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2015 NFL Mock Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers Select…

By Craig Gottschalk

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The Steelers will need to be aggressive in this year’s draft when it comes to shoring up their secondary. There’s lots of cornerbacks to choose from in 2015, and the Steelers will probably go after one in the early rounds. Probably. Does Sayre Bedinger’s pick in his 2015 NFL mock draft on fellow NFL Mocks give the pick the Steelers need?

With their first pick, Bedinger has the Steelers taking,

Marcus Peters, Cornerback, Washington

This is what Bedinger had to say about the pick:

"The Steelers have needed an upgrade at corner for some time now, but the time to draft a guy is now. Peters has good size and a strong resume coming into the NFL out of Washington."

It’s no secret.  The Steelers desperately need help in the secondary. The time to draft that talent was years ago, but there’s no reason for Kevin Colbert to procrastinate any longer. Ike Taylor will more than likely retire. Troy Polamalu will be right behind him. Cortez Allen is one deep ball away from being a bust. William Gay is best served as a slot or #2 corner. Mike Mitchell… well… no need to get into that here.

But, does the answer lie in Marcus Peters?

Peters, a redshirt junior with 11 career interceptions, was without a doubt one of the top corners in college football. He decided to forego his senior year to enter the NFL draft. He has the size, speed, and ball skills to become a top cover corner in the league. The ceiling is high for Peters – at least from a skill set stand point.

How does a guy like Peters fall to #22 and the Steelers? Peters was dismissed from the Huskies football program in early November. He was dismissed due to his conduct with the coaching staff – poor attitude and an affinity for arguing with coaches. Head coach Chris Petersen said that, “It’s never one thing. We’re not going to dismiss a guy because it’s one thing.” So, there are some obvious concerns with Peters moving forward, and it could be why Bedinger has him falling so low.

With the recent troubles the Steelers have had with players and attitudes – Mike Wallace and LeGarrette Blount to name two – the front office and the coaching staff might be a little resistant to jump at a guy like Peters, even if he is the best corner in this year’s draft.

Sep 27, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters (21) intercepts the ball intended for Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Ty Montgomery (7) during the second half at Husky Stadium. Stanford defeated Washington 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The big question with Peters, is his attitude just an “edge” that the coaches would need to harness or is his personality unworkable and the Steelers should make a different selection? Every NFL coach wants a locker room full of guys who “buy in” and believe in the direction of the program. We’ve seen what happens when the “buy in” falls short.

The Steelers need help immediately at cornerback. If they can’t get it in free agency prior to the draft, they may reach a level of desperation where they would highly consider someone like Peters. I know, the idea of this team picking a corner in the first round – something that hasn’t happened since ’97 – is almost laughable. But, Peters has so much natural talent and can contribute right away, especially in a Keith Butler defense rather than a Dick LeBeau defense.

Weigh in readers. What do you think of Peters as a pick for the Steelers?

Next: Free Agent Watch: LS Greg Warren

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