The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2024 NFL draft with needs along the offensive line. Those needs, though, weren’t at either left or right guard.
But that doesn’t seem to bother Steelers fourth-round pick Mason McCormick. The South Dakota State guard suggested while speaking to reporters on April 27 that he’s ready to compete for one of the starting guard jobs in Pittsburgh as a rookie.
“I’m ready to be plug and play where I can,” said McCormick, via TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter.
At South Dakota State, McCormick started 57 contests at left guard. He also served as a team captain for three seasons. During his senior season, the program won the FCS national championship.
In 2023, the Steelers started Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels at left and right guard, respectively.
Steelers OL Coach Pat Meyer Confirms Mason McCormick Will Compete Immediately
Seumalo and Daniels were arguably Pittsburgh’s best two offensive linemen in 2023. But Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer didn’t sound ready to anoint either a shoe-in starter for 2024.
Instead, Meyer also hyped McCormick as a prospect who could compete for a regular role immediately.
“He’ll come in and compete from day one,” Meyer said, via Rutter.
“The kid is tough, he plays football the right way. He wanted to be a Steeler. I know that from talking to him and working the kid out.”
In all likelihood, McCormick will have a difficult time taking a starting job from either Seumalo or Daniels. That could especially be the case because McCormick will make the jump from the FCS to the NFL.
But at the very least, McCormick will provide the Steelers interior offensive line depth in 2024 along with Nate Herbig. The Steelers added Herbig in NFL free agency last year.
Then after a year as a reserve guard, McCormick could be ready to be a starter in 2025. Daniels’ 3-year deal with Pittsburgh will expire after the 2024 season. Seumalo is signed for just one more year after that.
“Super excited to be a part of this team and organization,” McCormick said in a short social media video after he was drafted. “I’m ready to get to work. Let’s do this.”
Three of Pittsburgh’s Top 5 2024 Picks Addressed Offensive Line
After having a strong offensive line at the end of the last decade, age caught up to the Steelers front at the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era. That happened in part because previous general manager Kevin Colbert made other position groups a priority.
But in his first two years as Pittsburgh’s new GM, Omar Khan has prioritized the offensive line.
“Steelers go with yet another offensive lineman in the draft by taking South Dakota State’s OG Mason McCormick in the 4th round,” The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Out of 12 picks by the Omar Khan/Andy Weill regime in two years, they’ve drafted now 5 offensive lineman.”
Khan selected two of those offensive linemen last year. Then this spring, the Steelers selected tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round and center Zach Frazier in the second before McCormick.
Fautanu, Frazier and 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones could all start in 2024. With McCormick a potential future starter as well, the Steelers are trying to lay a strong foundation in the trenches.
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