The Steelers opt for a trade back in this mock draft, ensuring that they fill their needs early on with the added draft capital.
The Steelers found a way to succeed in free agency this year despite limited resources and a large partition of their roster being set to hit free agency. That said, there are still a plethora of needs that this team will have to fill in the draft. In this mock, the team swaps first-round picks with the Buccaneers and receive their third-round pick in the deal. I’m not a huge fan of projecting trades in a mock, but I wanted to change it up, and trading down in a year with so many needs and less certainty about prospects makes a lot of sense. With all of that said, Pittsburgh, you are on the clock.
First Round
If the Steelers opt to stay at pick 24, I think they will go defense, as offensive tackle has fallen as a need while there is no center or tight end worth being picked that early. Cornerback and inside linebacker makes a lot of sense at 24, but the additional third-round pick here sways the team as they hope to add a few impact rookies. Creed Humphrey becomes the pick here, as gaining the extra third-round pick makes reaching for a center a little more manageable.
To his credit, Humphery is one of the best center prospects in this draft due to his track record as a player. He is known to set a tone early with his gritty blocking style. He has shorter arms which isn’t ideal for a lineman, but center is a position you can get away with it. While he is a good prospect overall, this is still a reach by the team, as they target their biggest position of need. A perceived reach has never stopped the Steelers from reaching for a player though (Terrell Edmunds come on down). The team is justified here by netting an extra third, making the pick a far better value.
Second Round
The Steelers continue to improve the running game with the selection of Javonte Williams here. While reports are all over the place with what the team will do at running back, having the option to pick Williams here is a great value. His pro-day testing wasn’t as strong as most hoped, but it was far from bad for a player like him. Given he relies on quick cuts and power in space, running a 4.58 forty-yard dash is fine.
Beyond just his testing, if you put on Williams’s film, you see a player that can be the top option in a backfield. As a runner, Williams uses his vision and lateral agility to get into space. When there, looks to meet defenders one on one to maximize his effectiveness. He is big enough to power his way through defensive backs as well as being shifty enough to make a linebacker miss in space.
While there is some hope that Benny Snell can take on a larger role or a later-round rookie could make an impact, Williams is too good of a value here. He would instantly be the most complete and talented back on the roster. For a team that is looking to rebuild the running game, adding a dynamic presence like Williams would go a long way. He can instantly be the go-to option that the team has been lacking for the past few seasons.
Third Round
The Steelers’ most underrated draft needs this season is tight end. While Eric Ebron is set to return, he is only signed through next season and the team has zero depth behind him. This draft class has two realistic starting tight end options and a little after that. Tommy Tremble may be the best of the rest though, and he could find his way to the team to serve as that number two tight end.
Tremble is best known for his blocking, and early on as a pro, that will be how he gets onto the field. He was a mauler at Notre Dame and for a team looking for an edge in the running game, he could fit the bill. Unfortunately, he was always caught behind other tight ends on the depth chart, making it hard for him to produce as a receiving threat.
While Tremble will likely never ascend as a top tight end threat, I think he could develop into a low-end starter down the road. As a rookie, expect him to carve out a role as a blocker and to maintain that next year after Ebron leaves. He may never be a top receiving option, but he could end up being a great number two option that can fill in as a number one in a pinch. At the very least, his blocking would be a great asset for the Steelers.
Third Round
While I would prefer the Steelers to address defense before this, offense takes the focus early on in this mock draft. That said, the team has a huge hole at cornerback now that Steven Nelson has left the team. While the team could target an outside option early on to replace him, if they wait until later in the draft, adding a slot option makes just as much sense.
Aaron Robinson had a productive career while at Central Florida, but he has quite a few concerns as a cornerback, that being his overall coverage skills. While he was proficient in both man and zone coverage, his skills in the secondary are below average overall. He plays with a physical edge though, and some of his tendencies are reminiscent of former Steeler’s slot option Mike Hilton.
He could get sprinkled in during his rookie year as a slot cornerback with his focus being on stopping the run. With Cameron Sutton being the savvier coverage player, Robinson wouldn’t have to instantly be the man in the slot. He will need to improve his overall coverage before taking that role on permanently. He would be a rotational slot option early and if he can make some strides in coverage, he could become an adequate replacement for what Hilton brought to this team.
