Steelers 7-round mock draft: Trade helps the OL and defense

Steelers round two

The Steelers now move to retool their secondary, as they will likely have needs at both safety and cornerback. A name that has been steadily rising during the pre-draft process, Jalen Pitre is the definition of a hybrid player. He was all over the Baylor defense, lining up at safety, slot, linebacker, and even edge on occasion. He has the versatility to wear a lot of hats on this defense.

While long term his best fit is as a traditional strong safety, he will likely need to develop his coverage there a little more before being the full-time starter. As a rookie, expect to see him being used as a third safety and sub-package linebacker more than anything to get him on the field. He would be a valuable chess piece as a rookie for Brian Flores and Teryl Austin.

While he wouldn’t be able to start for a potentially departing Terrell Edmunds, Pitre could be penciled in as the next man up at safety and serve as a hybrid defender early. By year two, assuming he has made some improvements as a coverage option, he can settle in more as a traditional strong safety. He would be an impact defender early though and a versatile player to have in this retooled defense.