Saturday, April 29 - Draft Day 3
South of border: For the third time the Steelers celebrated the NFL Draft with the team's fan base in Mexico, this time visiting Guadalajara for the Steelers Youth Flag Football Tournament, with current linebacker Alex Highsmith and former linebacker LaMarr Woodley on hand.
They were also to announce the Steelers fourth round pick live from Mexico.
"It means a lot to be able to make this announcement," said Highsmith. "It's an honor. I am grateful to be able to do this. For them to ask me to be a part of it, it's really an honor. It's cool being able to announce someone else's dream come true. I still remember the feeling I had when my name was called. To be able to announce that for somebody else is a cool thing. And to do this in Mexico, it's amazing."
The players watched throughout the afternoon as the games were played, signing autographs for the kids, cheering them on as they competed in the tournament, and sharing the love of football with the kids.
"I know that soccer, they call it fútbol, is their main sport," said Highsmith. "American football is my favorite sport. To be able to interact with them and talk about both and teach the kids more about our game of football with some tips, it's pretty cool. To see it grow is amazing. It's so cool to see where the game is going internationally."
Woodley and Highsmith have both hosted football camps for kids, so to be able to see kids in a different country enjoy the flag football tournament was special for them.
"For me personally, because I did a football camp at home in Saginaw, Michigan for 11 years, I know the effects a one or two day football camp or tournament can have on the future of football," said Woodley. I love seeing the kids compete like they did here. It can spark something in the kids for them to know hey, I can do this. I can actually play some football and continue to work hard."
The players had an opportunity to tour the city the day before the clinic, as well as spend time with the family of Cristo Fernandez, the Mexican actor who plays Dani Rojas on the hit comedy series, Ted Lasso.
Overall, they were impressed with the support from the fans in Mexico and how knowledgeable they are about the game.
"It's far away from Pittsburgh and it shows how popular the Steelers are not just in this area, but everywhere we go there are so many Steelers fans," said Highsmith. "It shows what kind of organization this is and the rich history of it. It's cool to see that somewhere so far away is repping Steelers Nation. It's incredible to experience. To see the other parts of the Steelers fan base, it's been a great experience. Seeing how great Steelers Nation is. Seeing how far the fan base has expanded is special. I love seeing this part of it."
Woodley said he loves seeing Steelers fans whenever he travels and this trip was no exception.
"When I see our fan base stretch into countries like this, I think about how great our organization has been over the years going back to the Steel Curtain, the Rooney family, the respect they have on and off the field," said Woodley. "I think people notice that, and when they notice that they become part of the fan base and root for us and that is why we continue to expand. I love seeing it. I love it when I go places, especially outside of the country, and I see people with Steelers hats on. I feel like, man, we are everywhere."
Taking a tour: After leaving a community event earlier in the day, first-round pick Broderick Jones embarked on a tour of Pittsburgh that included a stop at the Pittsburgh Zoo.
Draft Slot Updates: Here is the latest for the final day of the draft.
Fourth Round – 132nd pick overall - acquired from the Carolina Panthers in a draft day trade
(Original pick traded to New England Patriots in 2023 draft day trade to acquire Broderick Jones)
Fifth Round – No pick (traded to Seattle Seahawks via Ahkello Witherspoon trade)
Sixth Round –No pick (traded to Denver Broncos via Malik Reed trade)
Seventh Round – 241st pick overall - acquired from the Minnesota Vikings via the Jesse Davis trade
Seventh Round - 251st pick overall - acquired from the Los Angeles Rams via Allen Robinson II trade
Giving back: The Steelers teamed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh (BBBSPGH) on Saturday for "The Big Draft" event to help kids who are looking for a mentor.
A waiting list of almost 150 youth exists that are searching to be mentored by a Big Brother or Big Sister, but a shortage of volunteers is having an impact.
First-round draft pick Broderick Jones joined some of his Steelers teammates at the event at Shadyside Academy Middle School, taking part in football drills along with potential volunteers in an effort to increase the number of Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Pittsburgh community.
Hanging out in Mexico: Linebacker Alex Highsmith and former linebacker LaMarr Woodley are in Guadalajara, Mexico for the Steelers Youth Flag Football Tournament, More throughout the day on the two of them, including them announcing the Steelers fourth round pick.
Friday, April 28 - Draft Day 2
Fan fun: Unless you were in the draft room at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex making the actual picks, the best place to be this weekend was Stage AE for the Steelers Draft Party on Friday night.
Fans packed the venue to watch Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft, with the excitement level at a fever pitch when the Steelers draft choices were announced, especially the selection of hometown cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Cameron Heyward was on hand to record his 'Not Just Football' podcast, joined by quarterback Kenny Pickett and tight end Pat Freiermuth for some lively chatter about all things football and not football. Also on hand were Merril Hoge and Vince Williams.
There was fun and games for the kids, and the entire family, and black and gold was absolutely everywhere.
Steelers fans gathered at Stage AE to meet current players and alumni for a unique fan experience during the 2023 NFL Draft
Selecting his number: Steelers No. 1 draft pick Broderick Jones will wear No. 77, a number he selected when he arrived in Pittsburgh on Friday.