Fourth Round
While offensive tackle isn’t as pressing of a need due to the options the Steelers now have, adding a developmental prospect on day three makes a lot of sense long term. Brady Christensen has some athletic limitations, but for a team looking to get more power in their run game, Christiensen is a solution. He is a big mauling tackle that helped pave the way for BYU’s successes this past season.
While he tested well as an athlete, he never looked overly comfortable in space. It is clearly the area of his game that he needs to work on the most. That said, he could be a long-term option at either tackle spot if he works on his ability in space. If worse comes to worst, he could even potentially slide inside. That said if given the proper time there is plenty of reason to hope that he can man a tackle spot in the future.
While the team has expressed some early-round consideration at edge rusher, the fourth round seems like a wise time to look to add depth. Alex Highsmith should take over as the starter, but having a capable rotational option and depth piece is key. Jonathan Cooper won’t wow anyone with his athletic profile, but his workmanship and attitude are hard to ignore.
He would instantly come in and compete for the number three outside linebacker spot on the roster as well as cutting his teeth on special teams. He has a decent pass-rushing skill set as well, meaning that long term he could develop into something more than just a reserve. While his limitations will likely keep him from stardom, Cooper would be a safe and critical addition to a thin depth chart.
Sixth Round
This name will likely bring about the “he isn’t athletic enough” crowd that focuses solely on combine scores when looking at draft talent to be upset, but Paris Ford is going to end up being a value pick down the road for someone. While his athletic issues will likely keep him from becoming elite, Ford has natural instincts and a hard-hitting attitude to find some level of success at the NFL level.
While his athletic limitations are noted, Ford was one of the better defensive backs in the college ranks over the years. He did this at Pittsburgh as well, so it’s not like he wasn’t facing good competition every season. He registered six interceptions during his college career, which is an indication of some level of ball-hawking skill. He was also considered one of the better tacklers at the safety position.
His disastrous pro day has sent his stock tumbling, but for a Steelers team that has no depth at safety, adding Ford this late would be a value. He could be a backup at both positions as well as serving a key role on special teams. At worst, he should become a solid special teams player given his instincts and tenacity. If he develops properly, he could end up being a low-end starter or a key rotational piece on a defense. Getting value like that in the sixth round is a steal.
Seventh Round
While a receiver isn’t as pressing need this year, the depth of the class favors the Steelers picking one later on. While that opens the door for a wide variety of options and styles to be targeted, getting a pure slot receiver would be beneficial for the team long term. While J.J. Smith-Schuster is back for another year, he will likely be hoping to cash in next year. Adding a prospect like Shi Smith could give the team a backup plan.
Smith is your typical undersized slot option, but he has good speed and quickness as well as runs sharp routes which have aided his success. He lacks the physicality to win contested cases, but given he only stands 5’9 this isn’t that surprising. He is a slot-only option as a pro, but he could turn into a contributor down the road if given the opportunity. Smith would be a low-risk option that could start as early as next year depending on how the roster ends up turning out.
Finishing off the draft, the Steelers look for a direct replacement for the cut Vince Williams. While a rookie this late wouldn’t start, he could develop into a role payer down the road. Derrick Barnes from Purdue could eventually offer a lot of the same things that Williams offered in his prime. The issue is his lack of consistent production and lack of a true position.
Barnes is a tweener as a linebacker and pass rusher. That said, given his athletic profile, the Steelers could comfortably move him inside to linebacker full time and utilize him as a two-down run stuffer. He can plug gaps and blitz up the middle in order to add another element to this defense. It may take him a few seasons to earn playing time, but he should be a good special teams’ player in the meantime. Barnes is an intriguing late-round option that the team should be paying attention to.
While trading back is far from ideal, the Steelers have enough holes to fill that doing so would make sense. This draft fills a lot of the current team needs on both sides of the ball. The offense should see a better run game as a result while the defense looks to cover the losses it suffered this offseason. Overall, a haul like this would go a long way in keeping this team competitive this season.