The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t make a pick in the 2020 NFL Draft until the second day barring a trade up. But they don’t worry in the least considering they were able to land All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for their 2020 first-round pick.
However, it does put the spotlight squarely on their second-round pick to fill one of the many significant holes on this team. One of which could be at offensive guard if Pittsburgh chooses to release Ramon Foster to help create cap space. The good folks over at Pro Football Focus are leaning that way and the prospect they have paired up with Pittsburgh as the best fit is Fresno State guard Netane Muti.
Here’s part of their analysis of the Steelers guard situation and how Muti fits.
Not too many people are on board with Muti as IOL1 hype train, but that’s where we are at PFF. Muti comes in as the highest-ranked center or guard prospect on the PFF Big Board (32nd overall). Injuries have robbed us of seeing extensive action at the collegiate level — he has played just over 300 total snaps each of the past two seasons. What he showed in limited action those two years, along with impressive tape as a freshman in 2017 against NFL-caliber players like Ed Oliver, was enough for us. Muti recorded run-blocking and pass-blocking grades of 80.0 or higher in that 2017 freshman season. Putting up 44 reps on the bench press at the combine puts an asterisk next to the kind of power that he plays with.
Muti is an impressive prospect. Hugely powerful and a finisher. I’ve preferred former Ohio State guard Jonah Jackson just because he’s more of an athlete but Muti would be very much a Steelers type of pick.
