Steelers mock draft: New weapons and completing the defense

Round 6, pick 208: Steelers select Erik Ezukanma

I would be surprised to see him fall this far, but Erik Ezukanma would be a fantastic addition to the receiving core alongside Chris Olave. He brings good size at 6’2″, 209 pounds, and was the Red Raiders most productive receiver in all three of his college seasons. He isn’t the caliber of athlete that the top receivers in this class are, but he is well-rounded and has enough speed to threaten vertically.

He has an impressive catch radius thanks to his long 33 1/2″ arms that give him great contested cath ability. He suffers from occasional drops, but it is more mental than physical as he shows strong hands consistently. He still has growing to do as a route runner and may not separate well early in his career, but as a fourth or fifth receiver he could make a few splash plays down the field and after the catch.

This is one of my favorite picks in this mock for similar reasons to the Olave selection: acquiring a skill set the Steelers don’t have on the roster. Chase Claypool has been the de facto contested catch guy for Pittsburgh since being drafted, and while he has flashed in that area he is still inconsistent. Ezukanma could take some deep targets and slot into the role James Washington had last season, hopefully developing his game from there.

With the additions of Olave and Ezukanma to the Steelers receiving core, Matt Canada and the rest of the offensive staff would have all the pieces they need to show if they have what it takes to lead the Steelers offense into the future.