Steelers Mock Draft 2.0: Pittsburgh Draft Plans Taking Shape
The Pittsburgh Steelers brass has been hot on the Pro Day trail in the last week and it doesn't sound like that is stopping now with more on this weeks docket.
Just a reminder that since we are now almost exactly one month away from the NFL Draft, this mock will be predictive, meaning this is what I think will happen, not necessarily what I want to happen. With the NFL combine and the first half of Pro Days now in the rearview mirror, the focus of the Steelers draft philosophy is beginning to take shape.
Here we go.
Round 1, Pick 20: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
Okay, stay with me here and let me explain the reasoning behind the selection. I personally believe that there is real smoke behind Malik Willis and the Detroit Lions, but it seems like the chances of Willis dropping out of the top ten are fairly slim.
It also feels like Kenny Pickett has a good chance to go before pick 20 (possibly as early as Carolina), as well.
The Steelers love Willis but he'd require a pretty penny in compensation to move up and acquire. It's hard to even guess how they could go about potentially ranking the next tier of guys after him because they've shown a lot of interest in all of them. In this scenario, I think they'd take Ridder.
Why Ridder? The Steelers want a quarterback of the future, they've made that obvious. They met with the Cincinnati signal-caller at the Senior Bowl, had a formal visit with him at the NFL Combine, had dinner with him before his Pro Day along with sending eight personnel members to the watch him throw.
Ridder's a very good athlete at the position, testing in the 90th percentile or higher in the 10 yard split, 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jumps. A four-year starter that took the Cincinnati football program to heights that they've never seen before.
Mike Tomlin talked all season about quarterback mobility and Ridder fits that mold while also possessing good arm strength and plus mental processing. Ridder is currently working with Jordan Palmer to improve his mechanics as he has a habit of creating a wide base. When he plants his feet in the ground and can engage his lower half, his accuracy and throwing power both increase but it needs to become much more consistent.
With Mitch Trubisky in the fold, the Steelers don't have to rush Ridder into the starting lineup immediately.
Round 2, Pick 52: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Full disclosure here, Pickens has no business being available at this point of the draft but as I look around at draft boards, he's still hovering in the 45-70 range despite a good 40 time at the NFL Combine.
Even in the event that the Steelers have to move up a handful of picks to secure him, this is a steal from a value perspective. Pickens dominated SEC competition as an 18-year-old kid and will be a 21-year-old rookie at the next level.
He possesses nice build up speed and can work on the vertical plane, making contested circus catches down the field. His confident demeanor shines through on tape as he comes off as uber competitive and has a WR1 type of mentality.
During his media availability, he expressed that he feels confident in any role at the next level, whether outside or inside having worked multiple positions in the Georgia offense. He's an underrated route runner for his size with the ability to create separation at the break point of routes. Against press coverage, he does a nice job of tying his eyes and feet together to defeat corners in his face.
Pittsburgh met with him multiple times at the NFL Combine and new wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson put him through individual workouts at his Pro Day with Tomlin and others in attendance.
Pickens would be an immediate impact for the Steelers, likely as a z receiver where they could push Chase Claypool inside to be utilized as a "big slot" receiver which could be best for his short-term outlook.
Round 3, Pick 84: Nick Cross, S, Maryland
This feels like the range that Cross is likely to hear his name called come next month's NFL Draft. After his ludicrous testing numbers in Indianapolis, it's possible someone could pull the trigger a little bit earlier.
Cross ran a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash at 212-pounds. The Maryland safety operated primarily as a deep safety where he helped keep a lid on opposing offenses by displaying plus range in the back end to roam the secondary. He also has experience lining up in the box where he can factor in the run fits and show off his impressive hit power and explosive style of play. He can trigger downhill in a hurry and has incredible straight line speed for a player with his build, matching his 40 time.
The Steelers have a gaping hole at the strong safety and there is uncertainty surrounding the return of Terrell Edmunds. Not only did the Steelers have a formal meeting with the stout safety, Cross was also college roommates with Tomlin's son, Dino.
It helps that Cross won't turn 21-years-old until right before his NFL debut, signaling the possibility of untapped upside.
The Steelers love athleticism at the safety position and he has that in spades. Cross is an aggressive safety that needs to clean up his tackling by taking better angles and being more under control at contact points. If the Steelers want versatility on the backend to flip their safety responsibilities while maintaining the ability to thrive in two-high structures, Cross seems like a glove-like fit.
Round 4, Pick 138: Max Mitchell, OT, Louisiana
Mitchell is a small-school talent with a whole lot of game. Primarily aligning as a right tackle for the Ragin' Cajuns offense, Mitchell makes his money as a plus pass protector with quick feet and consistently solid hand placement.
Alongside current Steelers guard Kevin Dotson, Mitchell helped the Louisiana offensive attack register an astounding 6.28 yards per carry which ranked third nationally in 2020.
