With the Steelers’ focus now on building out their roster for 2022, here is an early seven-round mock for the team.
The Steelers will be in for an offseason like no other, as they prepare to rebuild a roster that is severely lacking talent. Unfortunately, this team only has six draft picks to work with, meaning that they will have to make the most of them and target instant impact players. Here is an early look at a potential Steelers draft in 2022.
Steelers round 1:
It is no secret that one of if not the, biggest needs for the Steelers is finding some help along the interior of their offensive line. Trai Turner was average in place of David DeCastro, and while he may return, he shouldn’t be counted on long term. Even worse was Kendrick Green, as he regressed as the season progressed and became a liability on a below-average line. There is little guarantee with him moving forward at any spot on this line.
Insert Tyler Linderbaum. The Iowa center has already been hailed as the guy for the Steelers and it isn’t hard to see why. He plays with great leverage, insane athleticism, and ferocity that this line lacked all of last season. For a team looking to get more physical and dominate the line, Linderbaum should have you excited.
There are issues with him, that mainly being his size. While on paper Iowa claims he is average height, there is a real chance that he comes in undersized. Green has shown just what an issue lacking size can have on a player. Is it the end of the world? Not necessarily, but if he comes in smaller than most expect it could poise an issue early on. Beyond that though, Linderbaum is as pro-ready as they come.
Steelers round 2:
While many are clamoring for the Steelers to go heavy on offensive linemen in this draft, I don’t expect that to be the case. My guess is the team grabs a free agent and drafts a starter with maybe an additional pick used for depth. That means the defense has to become the focus, as both the run and pass defense became an issue for this team. With Joe Schobert likely out the door and so many questions surrounding the inside linebacker position, it could become an earlier drafted position than some expect.
Darrian Beavers is just the type of linebacker that the Steelers should covet. He was a great run defender while with the Bearcats and enters the draft with a slew of experience. He has great size (something that this group is lacking) and the ability to read an offense. He uses his size and athleticism to make his way and shed through would-be blockers en route to the runner.
While run defense will be his natural calling card, he isn’t just a two-down linebacker. He has the functional athleticism to cover in zone defense and his size makes him a powerful blitzer. There will be a catch-up period as he faces against some bigger blockers, but he should be an instant-run defender and long-term starter. Think Vince Williams but bigger, faster, and better in coverage. He would be a perfect addition in the second round.
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.
Steelers round 4:
I really wanted to get a receiver earlier than this, and specifically, I wanted to get one that can move around in the slot and be a Deebo Samuel-type of weapon. When that didn’t happen, Romeo Doubs became a hard player to pass on in the fourth round. He was a premier deep threat for Carson Strong while in college and should excel in that role as a professional.
Doubs is your classic deep threat that can function in essentially any offense. While he won’t test with blazing speed, he is plenty fast enough to win deep. As well, he actually runs routes well despite his college routes favoring streaks. He is good with the ball in his hands as well, making him a threat on screens and short passes.
He struggles with his hands at times, something most casual Steelers fans are likely very tired of, but his upside is hard to pass on. While the team would still be missing their slot receiver, that could be addressed with either Chase Claypool moving inside or adding a free agent there. While Doubs is limited in terms of what type of player he will become (he will essentially always be a deep threat), he can be a functional starter for any offense.
Steelers round 7:
Now comes the huge wait, as the Steelers don’t have a pick between the fourth and seventh-round as of now. Unfortunately, needs will have to be passed on as a result, with one such need being strong safety. Assuming the team has a plan in place before the draft there, taking a developmental player will do the trick. Juanyeh Thomas is one such player.
Built-in a similar mold as safety/linebacker hybrids such as Kyle Dugger and Jeremy Chinn from a few drafts ago Thomas is an oversized strong safety that will thrive as a sub-package linebacker. He has great athleticism for his size, but his coverage skills are lacking. He will be a core special teams player and has the traits to develop into a role player on defense. Not a new starting strong safety by any means, but one that can be a valuable addition to this defense.
Rounding out the draft, the Steelers add a tackle to aid their rebuilding offensive line. While Myron Cunningham won’t be a top name in this draft, he is an intriguing prospect coming out of Arkansas. While not as flashy as most in this class, Cunningham held his own every week against top-level college competition. He wasn’t perfect, but he showed enough that he may be able to develop into a capable right tackle down the road.
His pass blocking is fine, and he run blocks with a lot of physicality. Bigger edge defenders will give him fits but adding some bulk to his frame should help with that. He honestly reminds me of Dan Moore from a season ago, as he was a similar, unflashy prospect that held his own every week. While ideally, Cunningham doesn’t have to see as much action as Moore, there is a chance he could become a starter eventually. At worst, he should be a capable swing tackle.
The Steelers have a lot of holes to fill and not a lot of picks to do it. Free agency will be key for this team as well since they will likely need to add a starter or two before the draft gets underway. While there is still a long way to go before the draft is played out, this early prediction fills as many needs as I could for this team.