Let's hope the Steelers' actual draft class doesn't shake out like this. Not a lot of good picks in this mock draft for the black and gold. The club has plenty of holes to fill come April when the draft begins. Free agency will shape a lot of the needs that will have to be focused on in the draft process. We will see what kind of free agents are signed in the next couple of months.
Not all of the players in this mock draft are bad some are decent prospects coming out of college. The issue is that Pittsburgh was not able to fill many of the holes on the current rendition of their roster. The Steelers need to have another draft class like last years that provide quality players at positions of need. This mock draft might be bad, and fans should pray it doesn't happen in reality.
Steelers mock draft round 1: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Kicking off this mock draft with everyone's favorite idea in round one, adding a quarterback. You should be able to hear the sarcasm through those words. One shouldn't expect the Steelers to take a quarterback early in the draft, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. In this case, they fall in love with Bo Nix coming out of Oregon and repeat past mistakes.
Nix is someone who will likely have a Kenny Pickett-like career at the next level. He has better physical traits and longer-sustained production at the collegiate level than Pickett ever had. The issue is that he struggled in the toughest conference in college football and only started to put up strong numbers when he transferred to Oregon, which doesn't see the top defenses in the country normally.
Another issue with Nix is his age as he will be 24 before the end of February. That age should scare fans, especially after Pickett hasn't shown many signs of improvement for his nearly two years as the starter in Pittsburgh. Reaching for a quarterback in this mock draft would be scary and it should terrify fans if that becomes a reality.
Steelers mock draft round 2: Christian Haynes, OL, UConn
Plenty of tough things occur for the Steelers at this point in the mock draft simulation. They wait for their second-round pick and both of their top center targets come off the board. They decided to gamble by taking Nix in the first round instead of Jackson Powers-Johnson. They not only see him selected early in the second round, but they also see Zach Frazier come off the board.
They pivot to potentially reaching for someone like Sedrick Van Pran at this point, but they don't want to do that. Instead, they decide to go outside the box and take a guard by the name of Christian Haynes. He is a quality prospect and should have a solid career at the next level. The main issue with this pick is that Haynes has not played a ton of center during his career at UConn.
Many fans are going to imagine this being another version of Kendrick Green when the Steelers took him. Those comparisons would only exist because both play primarily guard in college and were shoved into the center spot coming into the NFL. Haynes is a much better player and possesses better size than Green carried coming into the league.
No matter how good Haynes is, there are two quality starters at both guard spots on the roster for the black and gold. He would have to try and challenge Mason Cole for the starting center spot, which will be an uphill battle. Haynes did some snaps at center during the Senior Bowl, but the Steelers have to take a prospect who is a real center with plenty of starting experience at the position.
Steelers mock draft round 3: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
We reach round three here and none of the quality cornerbacks nor offensive tackles are left available. That would be a tough pill to swallow for the Steelers as their plans to complete their young offensive line rebuild falls apart. They have to focus on other prospects and without any cornerbacks available worthy of their pick here, they go with the best player available.
Rumor has it that Pittsburgh likes Edgerrin Cooper a lot. The Texas A&M linebacker would be good value at this selection, but it might be too rich for the position. We will see what happens at the linebacker spot for the black and gold in the coming months. Both of their starters at inside linebacker are coming off of season-ending injuries.
Cole Holcomb is rumored to possibly return either at the start of the regular season or sometime a little after. Kwon Alexander is a pending free agent and his return from injury is currently unknown. Maybe inside linebacker will be more of a need around draft time than it is now. But based on what we know, going linebacker in round three with other pressing needs would be hard to watch.
Cooper is a quality prospect coming out of college, but he does have some faults that he will need to improve at the next level. He is a fast linebacker and has a lot of starting experience in one of the toughest conferences in college football. One of the biggest concerns with him could be his size. Cooper might need to add some weight to his big frame to become a well-rounded player.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Brenden Rice, WR, USC
We reach the pick that Mike Tomlin would be heavily involved in. He loves prospects that come from NFL bloodlines, and no one is better than that in this draft other than Brenden Rice. He is coming out of USC, but many have begun to find out that his father is none other than Jerry Rice, the Hall of Fame receiver. Tomlin would surely love to add someone with that name.
