The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Who will the Steelers take when the NFL Draft kicks off Thursday in Detroit?

Over the last several days, rumors have kicked up that Pittsburgh is still talking to San Fransisco about trading for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Other reports have also surfaced that the Steelers could sign a free agent center.

It’s unknown if those things will happen, so at the moment the Steelers’ biggest needs in the draft remain getting a No. 2 wide receiver to play alongside George Pickens, a center and an offensive tackle.

Below is who I think the Steelers might go with in this year’s draft based on their needs.

Round 1, No. 20: Graham Barton

Barton kind of kills two birds with one stone for the Steelers. They need both a center and an offensive tackle. The former Duke offensive lineman gives you both. He played left tackle and center in college. He was a two-time first-team All-ACC left tackle for the Blue Devils the last two seasons. Due to injuries, he started six games at center his freshman season. Barton likely plays center for the Steelers this year because they still have Dan Moore at left tackle for one more year.

This gives the Steelers the option to draft a center-guard combo later in the draft where they can get better value or sign a veteran center in free agency who is near the end of their career. This move also gives the Steelers the luxury to consider drafting a true center in next year’s draft and moving Barton over to tackle after Moore leaves. Selecting Barton also gives the Steelers extra depth on the offensive line because of his ability to play two positions at a high level. If he’s available at No. 20, I believe the Steelers will take him.

If the Steelers don’t make a trade for Aiyuk, then I believe this is where they will find their No. 2 wide receiver. Legette is a perfect fit. At 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, he’s a strong receiver who likely won’t mind run blocking, since Pittsburgh plans to lean on the running game a lot more in 2024. He also fits the mold of large wideouts that excel in Arthur Smith’s system and would pair nicely with George Pickens.

Legette averaged 104.6 yards per game last season, which was second in the SEC. He led all Power 5 wide receivers with five 50-plus yard catches in 2023. Overall, he had 1,255 yards on just 71 catches for South Carolina and scored seven touchdowns.

If the former Clemson linebacker is still on the board when the Steelers’ first of two third-round picks comes up, I believe they will scoop him up here. When the Steelers came to Clemson’s Pro Day on March 14, head coach Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan spent a lot of time talking to Trotter. He has very instinctive skills, which he uses to his advantage. He is also very studious, another advantage he has over his opponents.

As a starter the last two seasons at Clemson, he recorded 177 total tackles, including 28.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He also had four interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. He was responsible for breaking up 14 passes overall. He is the son of former Philadelphia Eagles star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who played in the NFL for 11 seasons.

The Steelers are still in need of a slot receiver and there are reports that former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd is still in play. However, Luke McCaffrey is a good fit here. The younger brother of San Fransisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Luke has a unique skill set similar to Steelers greats Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El. Like Ward and Randle El, he began his college career as a quarterback at Nebraska and then transferred to Louisville.

He finally ended up at Rice, where he moved to wide receiver—the same position his dad, Ed McCaffrey, played in the NFL. A natural at the position for obvious reasons, Luke caught 71 passes for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns, while averaging 14.0 yards per catch. Though he’s only played wide receiver for two years, he is a savvy route runner with good hands and adjusts well to off-target throws.

Round 4, No. 119: Leonard Taylor

With Cam Heyward nearing the end of his career in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are looking for someone to come in and sit behind the All-Pro interior lineman for a year or two before taking over Heyward’s role. Taylor could be a good fit in Pittsburgh. Though he did not reach his full potential at Miami, Taylor’s athletic ability and physical tools standout. However, he still needs to improve his technique and fundamentals. He has the physical strength to beat anyone in front of him, but he does not always use his hands and feet properly.

Round 6, No. 178: Josh Proctor

Proctor is an older player thanks to his extra COVID year. He had a great final season at Ohio State, where he recorded 47 tackles, broke up eight passes and had one interception. At 6-foot-1, Proctor has a long and athletic frame, which will bode well for him at the NFL level. Also, since he is an older player, that should help him be in position to make the roster. The Steelers need a backup safety and Proctor fits the bill. Proctor is a good tackler and run defender. He uses his instincts and experience to make up for his speed when in coverage.

Round 6, No. 195: Daequan Hardy

Hardy is a perfect fit in the Steelers’ nickel scheme. He has the perfect size and speed (4.3 40-yard dash) to play the position in the NFL, especially for Pittsburgh, which has always preferred the smaller and faster corners in this role. It also helps Hardy that he went to Penn State and even better that he grew up in Pittsburgh. He has above average ball skills, but he makes up for it with his explosiveness. He was a special teams standout at Penn State. He can make the team initially as a punt returner and/or as a gunner. He returned two punts for touchdowns for the Nittany Lions in 2023 and already has experience as a gunner.