Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh takes an interesting route on day two

Brandon Smith #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Brandon Smith #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Washington Huskies linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui (58). Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

. Edge defender. Huskies . Zion Tupuola-Fetui. 4. player. 818

Steelers fourth-round pick (comp.): EDGE Zion Tupuola-Fetui

Don’t underestimate how much the Pittsburgh Steelers value defense — specifically, their pass rushers. Colbert drafted Alex Highsmith in the third round when he already had T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, and the team went out and signed Melvin Ingram over the summer (though he was later traded).

While I love Highsmith, Pittsburgh desperately needs to upgrade the depth at the position, as Taco Charlton and Derek Tuszka clearly aren’t cutting it. Washington’s Zion Tupuola-Fetui is coming off an Achilles injury, but he’s already a perfect fit for their scheme and could offer something as a rotational pass rusher.

After seeing Watt deal with injuries for much of the season this year and still forced to play because of the lack of depth, the Steelers desperately need at least one more rotational edge defender they can count on. Tupuola-Fetui isn’t the most productive player out there, but he’s a high-effort, high-character player who could prove to be a quality rotational piece.