The Steelers used their first four picks in this year’s draft on offensive players and all four of them are set for big roles in the team’s Week One game against the Bills.
All four rookies are listed as first-teamers on the depth chart released by the club this week. First-round pick Najee Harris is the No. 1 running back, second-rounder Pat Friermuth shares top billing at tight end with Eric Ebron, third-round choice Kendrick Green is starting at center, and fourth-rounder Dan Moore is set to start at left tackle.
On Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin said he’s not fazed by going young on offense even if it means some early adjustment issues for players he believes can get better quickly.
“Those guys have earned their positioning through their play,” Tomlin said, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. ""I’m excited about what they’re going to provide us this weekend, but at the same time I think it’s reasonable to expect those guys to find their footing and improve continually and rapidly over the course of this journey.”
Moore is the most surprising member of the starting group as plans to start Zach Banner and Chuks Okorafor at tackle fell through due to Banner’s continued recovery from last year’s torn ACL. Tomlin said Moore “came with more than we anticipated” and that sets him up for a long run in the job if he shows that’s the case in the regular season as well.