Mitchell has a solid understanding of how to use his length to keep edge rushers under control and does a nice job dealing with speed off the edge. He comes with added versatility having played left tackle back in 2019 before moving to right tackle the past two seasons.
The Steelers seem to be content with Dan Moore Jr. and Chukwuma Okorafor as their starting tackles for the 2022 season. After adding James Daniels and Mason Cole to the fold on the interior, it seems much more likely that the Steelers will select a tackle, rather than a guard in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Mitchell could serve as the Steelers swing tackle for next season while he adjust to NFL competition and continues to develop his plan against his inside counters. Pittsburgh got a good look at him during the Senior Bowl where he fared quite well for himself against quite a few impressive pass rushers. They also met with him informally at the NFL Combine.
Small school products that don't test extremely well sometimes slide later than they should. Mitchell is a very intriguing developmental tackle prospect that could eventually slide into a starting role for this offense as early as year two.
Round 6, Pick 208: Danny Gray, WR, SMU
Another receiver? Yes, another receiver.
This just makes too much sense from a value and need perspective. Gray has electrifying speed as evidenced by his 16.4 yards per catch over his final collegiate season and his 4.34 40-yard dash.
Gray is a speedster who can stretch defenses vertically and provide some serious run after catch ability whenever the football is in his hands. A former track star that destroys poor angles from would-be tacklers and can completely change the momentum of a football game in one touch.
He does a nice job tracking the football over his outside shoulder on deep ball throws. While it won't be his calling card at the next level, there are impressive examples of him playing through contact at the catch point while high-pointing the football in the air.
Gray didn't run a very diverse route tree in college as he got his touches mostly on screens, crossers and go routes. Which means that he'll be somewhat of a work in progress in that regard early on at the next level, but there are limited examples of nuanced eye manipulation through his routes when given the opportunity.
He's another Senior Bowl participant that met with the Steelers informally at the combine prior to Steelers WR coach Frisman Jackson putting him through his Pro Day workout. Fortunately enough, Gray does have some sparse return experience which could help get him on the field early in his rookie deal.
The Steelers offense needs speed and big play ability and the fit just makes too much sense at this point in the draft.
Round 7, Pick 225: Decobie Durant, CB, South Carolina State
From the same small school that brought Darius Leonard to the NFL, Durant dominated his competition during his time in college. He excelled on the boundary in college, showcasing quick footwork, a smooth back pedal and overall impressive movement skills. While his size (just a shade over 5'9 and 180 pounds) likely pushes him into the slot at the next level, he still provides value there, as well.
Durant is an aggressive player who has shown the ability to blitz off the edge while also being an asset in the run game as both a willing and capable tackler. His playmaking skills speak for themselves, having picked off ten passes while allowing only five touchdowns in his last three collegiate campaigns, per PFF.
The Steelers held an informal meeting with Durant at the NFL Combine and it wouldn't shock me if they took a late-round flier on him given his versatility and play style.
Similar to Tre Norwood, who they took around this range last year, Durant can help a team in a lot of different ways as a utility man. It helps that he has experience as a punt gunner and has returned both punts and kicks, as well.
He can be a bit grabby and may never develop into a full-time starter at the next level but he's someone that I would bet on making a 53-man roster come summer time.
Round 7, Pick 241: Zakoby McClain, LB, Auburn
An undersized middle linebacker who makes up for that with toughness and decent athleticism. Despite his physical stature, McClain has a violent style of play. A capable run defender who seems to thoroughly enjoy stacking and shedding blockers near the line of scrimmage before making tackles on oncoming ball carriers.
He finished his career at Auburn with an astounding 267 tackles with 19 of those being behind the line of scrimmage. A physical, competitive player who takes good angles to the football. Has some experience as a spot dropper in zone and has shows a solid understanding of zone coverages.
McClain's mentality and demeanor indicate that he could become a core special teams player at the next level. With his ability to do the dirty work and take on blockers, he could be a plus player on both punt and kick coverage teams.
Down the road, there is potential for him to become an early down inside linebacker for a 3-4 defense, where he specializes in playing the run. Pittsburgh met with him informally at the NFL Combine.
The Steelers linebacking corps was a mess any way that you slice it last season, primarily when it came to disengaging with blockers that were able to get to the second level. That's something that McClain can offer in the event that he were to be thrusted into the lineup at some point.
Even in the event that he's just a special teams player at the next level, there's certainly good value in that at this point of the draft.
Recap
As you can see, the focus was primarily on guys that have garnered reported interest from the Steelers. It's impossible to know how the brass feels about all of these guys without being in the room but these are certainly names to keep an eye on moving forward.
Some housekeeping notes: I truly believe that the Steelers are taking a QB and taking one early based on what I've heard and observed. I didn't love waiting until the seventh round to address the CB/LB spots as both of those groups really lack true long term answers at this point in time. Without a fifth-round pick and only seven total selections in this years NFL Draft, it's tough to walk away completely satisfied with the haul given all of the current needs of the team.
Check out Noah Strackbein's 'Steelers Mock Draft 2.0' here.
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