Last year at this time I felt pretty good about the Pittsburgh Steelers getting Georgia Left Tackle Broderick Jones. A year later, I feel confident in what they want to do at pick 20 but the question I have is, can they pull it off? Deep down in my heart I feel like they really want a tackle but something tells me they’ve been purposefully coy about the Center position in recent weeks. In most sports, being strong up the middle is vital to success and that’s why I ultimately went the way I did. Anyway, without further blabbing here’s our final mock draft. Please keep in mind that I try to do what I believe the Steelers will do rather than what I myself would do.
Round One (No.20) – Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
I firmly believe the Steelers want to take JC Latham here but the price to move up and get him will be too much. There will likely be a run on QBs and OTs ahead of the Steelers at 20 so their options will be limited. What they do here is break with a bit of tradition. They haven’t selected a Pac-12 guy in the first round since David DeCastro and JPJ is also from a school where Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan did not attend their Pro Day. Offensive Line Coach Pat Meyer did go to his Pro Day in Eugene and JPJ also made a visit to Pittsburgh. And let’s face it; the Steelers MUST have a competent center and JPJ fits the bill. He’s not the athlete Maurkice Pouncey was but he’s better than average and exhibits solid quickness. He’s a classic ‘barrel-chested’ center who owns the middle despite less than desired length. Most importantly? He’s plug and play in my opinion.
Other considerations: Nate Wiggins, Kool-Aid McKinistry, Graham Barton
Mock 1.0 Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Mock 2.0 Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
NOTE: A report came out today (4/24) that Powers-Johnson has had several concussions during his playing career and this may push him down draft boards. I’m going to stay with him as my selection for the time being.
Round Two (No.51) – Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
The Steelers have to come away from this Draft with a wide receiver (or two) and Legette provides them with something they really haven’t had in awhile. Despite just one breakout season, Legette brings tremendous speed (4.3 forty) and ‘run after catch’ ability. He’s tremendously ‘thick’ and delivers a blow when he contacts defenders. He does a great job of winning those combat catches and could be utilized in a manner similar to that of Deebo Samuel. There are concerns over his ability against zone coverage and whether his one great season was just a flash in the pan but he’s worth the risk in my opinion.
Other considerations: Malachi Corely, Zach Frazier
Mock 1.0 Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Mock 2.0 Malachi Corely, WR, Western Kentucky
Round Three (No.84) – Maason Smith, DT, LSU
The Steelers love upside and this guy is filled with it. Despite a 2022 torn ACL suffered on a celebration after a play, Smith slowly returned to form in 2023. His overall size (6’5″) and length (85″ wingspan) are literally off the charts. His athletic display at the Combine was terrific and seemed to eliminate any doubts about his recovery from injury. He can play a bit high and over-extend at times. He’ll need some schooling as far as technique refinement and play recognition but he is literally the epitome of a Steelers’ D-Lineman in my book.
Mock 1.0 Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
Mock 2.0 Sedrick Van Pran, C, Georgia
Round Three (No.98 via PHI) – Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
Fisher was a 5-star recruit out of Indiana. The very thing most people associated with the Fighting Irish will tell you is that he would have benefited from another year in school. That said, you cannot teach his length and overall athleticism. He’s also a very smart player demonstrating the ability to play in multiple offenses. He’s not great, but he’s good at both pass and run blocking. There’s no question he has to get better at getting off the ball at the snap especially because speed rushers give him problems. The good news about Fisher is that from a technique and footwork standpoint, everything is coachable.
Mock 2.0 Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon
Round Four (No.119) – Kalen King, CB, Penn State
King is extremely versatile and he has demonstrated some serious ball-hawking ability. What I really like is how he attacks the run from both an angle perspective and in terms of aggression. He’s shown prowess in both zone and man coverage and is a really patient player. He does not possess great speed and is length is not typically what the Steelers look for but I think he would fit perfectly in the slot due to his flexibility and run support.
Mock 1.0 Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
Mock 2.0 McKinnley Jackson, DL, Texas A&M
Round Six (No.178 via CAR) – Jarvis Brownlee, CB, Louisville
Yes, I see a situation for a ‘double-up’ at the Cornerback position and why not? The Steelers have Joey Porter, Jr and Dante Jackson and not much else. Relying on the oft-injured Cory Trice is not a sound plan either. Brownlee brings a competitive and physical nature to the game. His size is a bit limited but he is on pace to be a an excellent Special Teams player that can work on his secondary craft while excelling or Danny Smith.
Mock 2.0 Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
Round Six (No.195) – Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame
While the Steelers seem more comfortable at inside linebacker than they did when the season ended, adding another one is never a bad idea. This late in the Draft you’re looking for developmental guys who can play Special Teams and that’s exactly what Liufau is. He played in 34 games in three seasons with the Fighting Irish amassing nearly 1,400 snaps. I don’t find him to be ‘great’ at any one thing but he’s good in a number of areas. He’s a smart player who sees things in front of him and adjusts well on the fly. He plays aggressively and is a sneaky-good blitzer. He likely needs to get stronger for the NFL grind and can sometimes be a bit too aggressive leading to some mistakes in tackling by either missing them or coming in late.
Mock 1.0 Sione Vaki, S, Utah
Mock 2.0 Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois
