Steelers vs. Bills – Preview of the second preseason game: Draft Picks 2024

Ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers' second preseason game on Saturday, I wanted to go over a few things before diving into the information after the game.

In the preseason, we generally have the opportunity to see more action from younger players, so before the game I wanted to put together a table showing how the 2024 draft turned out for Pittsburgh and the Buffalo Bills:

Besides a reminder of how the draft went for both teams, I also took away a few interesting insights. The Steelers selected seven players, while Buffalo went home with ten. The Bills had no first-round picks, as did Pittsburgh's opponent in the season opener (Houston).

The first two rounds were mostly about offense, then round three was a little more about defense, and day three was more of that direction. Buffalo had a whopping seven selections on day three, as many picks as the Steelers had in the entire draft.

Let's take a closer look at the Bills' draft. Their first pick was early in the second round at No. 33 – Florida State WR Keon Coleman. The talented prospect seems poised for a big role in 2024 as key WRs move on (Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis).

Coleman had a quiet start to the season, with just one catch on three attempts for eight yards. The two incomplete passes were end zone targets, though, so Pittsburgh's secondary should expect that.

Buffalo picked up two picks in the second round and selected Utah S Cole Bishop with the 60th overall pick. The Bills are very confident in what he can offer the defense, but he is dealing with a shoulder injury and has yet to make his NFL debut. It will be interesting to see if he plays.

Then in round three, Duke DL DeWayne Carter became a Bill (pick No. 95). He played 34 snaps in week one, with one tackle in his first outing that seemed average at best. I can't wait to see him against Pittsburgh's O-line, where he will likely be going up against several fellow rookie players.

Kentucky RB Ray Davis was the team's only fourth-round pick, going 128th overall. He played seven snaps last week, with five rushing attempts, but was stopped for 2 yards (0.4 YPA). Davis was also involved in the passing game, catching four passes for 19 yards on three catches.

While Pittsburgh had no picks in the fifth round, Buffalo selected three players: Georgia C Sedrick Van Pran, Washington LB Edefuan Ulofoshio and Troy EDGE Javon Solomon. Van Pran also had a lot of interest from Pittsburgh, who were seeking the position in the 2024 draft. He played 30 snaps in the opening game and looked to play well in his debut.

Ulofoshio has been dealing with a rib injury but participated in joint practice with the Steelers on Thursday and appeared to be close to making his first NFL appearance. Solomon played 21 snaps last week, but his pass rush left much to be desired, although he did have two tackles.

Two sixth-round picks: UCF T Tylan Grable and Penn State CB Daequan Hardy. Grable played 35 snaps in the last game and fared better as a pass blocker than in the run game. Hardy played 30 snaps in his debut, not allowing a single catch on two targets. He also had two tackles.

Only one seventh-round pick for either team. At pick No. 221, Buffalo selected OL Travis Clayton. Pittsburgh showed interest in him through the UK and International Pathway Program (IPP). He's one of several Bills rookies dealing with injuries (shoulder, day-to-day) and it would be great to see him in the stadium if he could.

Of course, I'm even more excited to see the Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie class. Here's a breakdown of their performances based on PFF snap counts, grades, stats and takeaways:

Washington OT Troy Fautanu – 25 snaps, 63.7 offense, 53.9 pass block, 66.3 run block, two pressures, one sack allowed, nine zone run block snaps and three gap run block snaps. He struggled with pass blocking, but unfortunately the main story is that he suffered an injury in the game that could sideline him for the rest of the preseason.

West Virginia C Zach Frazier – 39 snaps, 73.5 offense, 73.0 pass block, 72.2 run block, zero pressures or sacks, 11 zone run block snaps, eight gap run block snaps. It was an encouraging debut, especially considering the struggles C Nate Herbig and QB Justin Fields had in rudimentary snap exchanges (botched two), with Frazier pushing for more first-team time after a more steady outing.

Michigan WR Roman Wilson – DNP (ankle). He is close to returning to action from his injury and I can't wait to see him make his NFL debut.

NC State LB Payton Wilson – 44 snaps, 70.5 defense, 70.5 run defense, 38.6 tackles, 42.1 coverage, five solo tackles, one assist and two missed tackles. Wilson's debut had a lot of good things, but hopefully he will perform better in the tackling department and in coverage in game two.

South Dakota State OL Mason McCormick – 33 snaps, 48.8 offense, 58.2 pass block, 48.4 run block, two pressures, one sack allowed, eight zone run block snaps, seven gap run block snaps. McCormick was able to show off his skills, but there is definitely room for improvement in his second chance, which, touch wood, is a positive conclusion from the game.

Iowa DL Logan Lee – 24 snaps, 52.4 defense, 53.8 run defense, 66.8 tackle, 54.9 pass rush, no pressure/sack, one assisted tackle. He was lined up primarily as a nose tackle, and while Lee is capable of playing up and down the line, that's not his best position and he struggled at that. Hopefully he's lined up more as a 3-4 defensive end, his more natural position, and performs better.

Texas DB Ryan Watts – 33 snaps, 65.8 defense, 71.0 run defense, 81.7 tackles, 59.3 coverage, three solo tackles, two assisted tackles, one catch allowed (nine yards) on two targets. Overall, it was a nice debut for Watts, I especially liked his tackling. He has a good chance of making the roster as a safety. Here's to further success against Buffalo.

Aside from injuries (Fautanu, Wilson), the rookie class has had a lot of playing time. I hope that valuable experience continues, and I can't wait to see what the 2024 draft class looks like in game two.

Which newbies are you most excited about? Who do you think will do best (if they play)? And what about the non-newbies? Thanks for reading and let me know what you think in the comments.