Steel City Underground presents our 2024 Steelers Recall: a look back at Pittsburgh Steelers games and storylines from last season.
Following the first two days of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be on a roll with the selections of two offensive linemen with their first two picks (Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier) and continuing with another addition on offense with Michigan WR Roman Wilson before also adding the top-rated linebacker of the draft, N.C. State’s Payton Wilson.
On the third and final day of the event, the Steelers utilized their remaining three picks to fill other remaining holes on their roster. They would also add several intriguing prospects as undrafted free agents after the draft. Here’s a look back at those players.
The Steelers were serious about creating an offensive line that can truly contend in the NFL, as the addition of G Mason McCormick in the fourth round matched a franchise mark of using three of their first five NFL Draft selections on offensive line (in the same draft) for the first time since they chose Ray Pinney, James Files, and Ron Coder in 1976 (per Michael Bertsch of Steelers.com).
The 6’4″, 309 pound guard scored an unofficial 9.96 out of 10.0 RAS (relative athletic score, combine rank 7 out of 1445 OGs from 1987-2024 (per Mathbomb at RAS Football). McCormick also ranked as the second-most athletic guard prospect at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Some of McCormick’s strengths include 57 consecutive starts for the 2023 Missouri Valley (FCS) Champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits. A player with no injury history, McCormick was viewed as a depth pick to backup veteran James Daniels with the eventual plan to takeover once Daniels’ contract expired following the 2024 season.
In hindsight, the pick was wise, as Daniels would suffer a season-ending injury in a Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts. McCormick would slide in as the starting right guard for the remainder of the season. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked McCormick 87 out of 135 qualified guards overall, with a higher pass blocking grade (63.2) than run blocking grade (53.7). However, PFF would only attribute two penalties and two sacks to McCormick in 17 games (14 starts).
Not shabby for a rookie from a smaller school.
The Steelers would sit out of round five without a selection, before wrapping the draft with two sixth round picks. The first of those selections would be Iowa DL Logan Lee, who was taken 178th overall. As a defensive tackle throughout 2023, the former Illinois (Orion, IL.) state wrestling champion (who played tight end and defensive end in high school), recorded 55 tackles (19 solo), 5.5 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks, 3 pass breakups, one QB pressure, and one blocked kick his final season at Iowa.
Position versatile, the 6’5″, 281 pound defensive lineman offered the Steelers a depth piece to learn behind Cameron Heyward. He was ranked as the fifth-best defensive tackle in athleticism at the Combine.
Lee’s fit would be best as a 3-4 DE or a DT, but is a built more like a big EDGE linebacker. Durability was key, as Lee started three straight seasons for the Hawkeyes without missing a single game. Unfortunately, Lee and his counterpart sixth round pick, Ryan Watts, would miss the majority of the 2024 NFL season without taking a snap in a regular season game.
Watts, the final pick for the Steelers at 195th overall, played at Ohio State before transferring to Texas for the 2022 season. The Longhorns cornerback missed some time due to a back injury in 2023, but still recorded 38 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and a TFL. In 2021 (with the Buckeyes), he led the team with two INTs.
Many analysts predicted Watts moving to safety, which is where the prospect landed during offseason workouts. He appeared to have a knack for special teams play and was poised to be a selection to bolster Danny Smith‘s unit.
Though neither of the sixth round picks would provide meaningful contributions during the 2024 season, the Steelers would find an undrafted gem among the players they signed as free agents in the days following the event.
West Virginia cornerback Beanie Bishop was an older rookie at 24 years old, who began his collegiate career with Western Kentucky. He would enter the transfer portal and play for Minnesota before transferring again, this time to West Virginia.
With the Mountaineers Bishop would become an AP second-team All-American in 2023. He registered the most pass breakups and passes defensed (20) in the nation while adding four interceptions and 67 tackles to his resume.
Bishop was instantly penciled in as a potential fit for the Steelers starting slot corner spot, a a position they did not address in free agency or the draft. The team had played Mike Hilton, Arthur Maulet, and Chandon Sullivan as their nickel corner in recent years after parting ways with Mike Hilton. As it would turn out, Bishop would start six games for the Steelers in 2024, appearing in all 17 games with four interceptions. Famously, two of those picks came off the arm of Aaron Rodgers.
Georgia running back Daijun Edwards hoped to match the addition of incumbent back Jaylen Warren, who also landed in Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent. Edwards had a similar path to the NFL as Warren, as a four-year player and two-time national champion with the Georgia Bulldogs.
In 51 games played, Edwards gained 2,083 rushing yards, but made his largest impact last season where he ran for 881 yards (5.4 average) and scored 13 rushing touchdowns. Edwards showed some promise in the pass game as well, catching 20 balls in 2023 for 197 yards.
Edwards was among the final cuts at the end of the preseason and is now a member of the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Allouettes.
The final notable undrafted acquisition was a quarterback: Central Florida’s John Rhys Plumlee. A player with elite athletic traits, the five-year collegiate player drew comparisons to New Orleans Saints hybrid player Taysom Hill due to his ability to pass, run, and catch the football.
Plumlee began his college career with Ole Miss, where he topped 1,000 yards rushing and scored 12 touchdowns on the ground as a freshman backup quarterback. He would also play as the Rebels’ starting centerfielder during his freshman baseball season.
Plumlee’s production dipped during his sophomore season playing behind starter Matt Corral. He would lineup as a wide receiver over the next two seasons, converting over fully for his junior year, catching 19 passes for 201 yards. From there he would enter the transfer portal and was named the starting quarterback at Central Florida.
Over his next two seasons with UCF, Plumlee would complete 63% of his passes for 4,857 yards and 29 touchdowns (to 16 interceptions.) He finished his last two seasons with quarterback ratings of 134.5 and 150.5. Plumlee would continue to punish teams with his legs too, rushing for 1,367 yards and 16 touchdowns over those two seasons.
The versatility of Plumlee is what made him attractive to the Steelers. With a quarterback room full of three one-year contracted passers, taking a shot on Plumlee cost the team nothing but a spot in camp. Plumlee also offered Pittsburgh an opportunity to mimic opposing AFC North quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, or Joe Burrow on the scout team.
Plumlee impressed the team enough to warrant playing time in the preseason, albeit not much. The Steelers would waive Plumlee at the end of the preseason, but he would soon sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars to their practice squad, where he would remain until mid-November. Upon his release, Plumlee joined the Seattle Seahawks practice squad, where he stayed for the rest of the season. Seattle re-signed Plumlee as a wide receiver in January.
2024 Steelers Season Recall: Draft Day 3 yields starters on both sides of the ball appeared first on Steel City Underground.