Study: What The Pittsburgh Steelers Look For Drafting Interior Offensive Linemen (2024)

Continuing our Pittsburgh Steelers “what they look for study” and how it applies to the 2024 draft class. As a refresher, we’re looking at benchmarks at each position throughout the Mike Tomlin era and how they fit best from the current year’s class.

Getting closer to wrapping this series up, we’re checking out the interior offensive linemen today. That’s guards and centers. Pittsburgh is expected to draft a center early in this year’s class, arguably their biggest team need.

As always, we’ll recap the team’s past selections, examine our criteria, and see who fits in 2024.

2023: Spencer Anderson

Height: 6050
Weight: 309
Arm Length: 32 1/8″
Hand Size: 10 1/2″
40 Time: 5.18
Ten Split: 1.80
Bench: 29
Vert: 30.5″
Broad: 9’5”
Short Shuttle: 5.00
Three-Cone: 7.63

2021: KENDRICK GREEN

Height: 6017
Weight: 305
Arm Length: 32 1/4″
Hand Size: 10 1/8″
40 Time: 4.89
Ten Split: 1.69
Bench: 25
Vert: 35.5″
Broad: 9’11”
Short Shuttle: 4.67
Three-Cone: 7.79

2020: KEVIN DOTSON

Height: 6040
Weight: 310
Arm Length: 33″
Hand Size: N/A
40 Time: 4.80
Ten Split: 1.78
Bench: 33
Vert: N/A
Broad: N/A
Short Shuttle: N/A
Three-Cone: N/A

2019: DERWIN GRAY

Height: 6044
Weight: 320
Arm Length: 34 3/8″
Hand Size: 9 5/8″
40 Time: 5.26
Ten Split: 1.89
Bench: 26
Vert: N/A
Broad: 7’6″
Short Shuttle: N/A
Three-Cone: N/A

2014: WESLEY JOHNSON

Height: 6053
Weight: 298
Arm Length: 32 1/2″
Hand Size: 10 1/8″
40 Time: 5.11
Ten Split: 1.73
Bench: 26
Vert: 29″
Broad: 9’3″
Short Shuttle: 4.64
Three-Cone: 7.40

2012: DAVID DECASTRO

Height: 6047
Weight: 316
Arm Length: 32 3/4″
Hand Size: 10″
40 Time: 5.43
Ten Split: 1.84
Bench: 34
Vert: 29.5″
Broad: 8’2″
Short Shuttle: 4.56
Three-Cone: 7.30

2011: KEITH WILLIAMS

Height: 6042
Weight: 318
Arm Length: 32 3/8″
Hand Size: 10″
40 Time: 5.36
Ten Split: 1.89
Bench: 23
Vert: 24.5″
Broad: 7’9″
Short Shuttle: 5.03
Three-Cone: 8.42

2010: MAURKICE POUNCEY

Height: 6044
Weight: 304
Arm Length: 32 1/2″
Hand Size: 10″
40 Time: 5.29
Ten Split: 1.83
Bench: 25
Vert: 27″
Broad: 7’11”
Short Shuttle: 4.92
Three-Cone: 7.74

2010: CHRIS SCOTT

Height: 6045
Weight: 319
Arm Length: 34 1/8″
Hand Size: 10 3/8″
40 Time: 5.55
Ten Split: 1.93
Bench: 19
Vert: 22.5″
Broad: 7’6″
Short Shuttle: 5.03
Three-Cone: 8.24

2009: A.Q. SHIPLEY

Height: 6011
Weight: 304
Arm Length: 29 3/4″
Hand Size: 8 1/2″
40 Time: 5.26
Ten Split: 1.85
Bench: 33
Vert: 31″
Broad: 8’4″
Short Shuttle: 4.40
Three-Cone: 7.46

2007: CAMERON STEPHENSON

Height: 6032
Weight: 306
Arm Length: N/A
Hand Size: N/A
40 Time: 5.45
Ten Split: 1.88
Bench: 34
Vert: 28.5″
Broad: 8’5″
Short Shuttle: 4.81
Three-Cone: 7.72

Spencer Anderson was the Steelers seventh round pick last year. Though he played up and down the line, as noted in our offensive tackle article, we are considering Anderson a guard/interior linemen. So he is added to our list. His inclusion changes our criteria. It is now:

Height: 6’3″+ (9 of 11)
Weight: 300+ (10 of 11)
Arm Length: 32″+ (9 of 10)
Hand Size: 10+ (7 of 9)
40 Time: 5.45 (10 of 11)
Ten Split: 1.90 (10 of 11)
Bench: 25+ (9 of 11)
Vert: 27″ (7 of 9)
Broad: 7’5” (10 of 10)
SS: 5.00 (7 of 9)
3C: 7.80 (7 of 9)

Based on that information, here are the players who check every box from this year’s class.

McCormick is the most notable name, brought in by the Steelers for a pre-draft visit. He has size, athleticism and tons of experience, appearing in 70 career games. Gargiulo is viewed as a late-round pick while Puni is something of a sleeper, ranking as the third-best center in Bob McGinn’s poll of NFL scouts. 

Here are the prospects who missed in just one category:

One Box Away

Tanor Bortolini/Wisconsin – Length (31 1/2)
Brandon Coleman/TCU – Bench (24)
Zach Frazier/West Virginia – Height (6025)
C.J. Hanson/Holy Cross – Three Cone (7.90)
Trente Jones/Michigan – Bench (DNP)
Trevor Keegan/Michigan – Bench (DNP)
Jarrett Kingston/USC – Hand (9 3/4)
Layden Robinson/Texas A&M – Vertical (26.5)
Jake Sundell/North Dakota State – Hand (9 1/2)
Caeden Wallace/Penn State – Bench (DNP)

Bortolini tested as a hyper-athlete and has center/guard experience. Coleman is one of my favorite prospects, and missed the bench by just one rep. Wallace was a right tackle who may kick inside at the next level, though he’s known more for his pass protection than run blocking. Frazier missed in height by less than half-an-inch.

If you’re wondering about the other two who make up the “Big Three,” Duke’s Graham Barton missed in hand size and didn’t test in the bench, vert or broad. Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson missed in hand, and didn’t run the 40 yard dash. He also didn’t test in the shuttle drills.

Previous ‘What They Look For’ Studies

Offensive Tackle
Wide Receiver
Defensive End
Inside Linebacker