The Pittsburgh Steelers will need to rely on their young core of Georgia players during the 2024 season.

The Georgia Bulldogs have had 33 players drafted over the last three years and several NFL organizations have really focused in on drafting former Bulldogs. The Philadelphia Eagles are the most famous example of this, but other teams aren’t too far behind them. The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected a multitude of former Bulldogs over the last few years, and they will have to lean on them this season.

ESPN released an article where they ranked NFL team’s under 25 talent. They also listed the “blue chip players” for each team which is determined by many factors. The Steelers ranked 20th amongst the other teams and two Bulldogs made up their list of blue chips – George Pickens and Broderick Jones. Here is what ESPN wrote:

“The Steelers graduated a starting offensive tackle, Moore, from this list, but he probably won’t have a starting job this season anyway after posting an 87.5% PBWR and 73.8% RBWR. Instead, younger and higher-drafted talents will man the tackle spots, with Jones and first-round pick Troy Fautanu at age 23. Center Zach Frazier is also 23 and will start as a rookie. At wide receiver, 23-year-old Pickens takes over as the unchallenged No. 1 receiver in Pittsburgh after having 1,140 receiving yards in 2023. Also age 23: rookie slot receiver Roman Wilson, nose tackle Keeanu Benton and second tight end Darnell Washington. The one exception when it comes to talent under 25 is No. 1 cornerbackJoey Porter Jr., who turns 24 in late July.”

The Steelers also signed former Georgia running back Daijun Edwards as an undrafted free agent after this year’s draft.

With Georgia stacking up NFL draft classes, organizations will continue to rely on their young Georgia cores to make a difference. But other organzaitions, like the Steelers, will be relying on them more than others.

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PITTSBURGH — Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz hit run-scoring singles on consecutive pitches in the 10th inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Willson Contreras’ two-run home run in the eighth off Pittsburgh’s Colin Holderman tied the score 3-3.

Alec Burleson put St. Louis ahead with a 10th-inning sacrifice fly off Aroldis Chapman (1-3) after Masyn Winn’s infield single advanced automatic runner Dylan Carlson to third.

With pinch-runner Jared Triolo on second starting the bottom half, Michael A. Taylor struck out while trying to bunt and Andrew McCutchen drew a walk from Andrew Kittridge (1-4).

JoJo Romero relieved and Reynolds lined a fastball into center to drive in Triolo and advance McCutchen to second. Cruz drove a slider to right and McCutchen scored standing up as the ball bounced to the right-field wall.

“We made a bad pitch to a really good hitter in the eighth and he hit a home run,” Pirates Manager Derek Shelton said. “We just kept going. Our guys just kept playing.”

It was Cruz’s second game-ending hit this season and the third of his career.

“It felt good, for sure, but it was a team effort,” Cruz said. “Everybody played their part in it and that’s why we came back at the end and could win that game.”

BRAVES 3, GIANTS 1 Chris Sale (11-3) allowed only three hits in six innings and struck out nine to earn his 11th win, leading Atlanta to a victory over San Francisco. It is Sale’s most wins since finishing 12-4 in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox.

BREWERS 3, ROCKIES 0 William Contreras and Brice Turang had three hits apiece, Christian Yelich hit his ninth home run of the season and Colin Rea pitched seven shutout innings to lift Milwaukee past Colorado.

NATIONALS 7, METS 5 James Wood singled home the go-ahead run in his third major league game, Luis Garcia Jr. hit two home runs and Washington rallied to beat the New York Mets.

PHILLIES 5, CUBS 3 Edmundo Sosa broke a tie with a short sacrifice fly in the eighth, Whit Merrifield followed with an RBI single and Philadelphia topped the struggling Chicago Cubs.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

ASTROS 9, BLUE JAYS 2 Jose Altuve hit a tiebreaking single in a four-run seventh inning, Yordan Alvarez homered for the third consecutive game and Houston beat Toronto for their 11th win in 13 games.

ATHLETICS 5, ANGELS 0 Joey Estes (3-3) tossed a complete game, allowing five hits and a walk as Oakland defeated the Los Angeles Angels.

ROYALS 4, RAYS 2 Michael Wacha (5-6) allowed one run on two hits over six innings, Salvador Perez drove in a pair of runs and Kansas City got a spectacular defensive play from Kyle Isbel in the ninth to beat Tampa Bay.

TIGERS 9, TWINS 2 Carson Kelly hit a grand slam and Wenceel Perez followed with a home run to back Keider Montero’s first major league win as Detroit beat Minnesota.

WHITE SOX 8, GUARDIANS 2 Erick Fedde gave up one run in six innings, Martin Maldonado homered and drove in three runs, and the Chicago White Sox routed Cleveland.

INTERLEAGUE

PADRES 6, RANGERS 4 David Peralta hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run in the seventh inning for his first of the season in San Diego’s victory over Texas.

REDS 3, YANKEES 2 Andrew Abbott took a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning and reliever Fernando Cruz got Aaron Judge to ground into a pivotal double play, pitching Cincinnati past the struggling New York Yankees.

RED SOX 7, MARLINS 2 Ceddanne Rafaela tripled, doubled and drove in three runs, Brayan Bello limited Miami to a run over 6 2/3 innings and Boston beat Marlins. Rafael Devers and Masataka Yoshida each had two hits and two RBI to help the Red Sox win their third in a row after a three-game slide.

    San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali (18) talks to San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali (18) after tagging out Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley (27) at home in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley (27) looks back after getting tagged out by San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali (18) in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley (27) looks back after getting tagged out by San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali (18) in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley (27) is congratulated by first base coach Tom Goodwin (88) after hitting a double in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    Atlanta Braves’ Marcell Ozuna (20) and Matt Olson (28) celebrate scoring after a double RBI hit by Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley (27) in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    San Francisco Giants’Jordan Hicks (12) tags out Atlanta Braves’ Jarred Kelenic (24) on first base in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
  

    San Francisco Giants pitcher Jordan Hicks (12) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)