Pittsburgh Steelers Mock Draft Tracker
Louis Nix III, Notre Dame (Carlos Osorio/AP)
What will the Pittsburgh Steelers do in the 2014 NFL draft? Keep track of all the predictions made in our mock drafts leading up to Round 1 on May 8.
March 5, 2014 — 2014 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (Doug Farrar)
Round 1, pick 15: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
We said: After a few rocky drafts, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has a plethora of positional holes to consider. A primary issue is at cornerback, where William Gay was the only pass defender to log an opponent passer rating under 88.1 — Ike Taylor, who had the most passing snaps of any Steelers’ cornerback, allowed a 110.6 passer rating and six touchdowns with no picks. Dennard may have a few holes in his game, but he’s got the athleticism and ball skills to be a considerable improvement right off the bat.
Feb. 26, 2014 — 2014 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 (Chris Burke)
Round 1, pick 15: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
We said: Gilbert’s combine showing — a sub-4.4 40, among other things — could force some team’s hand in the top 10 (Detroit?) Or it could force Pittsburgh, Dallas or others to consider trading up for him. Pittsburgh has to get better at the CB spot given Ike Taylor’s descent into mediocrity. Gilbert could be a shutdown guy at the next level.
Round 2, pick 46: Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State
We said: Bucannon would make Pittsburgh feel better about losing Ryan Clark and potentially Troy Polamalu.
Feb. 19, 2014 – 2014 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Don Banks)
Round 1, pick 15: Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame
We said: The late-season knee injury Nix suffered could serve to drop him out of the first round's first half, but, at 6-3, 345 pounds, he certainly looks like the next run-stuffing Steelers nose tackle. Despite his massive girth, Nix moves pretty well, and he's cut from the same cloth as the gap-eating former Steeler Casey Hampton. Cornerback, safety and offensive tackle are other needs that fit Pittsburgh's mid-first-round draft slot, but given what Dick LeBeau's defense lacked last season, Nix seems like a prospect who's destined to be a Steeler.
Feb. 6, 2014 -- 2014 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Doug Farrar)
Round 1, pick 15: Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame
We said: Yes, cornerback is a sure need, and this team always seems to require more help on the offensive line. But Dick LeBeau’s defenses are built on a root hog up the middle who can soak up double teams and let everyone else fly around. Not only can Nix do that at 6-2 and 345 pounds, but also he can bull through those schemes arrayed against him to add to any team’s pressure concepts. Conditioning is a slight concern, but Nix would be around veterans who understand what it takes.
Jan. 9, 2014 -- 2014 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 (Chris Burke)
Round 1, pick 15: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
We said: Imagine Troy Polamalu as a cornerback. That’s not an across-the-board comparison, but Dennard brings a lot of those Polamalu traits to the field. Namely, he plays with an edge, a trait highlighted in how aggressively he dives down to pitch in against the run. Pittsburgh’s corners were putrid at times in 2013, so the value of finding Dennard all the way down at 15 would be a godsend.
Dec. 5, 2013 -- 2014 NFL Mock Draft 3.1 (Chris Burke)
Round 1, pick 10: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
We said: It’s not too much of a stretch to see Pittsburgh addressing its aging defensive line or secondary early in the 2014 draft. This pairing, however, makes too much sense. If you watched Lewan against Ohio State, you saw a lineman who can win at the point of attack or get out into the open field. With what an OL-starved Pittsburgh team wants to do on offense, he’s an ideal fit.
Sept. 24, 2013 -- 2014 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 (Chris Burke)
Round 1, pick 7: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
We said: Anyone who’s watched the Steelers this season (or for the past couple seasons) knows that their offensive line is in shambles. Since neither 2012 second-rounder Mike Adams nor 2011 second-rounder Marcus Gilbert really has settled in, maybe Lewan could. Bonus: He’s blocked for Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner, so adjusting to Ben Roethlisberger’s movement in the pocket would be old hat.
April 30, 2013 -- 2014 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Chris Burke)
Round 1, pick 15: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
We said:
