Steelers 7-round mock draft: OL and LB rebuilt instead of QB

Steelers round 3:

With Joe Haden likely gone, the Steelers will have to address their cornerback room this offseason. While I personally think a free agent makes the most sense here, the team may opt to draft and develop a corner (something that should frighten any fan). That said, Nehemiah Pritchett is different from what the team usually targets in an early cornerback, and he would make a lot of sense in this secondary.

While just a junior, Pritchett has been an effective starter for Auburn while there. He started off as an oversized slot cornerback before moving more to the outside. While he can play either position, it will likely be up to his testing numbers, if he is even an average athlete expect him to stay at outside cornerback.

Assuming a free agent is added, Pritchett can essentially take a red-shirt year to get a little bigger and develop his coverage skills while on the bench. James Pierre and Justin Layne would still be active roster members due to their special team’s ability (I also think the team still views Pierre as a capable reserve defender). Long-term, he should be able to settle in as one of the outside cornerbacks for this defense.