Steelers go best player available in recent NFL mock draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers need a new franchise quarterback and offensive line help, but here’s why they go with the best player available in a recent NFL mock draft.

As a full-time editor, I spend 45-50 hours per week studying, analyzing, and writing about the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, it doesn’t take a fraction of as much time to watch this team and see what their biggest weaknesses are.

Despite their efforts to fill a few holes on offense in the NFL, the Steelers are in desperate need of more quality offensive lineman that could help revamp this unit. In addition, Ben Roethlisberger has been one of the least efficient quarterbacks in the NFL this season, and his playing career in Pittsburgh is likely to be over following the 2021 season.

Recently, NFL Spin Zone published a recent first-round 2022 NFL mock draft just before the Steelers Week 10 game against the Lions. But instead of taking a quarterback or an offensive lineman with their top pick, contributor Randy Gurzi had Pittsburgh going with Florida cornerback, Kaiir Elam, with the 22nd overall pick. Here’s what he had to say about the selection:

"After a slow start, the Pittsburgh Steelers have started to reel off some wins, although the refs sure seemed to help them in their latest win over the Chicago Bears. Still, they’re a solid veteran team that knows how to win and that’s starting to show.Of course, being a veteran team also means they have some players who may be getting close to the end of the line – such as Joe Haden. That’s why their selection here is Kaiir Elam as they replace one Florida star with another."

If you have watched this same Steelers team this year, cornerback isn’t quite as big of a priority as perhaps an offensive tackle or a quarterback, but it’s still pretty high on the list. With the way things shaped up in this particular mock, going with the best player available seemed like a good strategy.

Why Steelers go BPA in recent NFL mock draft

In this mock draft, five quarterbacks were already off the board before Pittsburgh was on the clock with the 22nd pick in the draft. Those players included Matt Corral, Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, and Carson Strong. In addition, the top offensive linemen — including Alabama’s Evan Neal, Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green, and NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu —  were all unavailable at this point.

Instead of digging down the list and selecting the next best player at a more pressing position of need, the Steelers go with the top cornerback one of the best overall players left on the board.

At 6’2” and 196 pounds, Kaiir Elam is a big, athletic cornerback Who is having a great season for the Gators. Though he only has 5 interceptions in three years, via Sports Reference, he showcases the physicality and ability to lock down some of the top receivers in the nation. Elam is also an underclassman who won’t turn 21 until after the NFL Draft, and his youth and upside could make this a very attractive pick for Pittsburgh.

Before the 2021 season began, the Steelers declined to give an extension to CB Joe Haden, and the veteran subtly said his goodbyes on social media. While James Pierre shows promise, this team is really thin at the cornerback position and is in need of a true number one player at the position.

The Steelers historically haven’t been good at drafting and developing cornerbacks, but that shouldn’t keep them from trying if a player as talented as Elam falls to them in the 2022 NFL Drat — especially if the players they are eyeing are already off the board.