The Pittsburgh Steelers made an aggressive move by trading up in the 2023 NFL Draft. For Mike Tomlin, the trade was an impressive investment into the Steelers continued growth.
Pittsburgh, who originally had the No. 17 overall pick, traded up to No. 14 with the New England Patriots. They promptly took Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Tomlin got to know Jones through the NFL Draft process and thinks the Steelers got a player to build around in their newest OT, via Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“He's an extremely talented guy,” Tomlin said. “We were excited about him, really, at every step of the process. We had dinner with him the night before the pro day, we had a chance to spend time with him in his environment.”
Broderick Jones won two National Championships during his time at Georgia. He shined in 2022, being named First-Team All-SEC. Overall, Jones made 19 starts over his final two years with the Bulldogs. Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, Jones was considered one of the best offensive line prospects available.
For the Steelers, Jones will be tasked with protecting Kenny Pickett. While he played in just 13 games, Pickett was sacked 27 times. Pittsburgh gave up 38 sacks overall. Jones will likely slide in as an immediate starter and will look to immediately help keep Pickett upright.
Throughout the 2023 NFL Draft process, Jones became one of Tomlin's favorite prospects. Pittsburgh was able to trade up and land the former Georgia star. Tomlin believes that move will be a major boon for the Steelers success.
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