Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan during the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Nick Shook of NFL.com recently tabbed one goal each AFC team must nail in the 2026 NFL Draft. For the Steelers, Shook thinks Pittsburgh must explore another option at left tackle.
With the uncertainty surrounding Broderick Jones‘ neck injury, offensive tackle could be a major need in the draft for the Steelers. The Steelers kicked off Phase One of their offseason program last week and Jones was seen participating with the rest of the team on the field. That is a good sign, but many are still skeptical about Jones as the long-term answer at left tackle.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan must decide next whether to pick up Jones’ fifth-year option by May 1. The price tag for his fifth-year option is $19.072 million.
“General manager Omar Khan has done a commendable job of rebuilding Pittsburgh’s offensive line over the last few years, and depending on who you ask, the Steelers might be just fine up front. With a starting defense that is largely settled (and surprisingly deep at the second and third levels), Khan should direct his attention toward the blocking unit, especially if he’d like to maximize a backfield that includes Jaylen Waddle, Rico Dowdle and Kaleb Johnson,” Shook wrote. “The position I’m targeting: offensive tackle, where Broderick Jones isn’t cemented into his starting job on the left side. Bring in some competition and further raise the standard up front. It might be especially necessary once the Steelers are forced to turn toward a younger quarterback after 2026.”
Shook has the Steelers selecting Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling at No. 21 overall in his mock draft 1.0.
“Broderick Jones could be facing a prove-it year in 2026, which will be the final season of his rookie contract if the Steelers choose not to exercise his fifth-year option — and he’s coming back from a neck injury. Replacing one Georgia tackle with another might feel like flying too close to the sun, but Freeling is the best remaining OT available and has guard-like quickness that should represent an upgrade over what Jones brings to the field,” Shook wrote.
Freeling played in all 14 games with five starts at left tackle in 2024. in 2025, he was named Second-team All-SEC, playing in all 14 games with 13 starts at left tackle.
Freeling , who stands at 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, ran a 4.93 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He also posted a 1.71 in the 10-yard split, 33.5″ vertical jump and 9′ 7″ broad jump. Freeling has an arm length of 34 3/4’” and 10 3/4′” hand size.
He scored an impressive 9.99Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 2 out of 1638 OT from 1987 to 2026.
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) celebrates with offensive lineman Monroe Freeling (57) after a touchdown catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Nov 28, 2025. — Brett Davis / Imagn Images
Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Ryan McCrystal of Sharp Football has the Steelers selecting Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller at No. 21 overall in his latest mock draft. McCrystal had the Steelers landing Alabama offensive lineman Kaydn Proctor in his previous mock.
“The Steelers are still trying to decide if Broderick Jones is their long-term left tackle. They’ll have to decide on his fifth-year option soon. Adding a lineman with versatile traits like Kadyn Proctor or Max Iheanachor might be a good way to approach this selection. They both have the traits to play guard and could probably win a job over Spencer Anderson immediately,” McCrystal wrote. “But they also played tackle in college, and might push for Jones’ job now or down the road. If they want a more traditional left tackle to compete with Jones, Clemson’s Blake Miller might be the ideal fit.”
Miller, who stands at 6-foot-7, 317 pounds, started 54 consecutive games at right tackle during his four-year career (2022–2025) at Clemson.
At the NFL Combine, the Cleveland-area native recorded a 5.04 in the 40-yard dash, 1.75 in the 10-yard split, a 32 vertical jump, 9′ 5″ broad jump and 32 reps on the bench press, which was set at 225 pounds. Miller had an 83 Athleticism Score test, which was the best among offensive tackles, according to Next Gen Stats.
The Steelers have brought in three offensive tackles for pre-draft visits — Markel Bell of Miami, Travis Burke of Memphis and Spencer Fano of Utah
Mentioned In This Article: 2026 NFL Draft Broderick Jones Omar Khan Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers Steelers News