Steelers 2022 mock draft emphasizes offensive needs

Steelers mock draft round 1: OT Bernhard Raimann

Central Michigan, 6’6”, 303 lbs.

Bernhard Raimann started out as a wide receiver for the Vienna Vikings of the Ballsportgymnasium Wien youth league in Austria. He came to the U.S as a high school foreign exchange student, playing tight end. At Central Michigan he then transitioned to left tackle for his final two seasons, one of which was Covid shortened. As a result, he’s still learning the position, but is already a capable offensive lineman.

When I watch Rainmann I see a player who has Pro Bowl era, Alejandro Villanueva, potential. Like Villanueva he is a veteran, having completed compulsory military duty in Austria. He is a disciplined zone blocker who smoothly hands-off and picks up rushers. He still needs work on his hand usage but if he gets his hands on a defender they don’t get past him.

Raimann’s kick-slide is still developing but he seems to get better at it as the game progresses. There’s every reason to believe he’ll quickly master his technique with NFL-level coaching. He shows plenty of athleticism as a move blocker, can be called on to pull and trap and gets to the second level in a hurry. He ran a 5.05/40 at the Combine and is plenty strong, putting up 30 two hundred and fifty-pound reps.

If I was to grade Raimann on where he is, now, he’s a second-round talent but his ceiling is a perennial Pro Bowl player and he should reach that potential in a hurry. In 2021 he had a Pro Football Focus grade of 94.6 overall with 88.7 pass blocking and 94.6 run blocking.

At twenty-four years of age he is a little old but he should give the Steelers years of service as a ‘set and forget’ offensive lineman. If drafted Raimann should easily beat out the over-hyped and under-performing Dan Moore, for starting left tackle in his rookie year.