The Pittsburgh Steelers have filled a lot of the holes on their roster this offseason, but they still have some issues. While quarterback is their most obvious need, they could still use some offensive line help. Specifically, it’s unclear who their starter at left guard will be after Isaac Seumalo left in free agency. The Steelers signed Brock Hoffman, but he’s not guaranteed to start. Brian Baldinger thinks Pittsburgh should jump at the opportunity to draft Penn State’s Vega Ioane in the first round, if he gets to them.
“Not only is he the best interior offensive lineman in the draft, and I think he’s the best offensive lineman in the draft, he’s my favorite player in the draft,” Baldinger said recently on his Best Football Show podcast. “He’s got unusual power. If you think about last year’s draft, Tyler Booker went to Dallas in the first round. You look at what Seattle did with their first-round pick, Grey Zabel.
“I think Ioane is better than both of those players. Ioane is going to make a difference wherever he goes. In fact, I can’t see him getting past Pittsburgh. To be honest with you right now, I just don’t see it. They have just lost their left guard, also a Polynesian in Isaac Seumalo, and there’s a hole in Pittsburgh’s offense line. Ioane, if he would survive to when Pittsburgh picks, I can’t see it.”
Ioane has been frequently linked to the Steelers throughout the pre-draft process. Baldinger isn’t exaggerating his abilities, either. He started 32 games at Penn State from 2022-2025 and displayed good power and intellect during that time. He looks like he could be an instant starter in the NFL.
However, as Baldinger says, the issue will be if Ioane slips to the Steelers’ first-round pick at 21. There are plenty of teams ahead of them that could use his services.
Last year, the Dallas Cowboys drafted Booker with the 12th pick, and the Seattle Seahawks took Zabel with the 18th pick. Baldinger thinking Ioane is better than both those players makes it seem unlikely that he’ll fall to the Steelers. However, guard is one of the more undervalued positions in the draft. Some of the top players there have fallen down the board in the past.
Former Steeler David DeCastro is a good example. It didn’t seem like there was any chance that he would slip to Pittsburgh’s pick at 24 in the 2012 draft, but he did, and he became one of the best guards in the league. Perhaps something similar could happen with Ioane.
The Steelers have rebuilt their offensive line in recent years. They’ve spent a lot of draft capital there, and many of those picks have panned out. Landing Ioane could solidify that group as one of the NFL’s best for years to come. While taking another lineman might not be the most exciting pick in the world, the Steelers would be hard-pressed to pass on Ioane.