Seventh in a daily series leading into the 2020 NFL Draft, April 23-25:
The offensive tackle position is a good news/bad news proposition for the Steelers.
The good news is that they have their top four players at the position coming back for 2020. The bad is that three of those four players -- Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler and Zach Banner -- are set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
Chuks Okorafor, a third-round draft pick in 2018, could battle Banner for the starting right tackle job if Feiler, the team's starting right tackle the past two seasons, kicks inside to left guard to replace Ramon Foster. But he could be the team's lone NFL-caliber player on the roster at tackle at the conclusion of next season.
And with Villanueva, the team's starting left tackle, set to turn 32 in September, the Steelers might want to add some talented young depth to the position.
That could be a goal for the Steelers in next week's NFL Draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday.
This year's draft class is considered a deep one in offensive tackles, with as many as six or even seven having the potential to be selected in the first round. Unfortunately for the Steelers, they don't have a first-round pick, having sent that to Miami last year as part of the deal to acquire safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
That means players such as Jedrick Willis of Alabama, Mekhi Becton of Louisville, Tristan Wirfs of Iowa and Andrew Thomas of Georgia are expected to be long gone, with all expected to be selected in the top 20 picks.
"I have four top-20 guys in my opinion, but I think there's a little bit of separation between those top three and then Andrew Thomas," said NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
And then there is a little bit more separation between those four and the next group of offensive tackles expected to be taken, Houston's Josh Jones, Boise State's Ezra Cleveland and Austin Jackson of USC. But given the dearth of talented offensive linemen in the NFL, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see all seven go in the first round, or certainly before the Steelers make their first pick at No. 49.
That doesn't mean they should necessarily be out of the offensive tackle market -- just that they should likely not take one in the second round.
But with three selections from picks 102 to 135, the Steelers could look to add another talented young blocker to add to the mix.
Prince Tega Wanagho of Auburn and LSU's Saahdiq Charles could be available at one of those spots, but Charles, in particular, comes with some negative check marks. Though talented, he had numerous off-field issues at LSU, enough to get him suspended for the first six games of last season for positive drug tests.
The NFL has eliminated suspensions for positive marijuana tests, but Charles' multiple positive tests are troubling.
If the Steelers are looking for a high-upside tackle at one of those spots, Ben Bartch of NCAA Division III St. John's Minnesota could be a nice pickup.
A tight end in high school, Bartch didn't get a single Division-I offer. But he blossomed at St. John's moving to offensive tackle after his sophomore season as he grew into his 6-foot-6, 309-pound frame.
"The summer after my sophomore year, I was asked to switch to the offensive line," Bartch said. "I would get up at 5 a.m. and would have to go work as a strength coach at a local high school. In order to get my breakfast in — I didn’t have time to eat the full carbohydrates and proteins I needed. My friend had a NutriBullet, so I would scramble seven eggs, a big tub of cottage cheese, quick grits, then peanut butter and banana and Gatorade. I would throw it all in and plug my nose. I’d gag sometimes, but that’s what you have to do.”
NFL teams aren't gagging over his play. Bartch showed at the Senior Bowl he can play against top college competition, and though he might need a redshirt year to adjust to the NFL, his size and athleticism are special.
The draft has some potential late-round diamonds in the rough, as well, including West Virginia's Colton McKivitiz, Jack Driscoll of Auburn and Charlie Heck of North Carolina.
There could be as many as 20 offensive tackles taken in this draft who are legit NFL prospects, not just big guys who are projects.
"Offensive tackles, it is a very strong draft for them," Kevin Colbert said. "That is kind of where the draft heads in modern day football because the way they are playing in high school and college."
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