With free agency inching closer, there will be tons of rumors and news flooding your timelines. The Steelers have a lot of work to do not only regarding their cap situation, but also trying to find ways of adding quality players to their roster. Free agency is up first and if Omar Khan implements a plan similar to last offseason, the Steelers won't enter the draft with many pressing needs.
The black and gold were able to add potential starters in free agency last offseason and that made them flexible during the draft. Pittsburgh would love to implement a plan like that again to take the pressure off the incoming rookie class. This mock draft was able to get quality value at different positions of need that have holes before free agency.
Steelers mock draft round 1: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa
A player that the club will fall in love with during the pre-draft process will be Cooper DeJean. He is coming off of a season-ending injury, so his medical situation will need to be clean. If that checks out, then DeJean will be a slam-dunk first-round pick. Mike Tomlin will be someone who likes DeJean throughout the pre-draft process.
Expect the black and gold to show up to the Iowa Pro Day and take this cornerback out for dinner. Those are two key things that have to happen when the Steelers consider a player with their top pick in the draft. This prospect is a quality player and the fact that he fell to pick 20 was shocking. He should be able to slide into a starting secondary spot on day one.
Many expect DeJean to slide into corner at the next level, but he could honestly play safety or a couple of different roles in the secondary. The Steelers will have options if they make this pick a reality. Allowing DeJean to be the starter opposite of Joey Porter Jr. would be the most likely scenario, but he would provide the coaches with different options.
Steelers mock draft round 2: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
If Zach Frazier is available with the Steeler's second-round pick, pencil him in. He makes too much sense for the black and gold to pass up with their second choice in the draft. He has a lot of starting experience at center and the Steelers need an upgrade at the position. It will be interesting to see where the top centers in this draft class end up.
More recently, the center position has been devalued in the draft and you can find a quality player on day two of the event. One should imagine that one of, if not both Frazier and Jackson Powers-Johnson will be available at the start of the second round. It seems like Powers-Johnson could be an option for the black and gold in round one, but that didn't play out here.
Pittsburgh decided to go with value in round one and pray that Frazier or Powers-Johnson would be there in round two. Powers-Johnson was taken earlier in the second round during this simulation so that made their decision easier. They go with Frazier here, which is another quality value pick. The organization loves him as a player and gets their guy.
Mason Cole will likely remain as the starter entering the pre-season process, but Frazier will be right behind him. It could be another Broderick Jones situation where Frazier has to sit on the bench for a couple of months before Tomlin benches Cole. This pick allows them to strengthen the offensive line and get the keystone that they need for years to come.
Steelers mock draft round 3: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
We round out day two of the draft with the Steelers taking another offensive lineman. The thought process behind this is that the club has two players who can start for them this season. They need competition for their starting right tackle spot so Jones can move over to the left side. They decide to take a tackle here to hopefully become a steady option for them.
Blake Fisher is the selection in the third round of this mock draft. He is a raw prospect coming out of college. He has a high ceiling, but this could backfire on Pittsburgh if he is unable to develop. The Steelers like Dan Moore Jr. much more than the fans do. It might be a headache to accept, but Moore could be the starting left tackle next year unless the club gets an upgrade on the right side.
Jones was a high investment in last year's draft, and they should give him every opportunity to stay at his comfortable side on the left. Moore should be on the right side, but we know the black and gold cater to him. Fisher is someone who played mostly on the right side during his time at Notre Dame. That is where the Steelers are going to keep him.
Since he lacks overwhelming experience as a starter in college, it seems like he might need a year of coaching. Time to develop to eventually become the starter. The best-case scenario for Fisher would be him to end this season as a solid starting right tackle for the Steelers. They have two starting capable tackles right now, so this need got pushed back some.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
People are going to hate this pick, not because of the player or the insane value, but how unrealistic it currently seems. Everyone should remember that prospects drop in the draft for one reason or another each year. Sometimes each week presents a riser on the draft board because they excelled at something like the Senior Bowl or the NFL Combine.
Roman Wilson is the selection here by the Steelers with their first fourth-round selection. This would be a tremendous value to get this talented receiver. He slid in this mock draft simulation and the team would be grinning ear to ear. They need more weapons for whoever their starting quarterback ends up being. Add in the thought that Diontae Johnson might want to leave, and this need might shoot up.
