The wait in the 2024 NFL Draft was a bit longer than wide receiver Roman Wilson anticipated. In the end, he landed in a great situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers, going from a strong Michigan Wolverines program that values the run game and views offensive lineman as true weapons to the Steelers, who invested heavily in their offensive line in the draft.
For Wilson, that wait wasn’t expected to last long. But he’s happy the Steelers passed on him at No. 51 overall to address the offensive line even further before landing him at No. 84 overall.
During an appearance on the “Steel Here” podcast with Kevin Adams and Barstool’s Jersey Jerry, Wilson stated he’s happy to land with a franchise like Pittsburgh that prides itself on the offensive line and protecting the quarterback, making it a team he wants to be part of — even if that came at the expense of his own draft slot.
“I thought the Steelers were gonna get me at 51, but you know, they had a guy they really wanted on their board still in that pick,” Wilson said, according to video via Jersey Jerry’s YouTube page. “And I don’t blame them for taking [Zach Frazier]. I mean, we need a line; that’s the heart and soul of every team. I’m just happy I get to be a part of a team that prides [itself] on an o-line first and protecting their quarterback.
“That’s the team I want to be a part of. I want my quarterback to be protected and have time. So, I love that.”
That’s rather fitting coming from Wilson, who seems to have an offensive lineman mentality at heart. Of course, Wilson stated prior to the draft that his mentality is “no block, no rock,” which fits perfectly into Pittsburgh’s identity.
It wasn’t just a fun little play on words, either. He fully buys into that mentality and his game shows it. From a roster construction standpoint, he believes it as well. So, it wasn’t surprising to hear him say he was happy to see the Steelers go offensive line at No. 51 overall in the second round, landing West Virginia center Zach Frazier, even if that meant he had to wait a little bit longer.
During his time at Michigan, the Wolverines consistently had one of the best offensive lines in college football, winning the Joe Moore Award in in 2021 and 2022 before coming up short last year to Washington, which featured new Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu.
So, he knows just how important a good offensive line is, and the Steelers investing in it early and often in the draft was rather pleasing to Wilson, even if he had to wait just a bit longer. Landing in Pittsburgh is a good spot for him due to the depth chart and the play style Pittsburgh is aiming for.
He loves that the Steelers invested in their offensive line this offseason. He’ll love it even more when the games start. The offense should be able to fire on all cylinders in the run and pass game, making it a consistent attack on that side of the football under coordinator Arthur Smith.
