The Steelers head to the Senior Bowl looking closely at the prospects during practice and then the game but that doesn’t stop the mock drafts.
The Senior Bowl will be played on January 30th in Mobile, Alabama. The yearly event always has fans and scouts of the Steelers watching with eagle eyes to pay attention to the best prospects throughout the week. It will start with the practices during the week and lead up to the game. The stage will be set for these young men that want to show some separation among their peers. It will be games and events like these that are magnified more than ever. There is no NFL Combine this year and fewer opportunities for these NFL hopefuls to show why they deserve better draft consideration.
All eyes will fall on Mobile during this entire week as football continues to be played this late into the season. Players from big and small schools will have the chance to show their real skills to NFL front offices. The seven-round mock draft is always difficult to gauge this far in advance to April but it is always fun to make educated guesses. This mock draft also includes a fourth and sixth-round compensatory pick for the black and gold’s losses in free agency last year:
Round 1 (pick 24): Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
This might be too high of a selection for Freiermuth but he is an amazing prospect with a very high ceiling. They call him baby Gronk and he shows it on tape. He is a physical beast that can dominate any competition that he goes up against. Unfortunately for him, this season was cut short due to an injury that needed surgery. With a full year under his belt and impressive numbers, this could’ve been a lock for a first-round choice.
Pittsburgh could potentially trade down if they wanted to select the Penn State product. The Steelers have neglected the tight end position for years and investing in one here would be a nice choice. Vance McDonald just retired and Eric Ebron could be back, but the rest of the depth at the position is murky. Freiermuth would add amazing depth and an all-around player that could block and catch.
Round 2 (pick 55): Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
Williams is a very impressive player with a ton of production coming out of North Carolina. The former Tar Heel has been able to show explosiveness in both the running game and catching the ball out of the backfield. He would be a great pick in the second-round but as the draft gets closer, this player will be on the rise. His draft status continuously grows more and more but he will still likely be graded behind the top backs in the class, Najee Harris and Travis Etienne. Williams would become an instant starter for the Steelers as he can play all three downs for the offense.
He did play with a two-headed monster attack but Williams gained the bulk of the carries. It was a very potent offense down there in Chapel Hill. His explosive breakout season has caught the eyes of many NFL teams. This would be a great addition to Pittsburgh as they had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL last season.
Round 3 (TRADE: Steelers receives pick 77, Washington receives pick 87, and Pittsburgh’s compensatory 4th rounder in 2021): Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
This draft does include a trade and there is one here. The Steelers move up 10 spots to select some help up front with a tackle coming out of Clemson. Pittsburgh is expected to receive a compensatory fourth and sixth-round selection based on free agency losses last offseason. This is a player that still needs work but he could develop into a very good starting tackle in the league. Jackson Carman just turned 21 a little over a week ago. He has a ton of upside and getting him here is another great addition.
It will be interesting to see how NFL scouts view Carman as he could be a project tackle in the league or he might slide inside at guard. The black and gold would see him more as a tackle with the gaping hole on the left side. This would be a nice addition that could at the very least become a nice starting guard as the offensive line turnover continues.
Round 4 (pick 118): Caden Sterns, DB, Texas
The Steelers still hold their pick in the fourth round and they select a safety out of Texas. The former Longhorn will join a secondary that needs some depth. Sterns would provide that as Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick are the obvious starters still. This collegiate athlete will be able to come in and play well on special teams and maybe be molded into something. It will be hard for the squad to let Jordan Dangerfield walk as his special team’s ability is one of the best in the NFL. Caden Sterns will have to show a good game in special teams and some promise as a future starter on the team.
One thing that is consistent with this class is that they are high ceiling prospects that are young. Sterns is leaving after his Junior year where he stopped his season early because of injury. He decided to get ready for the draft. His best season was two years ago when he had four interceptions. He still needs to work on his pass coverage but he is a project that the Steelers could work with.
Round 4 (compensatory pick): TRADED to Washington
Round 6 (pick 186): Adetokunbo Ogundeji, EDGE, Notre Dame
This player would be a great addition to the team. His tall lanky frame has allowed him to play well at the collegiate level but the Steelers would have to decide which position would be better for him to play at. Ogundeji could try to fill out his frame more and play defensive end or keep his weight and play at the outside linebacker position.
The draft process will be huge for his stock as he had a great second half of the season finishing with 6.5 sacks. He has only been the starter at Notre Dame for two seasons so he is still developing his play. He could turn out to be a very nice choice if he can play a full season consistently.
Round 6 (compensatory pick): Thomas Booker, DE, Stanford
Thomas Booker would make the last pick more obvious in the team’s thought process. Booker is labeled more as an edge defender but at over 300 pounds, he would have the size to play along the defensive line for Pittsburgh. Ogundeji would be a nice outside linebacker option while the team tries to fill a need at the defensive front with Booker.
The Stanford product would bring some nice size to the roster. It was tough for Booker as this was supposed to be the breakout season for him but the very shortened season did not improve his stock greatly. This player fits the Steelers type of build that they like playing on the defensive line.
Round 7 (pick 208): Michael Saffell, C, California
Maurkice Pouncey is expected to retire and there will be huge shoes to fill in the middle of that front. Michael Saffell is a solid choice here but this late in the draft to select such a major need is less than ideal. This mock draft just shook out that way. The former bear needs to improve on his physicality and frame. His weight needs work to physically play at the NFL level but a seventh-round choice can only be so good. He can develop over time but this will have to be addressed in free agency if Saffell is the last option available.
Round 7 (compensatory pick): Paddy Fisher, LB, Northwestern
Paddy Fisher just seems like he will continue to jump up draft boards as teams get to know him more. He played very well ever since gracing the fields as a Wildcat. He is a sound tackler that stops the run. His coverage ability is the main issue in his game. If he shows improvement in that part of his game then he will move up the boards by a large margin. Fisher looks like an immediate stud on special teams with a nice chance of developing into a starter in this league. A selection of Fisher at this point would be an amazing value especially if he has the potential to move up draft boards.
The Senior Bowl will be a week of fun to watch as the Steelers are in full swing of the offseason. Make sure to pay attention to what prospects are getting very close looks from the Pittsburgh brass.