Steelers mock draft: Running things how I would as Pittsburgh's GM

Steelers mock draft round 3: DE Gervon Dexter

The second of three defensive linemen that I love, Gervon Dexter won’t be playing early in his career for the Steelers, but he can easily develop into a great end for this team. Dexter is far less of a refined player for this team, but he has the athleticism and build that Pittsburgh loves for their defensive ends.

Dexter flashed while at Florida, as there are blips in his tape where he looks unblockable. He can shed blocks, get after the quarterback, and disrupt running plays. Unfortunately, he was an inconsistent defender, as there were other times when he would seemingly disappear on film. While his size is something the Steelers look for, he doesn’t always use it well, as he can get vertical too quickly on some plays.

Those flaws push him into the third round, but he still has the potential to be a great starter. He needs some time to better his technique and play lower, and his length is shorter than ideal, but he has the upside of a fine starter for this defense. His rookie season would be spent mostly learning, but it is a long-term investment into better trench play.