Pittsburgh Steelers Mock Draft: Bye Week Edition
By Logan Bryson
Round 3: S Budda Baker, Washington
So far this draft has been defense heavy. With the third straight defensive selection in a row, I drafted Budda Baker, the rangy, versatile safety from Washington. Baker plays a highly aggressive game both in run defense and in coverage.
In coverage, Baker excels in a multitude of positions, including as a deep safety and slot corner. Baker covers a lot of ground and has the necessary athleticism to break on passes. Furthermore, Baker plays with a fiery passion and intensity, and can lay punishing hits at the catch point despite his small stature. Baker has a knack for always being around the ball and making plays.
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Possible Options: Two other players I considered with this 3rd round pick were Oklahoma WR Dede Westbrook and Michigan DL Chris Wormley.
The Steelers are in need of a slot WR to work the middle of the field and Westbrook would be an excellent selection to fit this role. He uses a combination of excellent timing and suddenness in his routes and knows how to create separation. However, his slight frame may push him down draft boards unless he bulks up in the pre-draft/combine process.
Wormley would be a solid depth option on the Steelers d-line. It is easy to envision him spelling Heyward and Tuitt for snaps and providing Pittsburgh with some much needed backup talent at the position.