Draft experts have linked Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims to the Pittsburgh Steelers for most of the offseason. On April 24, Mims directly addressed those rumors in front of reporters.
Mims clearly expressed his interest in playing for the Steelers, who selected two of his former teammates last year.
“It would mean a lot,” Mims told reporters, via Steelers Depot, when asked about the possibility of reuniting with Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington. “Like I said, just reuniting with the Georgia guys again. Guys like Darnell, of course Broderick, and George. Just like I said, we got a bond.
“It’ll be great spending however much time I can possible with them, however long I would be there. So, that’ll be definitely nice.”
The Steelers selected Mims’ offensive line teammate, Broderick Jones, at No. 14 overall in the first round last year. Pittsburgh then drafted Bulldogs tight end Darnell Washington in the third round.
During the 2022 draft, the Steelers picked Georgia wide receiver George Pickens.
It would not be surprising if Pittsburgh continues its run on Georgia players during the 2024 NFL draft. According to the NFL mock draft database, 15.1% of NFL mock drafts have projected the Steelers to target Mims at No. 20 overall.
That placed Mims as the second most-likely draft pick for the Steelers at No. 20. He was also just narrowly ranked second.
NFL mock draft database considers Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson the most likely pick for the Steelers in the first round. Overall, 15.2% of NFL mock drafts have predicted Pittsburgh to draft the Oregon center.
Could Amarius Mims Reunite With Georgia Teammates in Pittsburgh?
The Steelers won’t have to worry about Mims fitting in. All three of the Georgia players on Pittsburgh’s roster played with Mims in college. They also won national championships together.
If the Steelers drafted Mims, the team could have a Georgia duo starting at left and right tackle in 2024. Jones played left tackle in college while Mims started at right tackle at the end of the 2022 season.
In his first year, Jones started 11 games at right tackle with 2021 fourth-round pick Dan Moore Jr. remaining at left tackle. But that doesn’t appear to be the team’s long-term plan.
“Adaptability on the offensive line is crucial. [Jones] showed that he could play right tackle. But he was drafted to be a left tackle and eventually he will be a left tackle,” Khan told reporters at the NFL combine on February 29. “When that is, you know, time will tell, but he was drafted to be a left tackle.”
If Mims is ready to start immediately in 2024, the Steelers could switch Jones back to left tackle this fall. Meanwhile, Mims could start at right tackle. That would move Moore, who cannot play right tackle, to the bench.
Other Potential Offensive Line Targets for Steelers
Mims is well-suited for the Steelers due to his experience playing with Jones and his other Georgia teammates. However, the Steelers are not solely focused on Mims.
Selecting Powers-Johnson, who has been another popular choice for Pittsburgh in mock drafts, would provide the Steelers with a new starting option at center. At present, the Steelers do not have a natural center on their roster.
Duke’s Graham Barton is another possible choice for the center position for Pittsburgh at No. 20.
There are also other potential offensive tackle options for the Steelers. Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Washington’s Troy Fautanu, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Alabama’s JC Latham are tackles that draft experts have connected to the Steelers this offseason. Pro Football Focus ranked all four of them as part of the top 20 prospects in the 2024 draft class.
Mims may end up in Pittsburgh with his college teammates. But it also wouldn’t be surprising if the Steelers focus on another offensive lineman.
