Skoronski was dominant at times against Nebraska in Week 0, and if preseason is any indication, the Steelers' biggest weakness will be along the offensive line. This feels like a no-brainer.
I thought about drafting a cornerback here, but for Kenny Pickett and Najee Harris to be their best versions of themselves, they're going to need to make sure the offensive line is operating at a high level. The team liked Dan Moore and Chuks Okorafor enough this past offseason to skip addressing the position with newcomers, but Jaelyn Duncan would be a hard addition to pass on. He's got size, length, and athleticism—all the makings of an impact starter on the offensive line.
The Steelers remain weak at offensive tackle with Dan Moore Jr. starting on the left side. They need to much better protect franchise passer Kenny Pickett with smooth, smart and agile blocking and Skoronski would work well, like former Northwestern standout Rashawn Slater for Justin Herbert and the Chargers.
With Rashawn Slater opting out of the 2020 season, Skoronski immediately stepped in as a Day 1 starter at left tackle for the Wildcats. The grandson of former Packers OT Bob Skoronski is fundamentally and technically sound, with the athleticism and movement skills to stay outside, but he may be ideally suited to shift inside given his lack of length.
The Steelers might have their next franchise QB already on the roster in Kenny Pickett. He also might not be in the bullpen very long — Mitchell Trubisky hardly has the No. 1 job locked down. Either way, the next step in that process for Mike Tomlin and company will be to further fortify everything in front of their quarterback.
Skoronski needs a big year in 2022 to cement himself as the top offensive lineman in this class. Even then, it might not be enough to crack the top 10 — there are length concerns; he's not quite the athlete Rashawn Slater was, although there are similarities. The good news: He looked dominant in Northwestern's impressive season-opening win against Nebraska last week in Ireland.
Pittsburgh has done a nice job of adding an influx of young talent to their offense over the past few offseasons. They presumably have their franchise quarterback, running back, receiver, and tight end but have neglected to build up their offensive line. Starting tackles Chuks Okorafor and Dan Moore are massive question marks at this stage, so adding a player like Paris Johnson Jr., who is oozing with upside, makes a ton of sense.
There isn't a Derek Stingley Jr. or Ahmad Gardner in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, the 6'2" and 205-pound Kelee Ringo is a size/speed freak, recording a 4.35 40-yard dash in high school. He doesn't allow receivers to stack him vertically, and he has the ability to squeeze opponents toward the sideline.
Drafting this early would be uncharacteristic for the Steelers, so how do they take advantage? Skoronski has a well-rounded skill set and shows consistency as both a run-blocker and pass-protector. He has played primarily offensive tackle at Northwestern, but there will be a debate about whether he is a guard or tackle at the next level. Regardless, Pittsburgh could use help all over, and that versatility would be welcome. Only the Dolphins had a worse pass block win rate than the Steelers' 48.8% last season, which isn't an ideal situation for Kenny Pickett once he takes over as the starting QB.
