The first wave of free agency has wrapped up, and the Steelers roster is still in need of a strong draft. While some of their moves warrant praise, nothing sticks out as a potential long-term fix. Despite adding linebackers, a cornerback, and a guard, I don’t think any position is off-limits in the draft.
This seems like a very Steelers way of addressing things. They have added a handful of veterans that can start in a pinch but likely won’t be around for the long haul. That means they can be “flexible” in the draft and target different names at these positions. It's how this team has drafted as of late.
I will tell you this right now: I have this mock going with how I feel the team is setting themselves up to draft. It won’t be the best player available; it will be the best player available at a perceived need, and it ends up costing this team. The team ends up reaching a few times, and the most obvious is in the first round.
The Steelers have done this on quite a few occasions, selecting players they like at a perceived need earlier than most expected. Artie Burns is the classic example (due to his busting), but it was a similar story with both Terrell Edmunds and T.J. Watt. Both were clearly on the Steelers radar, and even though the consensus was lower on them, the team still grabbed them in the first round.
This is what happens when you leave big holes on a roster, and that is why this mock draft for the Steelers contains a lot of reaching.
Steelers mock draft round 1: LB Trenton Simpson
Trenton Simpson should not be going this early, in my humble opinion. While he has a lot of fun tape, he lacks a defined position, and we have seen those players struggle to find a home in the NFL.
No one should be questioning his athleticism, as he tested as a freak athlete for the linebacker position. Some even think that he could transition to a box safety given his size and athletic traits. Add in his coverage, which is his best trait as a player, and you have an intriguing fit.
He wore a lot of hats at Clemson and was successful in a variety of roles, but a lack of a defined position has hampered him. He never developed completely into a linebacker and his run defense shows. While he can play sideline to sideline, he doesn’t always anticipate well and it can cost him. He also struggles to take on blocks and plays better in space.
While the Steelers have added a pair of free-agent linebackers, they are lacking that coverage-specific player. Simpson fits that mold and the team has some interest in him given their attendance at Clemson and the dinner they took him out for.
To be clear, I would define this as a reach, but that hasn’t stopped the Steelers before. They have a clear need at linebacker and Simpson fills that void. I’d prefer a lineman on either side of the field in the first, but this team seems poised to target a coverage linebacker at some point in the draft.
Steelers mock draft round 2: OT Dawand Jones
This is the only selection that I don’t feel is an inherent reach. Dawand Jones has incredible size and length that makes him a hard tackle to get around. He isn’t going to wow you with athleticism, but he will use his overwhelming power to clear the way and open up lanes in the running game.
While his size is impressive, it does come with some risks. He will likely need to shed some weight to get into better conditioning. His size also means that when someone beats him, he struggles to recover and win the rep. His technique can also be sloppy at times, as he won with just his size quite often in school.
The Steelers are showing a desire to get bigger along the offensive line though, and Jones fits that bill. He would slot in at right tackle and would allow the left side to be a competition between Dan Moore and Chukwuma Okorafor. He needs some work, but he has the size the team wants and fills a huge need for this offense.
Steelers mock draft round 2: CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson
The Steelers got the last piece of their linebacker room sorted out in Simpson, now they target a feisty slot cornerback with strong NFL bloodlines. Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is just that, as he lacks the size to play on the outside at the pro level, but he plays hard and has the coverage skills to work the slot position.
The nephew of Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Hodges-Tomlinson likely won’t be the generational player that his uncle was, but he can carve out a career given his willingness to play the run and his athleticism in coverage. Despite being small, he throws himself around and makes an impact on defense.
Due to his lack of height, I have more of a third-round grade on Hodges-Tomlinson, but the lack of defined slot players in the draft forced the Steelers hands. He should have an early role on defense in the slot, and even if he doesn’t develop into an every-down player, he has the willingness to succeed in the pros.
Steelers mock draft round 3: WR Tyler Scott
The Steelers have yet to address the slot receiver in the offseason, and that will leave the offense lacking in 2023. Again, they take a player about a round early, as Tyler Scott is an explosive player but lacks the finesse to be an impact player out of the gate. He will win with his shiftiness as he develops into a sharper route runner.
Another player on the smaller side, Scott took some time to develop into a starter at Cincinnati. He has only been the starter for two seasons, but he has proven to be an explosive player with the ball in his hands. He struggles when his catches are contested and is completely erased from plays when physical cornerbacks take him on.
There are other positions that the Steelers should be targeting, but another receiver is still needed. Scott adds another body and some explosion to the roster. If he can get better at his route running, Scott could become a legitimate threat for this offense. At the very least, he can come in and compete and provide another target for the team early.
Steelers mock draft round 4: NT Jerrod Clark
Jerrod Clark isn’t much of an athlete, but he fits the big man mold that the Steelers seemingly want out of their linemen. He comes from a smaller school, but he was a productive run-stuffer and pass-rusher while in school. While he fits the mold as a two-down nose tackle, he could develop into so much more.
Clark is a powerful player that dominated the line of scrimmage in school. His long arms and stout base made him hard to move, and he consistently had his way with linemen. His technique is pretty raw, as he won with pure power in school. That said, he can be inserted in run defense early and if he gets better as a pass rusher, he could become a three-down player.
I’d expect him to compete at nose tackle early in his career, as he has a powerful frame that will be hard to ignore. His ceiling is on the higher end as well, given his raw power made him so effective and if he can gain some better technique, he should be a viable pass rusher. There is some projection there, but Clark looks good on paper.
Steelers mock draft round 7: EDGE D.J. Johnson
I wanted to target an edge rusher earlier but had to settle for an athletic player that looks the part even if he wasn’t overly productive in college. D.J. Johnson. He has worn a variety of hats, starting his career off as a defensive end, moving to tight end, and then finally settling as a linebacker last season.
There is a lot of rawness here, but Johnson has found success in multiple roles. The team took a similarly raw transitional player in Mark Robinson last year, and they take a chance on another prospect like that in Johnson.
Steelers mock draft round 7: CB Rejzohn Wright
The Steelers round out the draft by addressing the secondary again. Unlike their first pick here, Rejzohn Wright is a physically imposing player that likes to get in the faces of opposing receivers. He will be an outside-only player at the next level, but his ability to play the run and hang with receivers in man coverage is intriguing.
He will need some time to get better as an overall player, and he tends to get grabby when he gets beaten on the perimeter. He would have a great mentor in Patrick Peterson and would have some time to develop before seeing the field.
Again, this mock draft is focused on filling the remaining needs of the Steelers regardless of the perceived value of the player. This led to quite a few reaches and a mock I am not thrilled with overall. There is still time to address needs, but hopefully, this team doesn’t force itself into selecting a handful of needs as opposed to adding the best players on the board.