Jones, who wore No. 59 in college, is wearing No. 77 to honor his late University of Georgia teammate, Devin Willock, who was killed in a car accident in January.
"It's in honor of my teammate that passed. He wore No. 77," said Jones. "I talked to the equipment manager, and he said No. 59 is not available right now. No. 77 was another option. So, I felt like I would do that for him, his family and myself."
For the most up-to-date list of Steelers jersey numbers, check out the roster page.
Stopping by: What would draft day be without a visit by comedian Tracy Morgan, who is in town for a show this weekend.
His visit was welcomed by everyone in the building, from players, to coaches and staff.
Draft Slots Updated: Below is the full list of the Steelers round-by-round draft picks following the Steelers trade in Round 1 on Thursday. The Steelers traded with the New England Patriots, moving from the 17th to the 14th spot and giving the Patriots a 2023 fourth round pick (120th overall).
2023 Steelers NFL Draft Picks:
First Round – 14th pick in round (14th pick overall - traded up with New England from the 17th spot)
Second Round –1st pick in round (32nd pick overall – from Chicago Bears via Chase Claypool trade)
Second Round – 18th pick in round (49th pick overall)
Third Round – 17th pick in round (80th pick overall)
Fourth Round – No pick (traded to New England Patriots in 2023 draft day trade to acquire Broderick Jones)
Fifth Round – No pick (traded to Seattle Seahawks via Ahkello Witherspoon trade)
Sixth Round –No pick (traded to Denver Broncos via Malik Reed trade)
Seventh Round – 24th pick in round (241st pick overall - acquired from the Minnesota Vikings via the Jesse Davis trade)
Seventh Round - 34th pick in round (251st pick overall) - acquired from the Los Angeles Rams via Allen Robinson II trade)
First-Round Presser: The Steelers will hold an introductory press conference for first round draft selection, Broderick Jones, at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
The press conference will be streamed live on Steelers.com, the Steelers Official Mobile App, as well as the team's YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels. It will also be carried live on Steelers Nation Radio.
Fans who cannot watch it live can watch it ON DEMAND later in the evening on Steelers.com, the Official Mobile App, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Draft Party: Fans can head to Stage AE on Friday, April 28 from 5-10 p.m. for the Steelers Draft Party.
As a Draft Party bonus, Cam Heyward will be recording an episode of his "Not Just Football" podcast with special guests including Kenny Pickett, Pat Freiermuth and more.
There will be additional guest appearances by current players and Steelers legends.
Register for free here: Steelers Draft Party
It's all here: Everything you need to know about first-round pick Broderick Jones is right here.
📄: First Round: Broderick Jones | 📺: Khan/Tomlin on Jones | 📸: Broderick Jones in pictures | 📃: How Jones fits with the Steelers | 📺: Jones' combine workout | 📃 What to like about Jones | 📺: The pick is in ... Broderick Jones | 📺: Pick Announcement | 📺: College Highlights | 👕 Order Broderick Jones jersey
Thursday, April 27 - Draft Day 1
Getting their guy: The Steelers made a trade in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, moving up to the 14th overall spot to select offensive tackle Broderick Jones from the University of Georgia. The Steelers swapped spots with the New England Patriots in the first round and gave the Patriots a fourth-round pick (120th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft.
General Manager Omar Khan said things worked out well for the trade and is happy to add the competition to the offensive line, something he said is his job.
"By the time we get to the opening game the best five offensive linemen will play," said Khan.
Jones started every game in 2022 for the Bulldogs and was an Associated Press All-SEC first-team selection.
"He is an extremely talented guy," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "We were excited about him at every step of the process. We had dinner with him the night before their pro day. We had the chance to spend time with him in their environment. It was interesting. I was in Athens (Georgia) a year ago and took a group of his former teammates out and said to them give me a name that we are going to be back for in 12 months. Universally Broderick's name was the guys' name we got 12 months ago. That was the first time I heard his name. In investigating I see why they held him in such high regard. He is a really good player right now, but the upside is tremendous. He is a 'Diaper Dandy.' We're excited about getting him in the fold.
"In terms of the division of labor and who is going to do what, those things will be decided in the team development process. But make no mistake we are excited about having a young man of his talent.
"He's got big-time upside, but I also say he is a really good player right now. He's got a competitor's mentality. He is wired for this line of work. He's got a desire to be great. He's highly competitive. He has been a part of a winner. He understands we are in a winning business. He values that. Sometimes you can't really value that unless you've been a part of it, and obviously the run that that university has been on with their football program, and they have won about as much as you can win over the time they spent playing a significant role for them."
Ready for action: The 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City and kicks off on Thursday, April 27 with Round 1 starting at 8 p.m. It continues on Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m. and concludes on Saturday, April 30 at 12 noon. The 2023 NFL Draft will be televised nationally by NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
Below is the full list of the Steelers round-by-round draft picks.
