Steelers Land George Pickens Partner in Latest Mock Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers, and every team not named the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs, have turned their full attention towards the offseason as free agency and the NFL Draft rapidly approach.

With pre-draft All-Star games such as the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl in the rear-view mirror, we've already seen the public opinion of prospects up and down the board fluctuate.

Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers of the NFL Stock Exchange podcast took a shot at projecting how things will play out in April with a two-round mock draft, bestowing a rather favorable class upon Pittsburgh in the process.

In the first round at No. 21 overall, they had the Steelers selecting Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III. He was the second "true" player off the board at the position behind Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, and third if you count the reigning Heisman Trophy winner in Colorado's Travis Hunter, who many expect to slot in primarily as a cornerback while taking limited snaps on offense.

Burden, who stands at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, logged 61 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games this past season. Missouri also utilized him sparingly in the ground game, as he rushed for 115 yards and two scores over nine attempts.

As a true sophomore during the 2023 campaign, Burden hauled in 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns.

Pittsburgh is expected to make a splash at receiver this offseason, which is partially a byproduct of the uncertainty surrounding George Pickens' future with the team, and Burden would certainly fit the bill.

Sikkema and Rogers then chose Florida State cornerback Azareye'h Thomas with the Steelers' second-rounder at No. 53 overall.

Thomas, who impressed during Senior Bowl practices, finished 2024 with 52 total tackles and an interception while allowing 17 receptions on 33 targets for 141 yards, per PFF.

An athletic corner with a 6-foot-1 and 191-pound frame, Thomas could help mitigate the potential loss of impending free agent Donte Jackson and step in alongside Joey Porter Jr. on the outside.

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