The NFL Combine gave us a clearer picture of the players Pittsburgh could target this April. Here’s my post-Combine seven-round Steelers mock draft.
Regardless of the amount of stock you put into testing numbers in spandex, there’s no question that teams value the NFL Combine. The week in Indianapolis taught us a lot, and there are many players who either helped or hurt their draft stock with their testing numbers and on-field drills.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a sucker for good athletes, and these are the types of players they have been targeting in recent years. In my post-Combine Steelers mock draft, I have Pittsburgh filling some of their bigger needs in free agency prior to the 2022 NFL Draft. Here are the selections I have them making this April:
Steelers mock draft round 1: QB Malik Willis (trade-up)
I still believe that Malik Willis is the ultimate goal for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft. Just like they showed their infatuation with Najee Harris last year, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert have made their interest in Willis well known early in the pre-draft process.
Unfortunately, I think there’s almost no chance Willis is available at pick 20 after a strong Senior Bowl and Combine. However, the Steelers know this, and my bet is that they are willing to be aggressive. In my post-Combine mock draft, I have Pittsburgh packaging their 2023 first-round pick to jump ahead of Denver to secure Willis this year.
The Liberty product isn’t going to be ready to start right away. In all honesty, he could probably lose at least a full year of sitting the bench before he’s ready to see the NFL field. However, due to a lack of better options, Willis could become a starter late in his rookie season.
I contemplated having the Steelers stand pat and beef up the trenches with a player like Boston College OG Zion Johnson, but their love for Willis is evident. Just like they did in 2019 for Devin Bush, I think there’s a great chance they move up for their QB this year.
Steelers mock draft round 2: WR George Pickens
It’s impossible to rule out a skill player for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round. Pittsburgh drank from this pool often in recent years — spending second-round picks on JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, and Chase Claypool. Even the third-round pick they spent on Diontae Johnson was just a few picks outside of the second round.
Now it seems as though there’s a solid chance the Steelers could once again select a second-round receiver, as they have officially met with many of the WR prospects projected to go in this range. In addition, there’s a chance both JuJu and Washington leave in free agency this year.
While some would love to see them address the trenches here, I think they will take care of several key issues upfront in free agency this offseason, and they miss out on a wave of talent here early in the draft.
George Pickens was a former five-star recruit whose tape jumped off the screen from day one. He suffered an ACL tear last year, but the NFL Combine proved that he was fully healthy. Pickens is a very natural, well-rounded football player who could be a high-end WR2 in the NFL. He gives this team a boost on offense as a rookie.
Steelers mock draft round 3: LB Leo Chenal
Here’s a linebacker who will be firmly on Steelers draft radar on day two. After an impressive NFL Combine that included an official 4.53 40-yard dash and 40.5” vertical at 6’3” and 250 pounds, it’s possible that Leo Chenal could shoot himself up into the second round. However, Chenal isn’t going to be for everyone.
Chenal does his best work near the line of scrimmage and coming downhill. In fact, he’s probably the closest player this draft has to offer to former Steelers linebacker, Vince Williams. Chenal is bigger and more explosive than Williams, but some teams will view him as an early-down linebacker who could be a potential liability on third down or obvious passing situations.
Because there are a plethora of fast linebackers this year who can cover better than Chenal, it’s possible he could slide to the third round. This would be remarkable value for a team in need of a run-stuffing linebacker, and Pittsburgh would not be able to pass him up.
Chenal doesn’t play as fast as his timed speed, but it doesn’t really matter. He’s great going downhill and sifting through traffic. With Joe Schobert likely a cap casualty, Chenal could see himself starting for the Steelers alongside Devin Bush early in his rookie season.
Steelers mock draft round 4 (comp.): IOL Cade Mays
Don’t be completely shocked if the Pittsburgh Steelers neglect the trenches until this point in the draft (after all, that’s essentially what they’ve done in every other year recently). As I mentioned, I think there’s a good chance that Kevin Colbert will look to improve the offensive line and perhaps even add a defensive tackle in free agency prior to the NFL Draft.
If the draft does play out like this, I think Cade Mays is a player who would make a lot of sense for Pittsburgh. Mays is a former five-star recruit who has experience playing all across the offensive line. Because he is just an average athlete, Mays would probably begin his career as the team’s developmental guard who could eventually turn into a starter. However, at 6’5” and 311 pounds with 34 1/8” arms, it’s possible that Mays could play right tackle as well.
Mays is a solid football player who had a good career with the Tennessee Volunteers, but he will probably never make a Pro Bowl in the NFL. Still, there’s certainly a place for this player, and Mays would help give Pittsburgh quality depth with position flexibility along the offensive line.
We know how much help Pittsburgh needs in this department, but if Colbert is able to land a few quality offensive linemen in free agency, it gives the Steelers much more flexibility to wait on an offensive lineman until this point in the draft.
Steelers mock draft round 7 (via Jets): OT Austin Deculus
Just last year, we saw the Steelers double up on the offensive line with back-to-back mid-round picks. Though there’s quite the gap between the compensatory fourth round and the seventh-round pick acquired via trade with the New York Jets, I wouldn’t be surprised if they took another offensive lineman here.
Austin Deculus put up some solid numbers at the NFL Combine. At 6’5” and 321 pounds with 34 3/8” arms, he projects as a solid developmental offensive tackle at the next level. Deculus would spend his first year competing for a roster spot on the Steelers.
Steelers mock draft round 7: S Bubba Bolden
Whether Terrell Edmunds returns to the team in 2022 or not, Pittsburgh could certainly stand to upgrade their depth at the safety position. The Antoine Brooks experiment didn’t go as planned for the Steelers and they could use a similar player who could excel on special teams and enter the game at either safety position in a pinch.
Bubba Bolden is 6’2” and 209 pounds and he ran quite well for his size (4.47). Bolden is inconsistent but has the speed and physicality to play special teams with the upside to develop into something more down the line.
The Steelers have other needs that must be addressed before the season, but I can see each of their players being on their radar after the NFL Combine. In the end, I still think the ultimate goal is to land QB Malik Willis this year.