Versatile Steelers rookie deserves full-time starting role

The Steelers' 2023 draft class has certainly lived up to the hype halfway through the season, but one rookie has been catching the attention of those around the league and deserves a full-time starting role.

That player is offensive tackle Broderick Jones, Pittsburgh's first-round pick. Jones has proven his versatility, starting at left tackle in Week 5 and right tackle the past two weeks, and hasn't allowed a sack yet.

However, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes it's his dominance in the run game that has him jumping off the screen.

"Steelers rookie OT Broderick Jones jumps off the screen when you look at all of their explosive runs. He is dominating. HR pick!!!" Jeremiah posted on platform X.

Jeremiah is certainly onto something as the Steelers have rushed for 371 yards the past two games, which is the most in back-in-back games since they combined for 389 yards in Weeks 2 and 3 in Mike Tomlin's first season in 2007, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac.

Pittsburgh is now 3-0 when Jones starts, and head coach Mike Tomlin doesn't think it is a coincidence.

"I think he's been really good and I think we have been really good," Tomlin told reporters. "You can't deny that."

Jones earned the start at right tackle the past two games as a result of right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor getting benched for "acting out" in Week 8. So only time will tell if Jones will be named a full-time starter.

But second-year QB Kenny Pickett seems to believe he should as he thinks the rookie is only going to get better with every snap.

"He brings a fire into the huddle, which you love to see as a quarterback," Pickett said. "I think he's nasty in the run game and he does a great job in protection. He's only going to get better too."