Steelers 2022 mock draft: Pittsburgh prioritizes OL and secondary

Steelers 4th-round pick (comp): USC SS Isaiah Pola-Mao

Another pick I had in my first 2022 Mock. Pola-Mao is the nephew of the great Troy Polamalu and shows some of Troy’s instincts and aggressive play. He shows good analysis, communication, and range when playing high but he really comes to life around the line of scrimmage. He can come in too hot and miss tackles.

Pola-Mao’s shoulder injuries would have to be looked into. He’s mostly untested in man coverage but has the speed, athleticism, and size to go up against tight ends and bigger WRs. In 2019, his first full year as a starter, Pola-Mao had 73 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 2 pass deflections. He will need some time to develop but he should be a contributor in his first year with starter potential down the line.

Steelers 5th-round pick (comp) Boise State WR/KR – Khalil Shakir

An offensive weapon, Shakir has great hands and a highlight reel full of circus catches. He’s a very fluid runner who tracks the ball very well. He has good short-area quickness. He’s a savvy route runner who uses a full bag of tricks to get open. He knows how to help his QB and find open seems. He has been used extensively in the backfield on jet sweeps. Shakir also has some return experience to challenge Ray-Ray McCloud. Due to his build, Shakir may be mostly limited to slot duties as a pro.

In 38 games Skakir has 171 catches for 2420 yards for 14.2 yards per and 17 TDs. On the ground, he has 60 carries for 316 yards for a 5.3-yard average and 4 TDs. Not done, there, he has 19 punt returns for 122 yards and 6 kickoff returns for 145 yards at 24.2 yards per. Still not done Shakir has 4 completions on 4 pass attempts with 1 TD for a 224.5 QB rating.