Brandon Kring Pittsburgh Steelers Mock Draft 2.0: Running in any direction

Round 5, Pick 11 (148 overall) – RB Kalen Ballage, Arizona State

As much as fans want to ignore it, Le’Veon Bell’s time in Pittsburgh seems to be coming to an end. With contract negotiations stalling and Bell seemingly frustrated on twitter, it does not look good beyond 2018 for a Bell/Steelers long-term partnership.

With that being said, the Steelers may turn to the draft to find another running back in preparation for life after Bell. Kalen Ballage fits that mold perfectly.

At 6’2″ 225 pounds, Ballage is an absolute specimen. He ran a 4.46 at the combine along with a 10’2″ broad jump and a 4.35 20-yard shuttle.

Ballage put together an impressive college career at Arizona State while splitting carries with another back. He amassed 1984 yards on 450 carries averaging 4.4 YPC with 27 touchdowns.

His most impressive season was 2016 where he totaled 536 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns to go with 469 receiving yards on 44 catches and one touchdown.

Ballage also shows kick return ability as he averaged a career 22.1 yards per return. His kick return numbers gave him a total of 1,414 yards on 188 touches and 15 touchdowns in his 2016 season.

His ability to contribute in all three phases of the game makes him a special find in the 2018 draft. He may not last until round 5 but if he does, look for Pittsburgh to pounce.