2023 Steelers NFL Draft Picks:
First Round – 17th pick in round (17th pick overall)
Second Round –1st pick in round (32nd pick overall – from Chicago Bears via Chase Claypool trade)
Second Round – 18th pick in round (49th pick overall)
Third Round – 17th pick in round (80th pick overall)
Fourth Round – 18th pick in round (120th overall)
Fifth Round – No pick (traded to Seattle Seahawks via Ahkello Witherspoon trade)
Sixth Round –No pick (traded to Denver Broncos via Malik Reed trade)
Seventh Round – 24th pick in round (241st pick overall - acquired from the Minnesota Vikings via the Jesse Davis trade)
Seventh Round - 34th pick in round (251st pick overall) - acquired from the Los Angeles Rams via Allen Robinson II trade)
We've got you covered: All things Steelers draft will be covered on the team's digital platforms with all of the details below.
• Steelers Draft Countdown Show, presented by UPMC, will stream live on Thursday night beginning at 7 p.m. on Steelers.com, the Steelers Official Mobile App and the team's social platforms. The show will feature an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with 2022 No. 1 pick Kenny Pickett, as well as segments with Dave Dameshek, WDVE's Bill Crawford and more. Steelers Nation can also get involved with a chance to have their draft social posts featured in the show.
• All press conferences held at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex throughout the draft will be streamed live and archived on Steelers.com, the Steelers Official Mobile App and the team's social platforms. There will also be analysis of each of the Steelers Day 1 & Day 2 selections.
• Other video content highlights include exclusive 1-on-1's with Steelers draft selections and behind-the-scenes content captured from within the Steelers UPMC Rooney Sports Complex and the NFL Draft in Kansas City.
• Steelers.com will provide full editorial coverage of each of the Steelers draft picks, with news and analysis on each player.
• Steelers Nation Radio (SNR) will feature over 25 hours of live audio programming throughout the entire draft, with live press conferences, special guest interviews and analysis. Audio coverage begins with a Draft Preview Show on Wednesday, April 26 and concludes with a Draft Wrap-Up show on Monday, May 1. The full schedule for SNR’s draft coverage can be found here.
Draft Party: Fans can head to Stage AE on Friday, April 28 from 5-10 p.m. for the Steelers Draft Party.
As a Draft Party bonus, Cam Heyward will be recording an episode of his "Not Just Football" podcast with special guests including Kenny Pickett, Pat Freiermuth and more.
There will be additional guest appearances by current players and Steelers legends.
Register for free here: Steelers Draft Party
Headed to the Draft: Seventeen prospects are confirmed to attend the 2023 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light in Kansas City, Missouri.
Alabama and Ohio State will each have three players on-site, most among colleges. The Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with six prospects confirmed to attend, followed by the Big Ten (five players), Big 12 (two), Atlantic Coast Conference (two) and Pac-12 (two).
The Draft begins with the first round on Thursday night, April 27, and continues Friday, April 28, with Rounds 2-3. The Draft will conclude on Saturday, April 29, with Rounds 4-7.
The players confirmed to attend this year's NFL Draft in person are:
1) Jordan Addison WR USC
2) Will Anderson Jr. LB Alabama
3) Brian Branch DB Alabama
4) Jalen Carter DL Georgia
5) Zay Flowers WR Boston College
6) Christian Gonzalez CB Oregon
7) Paris Johnson Jr. T Ohio State
8) Will Levis QB Kentucky
9) Joey Porter Jr. CB Penn State
10) Anthony Richardson QB Florida
11) Bijan Robinson RB Texas
12) Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR Ohio State
13) C.J. Stroud QB Ohio State
14) Keion White DE Georgia Tech
15) Tyree Wilson DE Texas Tech
16) Devon Witherspoon CB Illinois
17) Bryce Young QB Alabama
What you need to know: All the info. from the NFL.
TIME LIMITS: Round 1: 10 minutes per selection. Round 2: Seven minutes per selection. Rounds 3 through 6, including compensatory picks: Five minutes per selection. Round 7, including compensatory picks: Four minutes per selection.
TELEVISION & RADIO: The 2023 NFL Draft will be televised nationally by NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and can be heard nationwide on Westwood One Radio, SiriusXM NFL Radio and ESPN Radio.
NFL+: On Thursday, April 27, NFL+ Draft Room provides live coverage of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft starting at 7:30 PM ET on NFL+. Host Rhett Lewis is joined by analyst Marc Ross and analytics expert Cynthia Frelund, along with NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo and host of Good Morning Football Kyle Brandt, providing in-depth analysis and insight on every pick of the first round.
MOBILE: Live NFL Network coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft is available across devices (smartphone, PC, tablet and connected TVs) through the NFL app or NFL.com/watch for subscribers of participating NFL Network providers and on NFL+. For more information, go to NFL.com/nflnetwork.
NFL CHANNEL: Additional live coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City is available on the NFL Channel, the NFL's free ad-supported streaming offering, with NFL Draft Center. Host Mike Yam anchors the coverage, joined by analyst Lance Zierlein for all three days of the NFL Draft, as well as analyst Bucky Brooks for the first round and analytics expert Cynthia Frelund for Rounds 2-7. All seven rounds will air on the NFL Channel (NFL App on Mobile and CTV, NFL.com/NFLChannel, PlutoTV, Vizio WatchFree, Tubi, Peacock and LG), with the first round also streaming live on YouTube.
