The defensive line is one of the harder positions to figure out for the Steelers this offseason. The group is lacking in many areas, and the team lacks a traditional defensive end across from Cameron Heyward. Unfortunately, the NFL doesn’t have a lot of bodies that fit the mold of what the Steelers like in a typical end.
Because of this, the Steelers decide to get aggressive and make a move up for one of the top defensive linemen in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a strong history of trading back in the draft and instead seems willing to move up if there is a player that they really like.
What this trade would look like for the Steelers
As the first-round trickles through, the top three quarterbacks fly off the board before the Panthers can pick. With their roster also full of needs, they opt to trade back with the Steelers and secure more draft capital. The trade isn’t anything complex: Pittsburgh swaps first-round picks and sends pick 49 to the Panthers.
While losing a second-round pick is steep, it still gives the team the top pick of the second round that they can use to secure another great prospect. This move also allows them to land a great defensive line prospect in the first round. With all of that laid out, here is an updated mock draft for the Steelers.
Steelers mock draft round 1: DE Bryan Bresee
When you build out a prototypical defensive end for the Steelers, you would get Bryan Bresee. He has the size you look for, great reach, and impressive athleticism. On the surface, has the makings of a top-five pick given his insane athletic profile.
The tape also backs this up. Bresee flashes on tape with his burst, quick first step, and ability to shed blockers. When he is on, Bresee is a hard player to stop. He bursts through the line, bullies blockers, and finds ways to disrupt passing and rushing plays.
The issues with him stem from consistency and injury concerns. Bresee has missed a lot of time over the past two seasons due to injuries. As well, lingering issues from injuries have also caused his play to be hot and cold at times. These questions are making him hard to gauge as a prospect, but his potential is through the roof.
While it may take a few seasons for Bresee to reach his full potential, he is the perfect mold for this team and should be a contributor sooner than later. This line has been a mess over the past two seasons and adding a player like Bresee could lock down this position for years to come.
Steelers mock draft round 2: OT Darnell Wright
Heading into the second round, the Steelers look to their other line and lock up an improvement for protecting Kenny Pickett. I wasn’t a huge fan of the prospects available at pick 32, so I took the name that I think had the most flexibility. Darnell Wright is a mountain of a man that has a lot of experience as a player.
Wright played both left and right tackle while at Tennessee. There, he used his size and power to bully defenders, especially in the run game. He is your classic mauler that likes to power his way through defenses and opens up lanes for runners. His mauling tendencies do make him vulnerable in pass protection though, which will limit him long term.
I genuinely think Wright could also profile as a guard as well. His power would do well to open running lanes and his lack of athleticism and pass protection struggles could be masked. If he is to remain at tackle, he should probably shed some weight. That said, Wright would be an upgrade to multiple spots on this line.
Steelers mock draft round 3: LB Noah Sewell
Right behind the defensive line, linebacker is one of the weakest positions on this roster. Mark Robinson is the only player locked into a roster spot right now, and he is far from a lock to be a solid starter. No matter what is added to this roster, a solid rookie would be a welcome addition to this defense.
Noah Sewell was a productive player at Oregon but unfortunately looks like a more limited player as a pro. Sewell is a throwback player with the size and burst to play the run and rush the passer. He can take on and shed blocks, sift through traffic, and find ways to make an impact along the middle of a defense.
His pass coverage is a major flaw, which is what will cause him to drop likely in the draft. That said, he has a lot of similarities to Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, who came out of college with a similarly polished run-defending product but lacked coverage skills.
Bolton has become a good starter in the league despite his deficiencies in coverage, and I think Sewell could have a similar impact for the Steelers. He is never going to be a top linebacker due to his coverage issues, but he can become a solid starter and help improve this run defense.
Steelers mock draft round 4: CB Kyu Blu Kelly
Even if the Steelers resign Cameron Sutton, finding a capable cornerback in this draft would be a welcome addition. While banking on a fourth-round pick to be an instant success, Kyu Blu Kelly has all of the traits that you want in a starting cornerback.
At Stanford, Kelly worked his way into a starting role and became a mostly-man coverage specialist. He knows how to hold his own on the outside, and despite not being an elite athlete, Kelly makes up for it with sound technique. He can match up with any receiver given his ability as a man coverage specialist.
Kelly also has strong bloodlines, as he is the son of former NFL cornerback Brian Kelly. Notably, his dad played under Mike Tomlin in Tampa Bay, so the connections are real here. Kelly won’t be a starter right away, and his ceiling isn’t extremely high, but he can easily become a starter in this defense as long as they maintain a focus on man coverage in the secondary.
Steelers mock draft round 7: OT Wanya Morris
My ultimate opinion is that Wright should make the shift inside as a professional player, and that leaves the door open for a more developmental tackle late in the draft. A name that makes a lot of sense from that perspective is Wanya Morris. He has everything you want in a tackle physically, from great size to above-average athleticism.
The issue is, Morris has never put everything together in college. He flamed out in Tennessee before transferring to Oklahoma, where he continued with his streaky play. He is a boom-or-bust prospect that will need a few seasons to season. If he works on his technique and utilizes his traits, he can become a starter in this league. If the struggles continue, his NFL career will be a short-lived one.
Steelers mock draft round 7: NT Taron Vincent
The Steelers got a huge prospect along the defensive in the first round, and they round out this draft with a potential fit at nose tackle. Taron Vincent isn’t among the top names in this class, but he has the prototypical size you want in a nose tackle and some athleticism that pops out on tape. Specifically, his burst off the line makes him tough to block.
Unfortunately, his functional strength needs to get better and he offers you nothing as a pass rusher. That said, Vincent can become a traditional two-down run defender for this team with limited upside beyond that. It wouldn’t be a horrible choice late in the draft though.
The Steelers trading a second-round pick is a tough one to get behind, but it lands them a premiere defensive lineman. Both trenches get significantly improved as well as potential contributors at linebacker and cornerback. This draft would likely hinge on the success of Bresee developing into a star though.