Steelers 2015 NFL Mock Draft: 7 Rounds v1.0

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Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Age (33 years old in October) and recent knee injury aside, Heath Miller is still one of Ben Roethlisberger’s most reliable targets in the passing game. Nevertheless, how long the Pro Bowl tight end can continue to remain his reliable self will be a pressing question for the franchise to answer in the very near future.

Miller will enter his 11th professional season this fall, and the Steelers’ front office could use a compliment to the veteran as his career nears its end. It would also not hurt to add some much needed athleticism to a position where the team’s top reserves, block-first guys in the forms of Matt Spaeth and Michael Palmer, will be free agents this spring.

One player who could potentially bring those particular assets to the table is Clive Walford of Miami (FL).

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After two seasons of doing mostly dirty work to support the Hurricanes’ ground attack, Walford (6’4″ 254 lbs.) burst on the scene the last two seasons as a receiving threat for Miami. Armed with a nice blend of size and athleticism, Walford put his improved game on display in a big way (2013-2014: 78 catches, 1,130 yards, 9 touchdowns).

If selected, Walford would immediately become the Steelers’ most athletic tight end on the roster. Best of all, his athletic ability and versatility would provide Roethlisberger with two weapons at the tight end position, instead of just one, for the first time in his career.

A threat to line up next to a tackle or in the slot, a tight end of Clive’s caliber is exactly the weapon Pittsburgh’s offense is missing. A seam-stretcher who can contribute in the red zone, the types of mismatches that offensive coordinator Todd Haley could create with Walford and Miller in the lineup would only make the Steelers’ outside receivers even more lethal.

Next: Round 3

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