Steelers mock draft: Bolstering the offense early and often
. Safety. Tigers . JaCoby Stevens. 6. player. 817
Steelers mock draft: Rounds 6-7
JaCoby Stevens out of LSU has great size and shows physicality. There are questions about his speed and overall athleticism, but he is a hard worker that will fill in some depth while standing out on special teams. He’d fill a Jordan Dangerfield type role on the roster offering depth to the Steelers’ young starting safety pair. His production on special teams will likely be the ultimate factor leading to the Steelers selecting him.
Round 7:
Jack Anderson. 7. player. 874. . Guard. Red Raiders
Jack Anderson out of Texas Tech has shown good skills in pass protection. He is an average run-blocker despite his below-average athleticism. He has used good technique to help him overcome his deficiencies and could develop into a starting guard in the NFL. He falls later into the draft due to a 2020 season filled with injuries, in which he only played 3 games. If he is in the later rounds, he provides depth to the Pittsburgh Steelers allowing them to feel comfortable about their offensive line heading into 2021.
Marcelino Ball. 7. player. 813. . Cornerback. Hoosiers
Marcelino Ball out of Indiana is my replacement for Mike Hilton. Hilton nowadays is a far better player than Ball is currently, but as Hilton entered the league his coverage skills were almost as nonexistent as Ball’s. Ball shows promise as a blitzer and run defender lining up all over the secondary with the intent to punish the ball carrier or quarterback. The problem with Ball is that his coverage skills aren’t there. I’m not saying he could fill the void Hilton is going to leave, but he can develop into the same type of player and he removes the need to change much in terms of Pittsburgh’s defensive schemes.
Related Story. 5 biggest needs Steelers must address in the 2021 NFL draft. light
If this mock draft turned out to be completely correct come April I’d be ecstatic as a Steelers’ fan. This one draft fills needs with legitimate talent in a lot of areas even filling in niche roles like the F-back position in the offense or Mike Hilton’s unique blitzing role in the defense. All in all, it provides Pittsburgh with the flexibility to be prepared to compete for a title in 2021 while adding youth for the future.