Although Rice has a famous dad, he has been able to create plays throughout his college career. Having Caleb Williams as your quarterback doesn't hurt. A concern with Rice might be his lack of receiving yards as a Trojan. He never eclipsed anywhere close to 1,000 receiving yards in one campaign. Normally, NFL teams prefer to see that. but that is why he is selected in round four.
Rice did explode onto the scene after he scored 12 touchdowns through the air this past season. He is a Senior coming out of college and has the ideal size for an outside receiver at the next level. He will need to have a quality combine and finish his pre-draft process strong if he wants to get into earlier round conversations.
The Steelers might need a receiver as Diontae Johnson's contract is coming to a close soon and the need for at slot receiver is desperate. Adding someone like Rice would be the vision of having a future starter there on the outside opposite of George Pickens. Having the luxury to do that is not something Pittsburgh currently has in its arsenal.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Dylan Laube, RB, New Hampshire
Fans might stage a riot if the Steelers take a running back at all in the upcoming draft, let alone in the fourth round. There is some thought behind this pick, but many would agree that this might be too rich. Perhaps towards the end of the draft would be the way to go. The position has proven plenty of times that you can find a quality back towards the end of the draft or even undrafted free agency.
Again, running back is not a major need this offseason, but it could become a focus soon. The Steelers have to decide on Najee Harris's fifth-year option. Many predict that they will choose to pick that up. It buys the team another year at a cheaper rate for a starting running back. Hopefully, under a new offensive coordinator, Harris and Jaylen Warren will excel.
Dylan Laube is the surprise pick here out of New Hampshire. Not many NFL products that come out of the school, but Laube is someone getting a lot of rave reviews recently. With no tackle or cornerbacks available worth reaching for, the black and gold go the best player available. They take Laube, and he will be a versatile player at the next level.
He is not a ground-and-pound type of back, but he will be able to put on the show with the rock in his hands either via handoff or pass. It was a great week for him down at the Senior Bowl and Pittsburgh was well represented there. Taking a running back in the fourth round would be a bold choice, but it also provides a plan if they let Harris go after his fifth-year option runs out.
Steelers mock draft round 6: Charles Turner III, C, LSU
Pittsburgh kind of panics here as they already took Haynes earlier to be an option at center, but they need some potential depth pieces too. It is amazing how they were not able to get an offensive tackle to this point in the mock draft. For one reason or another that has not worked out. The black and gold decide to continue their investment into hoping one of these offensive linemen stick at starting center.
Mason Cole was a near disaster as the starter at center last season and he doesn't deserve to have a guaranteed starting spot. The Steelers hope Haynes will work out at center and take over Cole's spot. If not, then they have a quality young guard who could take over for someone like James Daniels if things go haywire for him this year.
Anyhow, Charles Turner III is the pick here out of LSU. Not a bad value pick in the sixth round as the prospect has a ton of starting experience at center. He has started for LSU at the position for the past two years. The main issue with this prospect is that many believe his progression to the next level might not be too high.
Turner only allowed one sack last season, which is nice on paper. He does a lot of things well coming out of college. He might not be able to challenge for the starting spot at center, but he should be able to be in the depth role conversation. The hope here by the Steelers by taking Turner in this mock draft would be him providing depth at center and guard.
Steelers mock draft round 7: Jarvis Brownlee, CB, Louisville
Rounding out this tough mock draft on a high note for the Steelers. They get a steal in round seven with Jarvis Brownlee out of Louisville. He is someone who had a strong week of practices down at the Senior Bowl. Tomlin was very active that week and took some notes during his time there. It would be surprising if Brownlee lasted this long.
One of the biggest knocks on this cornerback is the fact that he will be moved into the slot role at the next level. The Steelers wouldn't mind that at all as they have struggled to find long-term solutions at that position since Mike Hilton left for Cincinnati. Getting someone like Brownlee here improve this disappointing draft class for Pittsburgh.
A tough go of things for the black and gold as a whole for this mock draft. They do cap it off nicely as Brownlee slipped in the simulator for one reason or another. No offensive tackle would be rough. That means Dan Moore Jr. remains the starting left tackle for another year and Broderick Jones will remain on the right side of the line.
No safety being taken would be somewhat surprising, especially if the Steelers don't make changes in free agency. Perhaps the biggest stab in the gut would be neglecting the center position early in the draft. It is one of the most important spots on offense and the Steelers handed Cole his spot back. It was a tough go of things here for the Steelers and hopefully, the actual draft doesn't turn out this way.