Steelers mock draft: OL, defense addressed instead of QB

Round 7

Rounding out the draft, the Steelers look for two developmental players to fill some potential depth gaps. Bernhard Raimann is the first of the two selections, as the team tries to fill their gaps at tackle. While I don’t believe the team will ultimately draft a tackle high due to Dan Moore and Zach Banner, a developmental player would be logical. Raimann possesses good size and strength to eventually be a swing tackle.

The problems with him right now are technique and competition concerns. He has played well against inferior competition, but he will have to prove himself as a pro. He would benefit from a season or two of sitting and improving his technique as well. He is brought in as a rookie with the expectation that he sits most weeks as he needs some time to hone his craft.

The Steelers finish their draft looking for some edge depth. It can’t be overstated how valuable having so much edge depth is for the team right now. That said, Melvin Ingram is only under contract for one season, and at his age, he may ultimately only play this one season with the team. Thus, Randy Charlton gets the nod as the final pick.

While not a sack artist, Charlton is a bigger edge presence that can hold his own against the run. He will never be an elite sack guy, but he could chip in a bit on special teams early and develop into a rotational player on defense. He would be best suited as a number four option in year one as he tries to make an impact on special teams. The Steelers will need some more edge help next season, so a late-round pick on a potential long-term backup makes sense here.

While there is still plenty of season to be played, keeping an eye on the draft prospects in 2022 is never a bad idea. The Steelers will have quite a few needs, and not all can be filled through the draft alone. That said, this is my best stab at a midseason mock for the team right now.