With the Steelers struggling this season, here is an early mock draft to see what the team could do to rebuild next season.
The Steelers will be looking for a roster shakeup next offseason, as the current crew of players clearly isn’t good enough to get the job done. While there are some players to build around, most positions could use a new face or two. With the roster likely set to have quite a bit of turnover again, the draft will be critical in setting up the team for long-term success.
Here is an early look at a Steelers seven-round mock draft.
Steelers Round 1
I have been relatively against the idea of the Steelers drafting a quarterback in the first round of this upcoming draft. The team has made it clear they want a veteran in 2022 to start, but if the right player fell, he could be developed for a season. While the first round isn’t rich in top quarterback talent, Sam Howell checks a lot of boxes for what the team wants.
While the junior had a down season in terms of his passing production, a lot of that stems from the offense changing its scheme and focusing on the ground game. This led to Howell’s best season as a runner while still putting up good stats through the air. While his decision-making can be rough at times and his processing between reads can be slow, he has all the traits of being an elite quarterback in time.
His arm strength is one of the best ones in this class and his accuracy is also strong. The consensus is that he will need about a season to learn how to handle himself in the pocket and make proper reads. That should work well for the team though, as they can start whatever veteran they want while Howell learns on the bench. He has some development to make, but by 2023 he should be the answer for the Steelers at quarterback.
Steelers Round 2
A name that gets carried over from my previous mock draft, Zion Johnson has all of the tools to be a great guard at the NFL level. He has flashed great athleticism and physicality that the team wants along their line, and he has successfully played at both guard spots in college. While he was used at tackle this past season, he very clearly is a fit along the interior and nowhere else.
His tape doesn’t show a lot of weaknesses right now. He needs to add strength, something that is typical for a college lineman, and his run blocking isn’t as good as his pass blocking, but he still plays with a lot of ferocity in his game. The other drawback is that he is only listed at 6’3, which is on the shorter side for a guard.
That all said, he has the potential to be a plug and play guard at the next level. His ceiling isn’t crazy, as I doubt that he will progress much past a good but not great starter, but that kind of consistency would be welcomed on this unit. If the Steelers shy away from linemen in the first round, Johnson has to be a top name to consider on the second day of the draft.
Steelers Round 3
I wasn’t planning on drafting an off-ball linebacker this early, but the simulation over at The Draft Network had Alabama’s Christian Harris falling into the third round and the value was too good to pass up on. The Steelers’ issues at off-ball linebacker have been well documented, as Devin Bush has been atrocious and even Joe Schobert hasn’t been dominant. A new face that could push for a starting gig has to be added in the offseason.
Harris is a big-bodied athlete at off-ball linebacker for the Crimson Tide. He is known for his premiere coverage skills, as he can cover some of the better running backs and tight ends at the collegiate level. He isn’t a bad run defender, but he needs to rely more on his first instinct and be more attacking as a defender as opposed to waiting to see what happens in the moment.
While some will clamor for more of a run-stuffing linebacker, in the third round getting a player of Harris’s upside is great. If he can make some strides with his reads and aggressiveness, he has the makings of a great three-down linebacker. At worse, he could step in during sub-packages and be a better coverage option than what the Steelers already have. In the third round, Harris would be a solid get for a defense that is trying to rebuild.
Steelers Round 4
The Steelers receivers are set for a huge reset in 2022, as two of their top four options are set to be free agents. While there is a slim chance that JuJu Smith-Schuster returns, James Washington will certainly not. The team will need a slot receiver and a reserve to complete this unit. Ainias Smith has had a weird college career, but he could be a great fit in a pro-offense.
Williams has been a unique weapon for the Aggies since joining the team. Originally signed as a receiver, he switched positions to running back last season before returning to receiver this season. While he has some good moves as a runner, he is a natural slot receiver at the next level. However, his experience running the ball makes him a potential gadget option as well as a slot receiver.
The team has tried to have this sort of weapon in Ray-Ray McCloud, but it hasn’t worked. Williams has the potential to be a good slot receiver in the right system as well as a gadget player on sweeps and even line up as a running back on occasion. His versatility and slot capability would make him a welcomed addition to this offense.
Steelers Round 5
The Steelers will need a new safety in 2022, and while a fifth-round pick shouldn’t be counted on to start, Reed Blankenship has the potential to be a great special teams’ player and a key third safety playing close to the line of scrimmage. Long-term, Blankenship could become a solid run-stopping strong safety.
He has played extremely well at a smaller school, and he has a clear role on the team in year one. If the Steelers wait this long to address their safety spot, ideally, they will have signed someone to start there. That would be the best-case scenario for the team as it would allow Blankenship to develop as a complete defender.
He could see some snaps as a dime defender for the team and he projects well on special teams. He is also a plus athlete, something that should add to his intrigue with the team. Blankenship would be a strong addition to the team this late in the draft. He would be another defensive back option to field in this revamped defense.
Steelers Round 7
The Steelers have seen just how needed quality edge depth is this season, as players like Taco Charlton and John Simon have been forced into playing time. While expecting a seventh-round pick to be a top backup year one is unlikely, taking one like Ochaun Mathis could yield results down the road. Mathis is the perfect build for an edge defender and has been productive while with TCU.
Pad-level and consistency are the biggest weaknesses for Mathis, but for a backup, he has plenty of traits worth developing. Mathis also has the potential to be a good special teams player given his size and athleticism. The Steelers need edge-rushing depth, and Mathis would be a good fit for what the team needs.
One of my personal favorite picks in this mock draft, Tiawan Mullen has the makings of a great slot cornerback in the mold of Mike Hilton. He lacks size and elite athleticism to be an outside cornerback, but he is a very instinctual cornerback that relies on his knowledge of the game to make plays in coverage.
He also happens to be one of the better run-stopping and blitzing cornerbacks in this draft class. He had 3.5 sacks for Indiana last season, and he projects to continue that success at the next level. He has his limitations and can only play in the slot at the next level, but Mullen would be a great addition in a struggling secondary.
The Steelers have a lot of question marks heading into this offseason, and the draft will be key to setting up the future success of this team. There isn’t enough draft capital to fill every hole, but the larger ones are addressed. In total, the Steelers land a lot of talent for the future of this team.