Let's play the why game here. Wilson fell in this simulation probably for a few reasons. One being his size. He isn't big, which could mean he might only be a slot receiver at the next level. That's not a terrible knock on a player, but many want that outside and inside flexibility. The Steelers need an upgrade in their slot receiver role, so this is a good option for them.
Wilson had a great week at the Senior Bowl and was probably one of the best receivers there. He was able to separate all week. His lack of production though in Michigan could be another concern. It was a run-first approach on offense, but Wilson never got close to breaking 1,000 receiving yards in a season there. Pittsburgh gets an upgrade in the slot and another quality value pick.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Leonard Taylor III, DT, Miami
One name that has not been linked to the Steelers in many mock drafts is Leonard Taylor III. We know that Pittsburgh wants to invest in the trenches on both sides of the ball, but it seems like it could be more dire on defense. Cam Heyward gets another year older and is coming off an injury-riddled season. DeMarvin Leal has not progressed, and Larry Ogunjobi has been disappointing.
Keeanu Benton has looked strong and should be able to develop into a quality starter. They need help in the defensive trenches not only with future starters but other depth pieces too. Expect Benton's role to expand in year two and that is where Taylor comes into play. He is projected as a defensive tackle and nose at the next level.
If most teams see him mostly as a nose tackle at the next level, then it makes complete sense why he fell this far. This would be another quality value for the Steelers in the draft. This prospect has great size and the right frame that the club usually looks for in their defensive linemen. He has some decent pass-rushing numbers that could get you excited.
Taylor comes out of Miami following his junior year. He will be 22 years old by the start of the regular season, so he has a lot of room to grow. A couple of things to note with Taylor as he enters the NFL level. He has to work on his pad height. He needs to focus on leverage and remain in his spot to defend against the run. He has a lot of good qualities, but he is raw and needs some development.
Steelers mock draft round 6: Josh Proctor, S, Ohio State
When you look at Josh Proctor you see a ton of experience. He has been with the Ohio State program for the past six years. That is a long time for a college football player, but that might help him go into the professional ranks. Having a lot of playing time in college should allow him to transition over to the next level without too many hiccups.
Don't expect Proctor to start for the Steelers, but he could become a role player for them. Special teams will be the main route for this safety to make the roster. He was not much of a starter for the Buckeyes throughout most of his career, but he was able to be effective in other areas. If he can play well on special teams, then he has a shot at making it.
The Steelers use their sixth-round pick on Proctor here as they hope to bring in better quality depth at the position. If last season showed Pittsburgh anything it's that you cannot have enough safeties and members of your secondary for that matter. He will need to earn his spot on the roster, but the black and gold know what they are getting with this player.
His ceiling is mostly tapped out coming into the NFL, but he provides some flexibility. He can play at both safety spots and even play in nickel. His strongest trait is the physicality that he plays with, especially in the run game. Proctor is a safe prospect at this point in the mock draft that will be a quality depth piece that could carve out a role for himself.
Steelers mock draft round 7: Blake Watson, RB, Memphis
Finishing this mock draft simulation here with Blake Watson out of Memphis. He is someone that would be a nice get for the Steelers in round seven. We know that the club is looking for different options to help round out their already talented running back room. They need competition for that third spot, and they might have the winner here.
Pittsburgh takes Watson with their final pick as they like his all-around game. He is a talented runner and put up consistent numbers throughout his career at Memphis. He was also to show that he can be effective with catching the ball too. He is a smaller back, but he routinely found ways to make plays in college.
Another thing Watson does is return kicks. That is something that Tomlin and Khan will like a lot. If you can provide any sort of value in the third phase of football, that is always something that boosts your chances of making the final roster. The Steelers keep that in mind by using their final pick on him here. Many might think this is a waste of a pick, but Watson provides stability in the backfield.
With Arthur Smith relying on his running backs to make his offense go, they need a well-rounded stable of backs. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren take the bulk of snaps, but they need a reliable third option in case one goes down with injury. Watson has proved in college that he can be that guy, and that should entice the Steelers with their final pick in the draft.