Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh takes a predictable route in first round

Pittsburgh will have several pressing needs in 2023, but here’s why they go with the obvious pick early in this seven-round Steelers mock draft.

As the Pittsburgh Steelers keep winning, they are slowly losing their footing when it comes to NFL Draft positioning. Obviously, Mike Tomlin will take this all day if it means his team is winning football games.

Sadly, Pittsburgh only has a hope and a prayer of making the playoffs this year — even if they win each of their final games to close the 2022 season. If the season ended today, Tomlin’s team would be picking right in the middle of the first round, according to Tankathon.com. Here’s what I have them doing in my latest Steelers mock draft:

Steelers mock draft round 1: CB Joey Porter Jr.

Talk about the most Tomlin-like selection of all time. We know how much this organization values both youth and family bloodlines, and Joey Porter Jr. has both. While Pittsburgh has a rough track record when it comes to drafting the cornerback position, that may not stop them from pulling the trigger on a talented player in the first round.

Porter still has things he needs to work on, but he’s long and physical and the arrow is pointed up. Meanwhile, the Steelers have an unspectacular group of cornerbacks. Outside of Cameron Sutton (who is set to be a free agent in 2023), there probably isn’t another cornerback on the roster who should have a starting job in 2023.

The Steelers haven’t had a great boundary cornerback in years, but they are hoping to change that in this mock draft with the selection of Joey Porter Jr. He would instantly help improve this secondary.