Steelers Mock Draft: Pittsburgh adds youth to the trenches

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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 07: Gerry Bohanon #11 of the Baylor Bears passes the ball over Neville Gallimore #90 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the second quarter of the Big 12 Football Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 7, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

Round Two, Pick 17: Neville Gallimore, NT, Oklahoma

I went with Gallimore because he was the best player available at a position of need. The Steelers need a replacement for Javon Hargrave and Gallimore is that guy. He weighs over 300 pounds at 304 which makes him capable of playing the nose in a 3-4 set.

He also could be part of the mix with Alualu and Wormley to be the guy who rotates with Tuitt and Heyward in nickel situations when they need a breather. The Steelers have always valued defensive linemen and so drafting one early makes sense.

Gallimore showed his Junior year that he can be stout against the run and then his Senior year he showed he can pass rush. Gallimore is like Hargrave in his ability to get after the quarterback.

What I liked about him in my interview with him is that he had that worker’s mentality. He emphasized how he was going to work hard and he never boasted about himself getting picked high in the draft.

You can find my interview with him here. I interviewed him right after practice at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

The other two things I like about Gallimore’s tape is that he moves well for a guy his size. He will be one of the more athletic nose tackles that the Steelers have had.

The other thing I like about him is he reads the run well on tape. He has the see-to-do to get to the ballcarrier. That will be valuable in the Steelers efforts to stop the run on early downs, especially with him in the middle.