be the best choice, depending on what other players are available at receiver, center, cornerback or defensive line.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma: Guyton is a former defensive end and didn’t start playing offensive tackle until he got to college, but that helps make him a rare athlete for the position, especially when you also consider his 6-8, 322-pound frame. His inexperience is still visible on tape, which make him either a late Day 1 or early Day 2 selection.

Even with some very visible inconsistencies with his hand usage and footwork, his natural physical ability is evident. Guyton’s foot speed and stride length for a player of his size are impressive. That allows him to mirror pass rushers without overextending. If the Steelers are in any trade-down scenario, this could be a guy they entertain later in the first round. 

• Kingsley Suamataia, BYU: At 6-5 and 326 pounds, Suamataia is a bit undersized for an NFL tackle. But, he's an impressive athlete with extraordinary explosiveness and power in the running game. He has the ability to displace defenders, whether he's blocking in gap/man or zone concepts. That's something that could attract the Steelers.

Suamataia has decent footwork in pass protection, but he doesn’t move laterally as well as he does forward. While Suamataia is versatile, having played exclusively right tackle in 2022 and exclusively left tackle in 2023, his technique is still somewhat raw and inconsistent. His hand usage is definitely a work in progress. There's some coaching up to do here, which makes him a projected second-round pick.

• Blake Fisher, Notre Dame: Fisher is a two-year starter at right tackle. At 6-6 and 310 pounds, Fisher is known for using his power both as a run-blocker in pass protection. He has a wide, strong base that allows him to generate a ton of power through his lower half.

Fisher would be a good Day 2 addition should Smith deploy more gap/man concepts in his offense. Fisher is an exceptional blocker in combo/Duo. Fisher's foot speed is a bit limited, and because of that, which makes for some issues when facing the speed that some of the better edge rushers possess at the NFL level. If Fisher can find ways to stay in front of these outside rushes without over-pursuing, he could be a nice find in the third round.