Draft season is finally almost over. So here is our FINAL mock draft of the 2015 off-season. If you want to see how far we’ve come, check out my first edition mock draft. Last year I hit on one pick, Rob Blanchflower in the 7th round… Fingers crossed on a better year this time.
*UPDATE*
1. Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest1. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
I can change my mind right? The more I’ve thought about it over the past day, the more I’m thinking the Steelers are ready to swing for the fences and go after a top 10 guy (on the field) that slips due to character concerns. I’m sure everyone is well aware of Peters’ past by now, but the team met with him several times and will feel they know what kind of man he is.
Kevin Colbert’s press conference actually had something interesting when he went out of his way to talk about how certain kids get blackballed throughout the process. Peters is a risk, but I think taking him would be a calculated one, and the type of move that could really raise the level of this defense and get them back to the Superbowl.
2. Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia
I’m going out on a limb on this one, I realize that. Plenty of people are mocking Eli to the Steelers in the first round. I think that could be a case of the media loving the kid more than football people do. Harold has some nice tools, but he’s a long way off from being an NFL contributor. I’m actually not a fan of Eli even at this pick, but I think the Steelers really like his character and high ceiling. Personally, I’m hoping Preston Smith falls to this pick but I’m not holding my breath. To me, Harold is a guy with a quick first step, but if he doesn’t beat a tackle off the snap he has no chance of beating him with a pass rushing move. I’ve said throughout the process that Eli is exactly the type of player the Steelers would’ve grabbed in the 4th round 10 years ago, coached him up for 3 years and he’d either be a stud after that or he’d wash out and nobody would care because he was a mid-round pick. If he’s there in the 2nd instead of the 1st I could stomach it though.
3. Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
This might be somewhat of a surprise pick for some, but the Steelers never fail to pull the trigger on skill positions if there’s value. They’ve looked at lots of receivers this draft season too. Coates is basically Martavis Bryant 2.0… big, raw, drops some balls, but can torch a defense. A common theme among the Steelers visits at the position is they all have the ability to go up and get the ball in the red-zone. That’s the one place where the Steelers offense could really improve, and having Coates and Bryant there to challenge smaller cornerbacks could help a lot.
4. Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State
The Steelers haven’t been shy about their interest in cornerbacks from any range in the draft. I expect them to double up. Grant is a corner/safety tweener that may just be a nickel corner in the NFL, but that’s a really important position now. Grant reminds me a little bit of Antwon Blake. Grant is not just from the Steelers’ favorite school, but is a highly intelligent and physical tackler that they typically love in their secondary. I could see Grant being a dangerous off the edge blitzer, like William Gay too.
5. Jesse James, TE, Penn State
If I had to guess on one guy ending up in the black and gold it might be James. The Steelers have really shown a lot of interest in him, and he fits what they look for. I could see them grabbing him a round earlier than this just to be sure. James should have returned to school for sure, because he’s really raw. That being said, he’s sort of a mix between Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth. He’s an ok receiver, and an ok blocker, but he has the frame and athleticism to potentially get much better in both departments.
6. Matt Jones, RB, Florida
I don’t really think the team needs to draft a running back, but they could find a really solid one late in this draft. Under Urban Meyer you saw a lot of scat backs and speed out of Florida like Chris Rainey and Percy Harvin; Jones is not one of those backs. Matt Jones is a power back first, but has some quick (not fast) skills as well. Jones could be a long-term LaGarette Blount-like backup to Le’Veon Bell.
6. Marcus Rush, OLB, Michigan State
I’ve seen Rush mentioned as an UDFA, but in talking to some people that watch a lot of Michigan State football that would be a mistake. Rush was somewhat unheralded but did all the dirty work on the outside for the Spartans. He really surprised some people with some impressive numbers at the school’s pro day. I’ll admit this is just me hoping he’s the pick here, but Mike Tomlin has liked Spartans recently, and was at the pro day, hopefully Rush caught his eye.
7. Quinton Spain, OG/OT, West Virginia
Spain is a nasty guard/right tackle type of mauler. He has position versatility and some quickness in space to go along with weight room strength. He doesn’t always play as strong as he is though because his hand placement is a mess. He could easily wash out of camp, but is worth a shot to see in Munchak can help him put it all together.
8 comments
Your latest mock draft is a little better than your last Chris but I still see 3 big issues with your draft: 1.Eli Harold, if he doesn’t beat his man right away what good is he anyway besides there are only 2 OLB’s I would want the Steelers to take within the first 2 rounds 1.Dupree or 2.Orchard. If both guys are gone then wait until day 3 and find a project OLB to take cause there is a big drop-off after those guys are gone. You may say Double O is a option along with Harold and others but I’ve seen the footage and read the reports and those guys have issues that I simply believed cannot be fixed at the next level. 2.You once again mock TE to the Steelers. Why? Why can’t you along with the other fans give Blanchflower a shot to show what he can do? The simple fact is that no one in this or any upcoming drafts is going to replace Heath Miller. The Steelers should put a TE to take over for him when he leaves and not look for his replacement. 3.Matt Jones, boy you really seem to dig these power backs that just plow straight ahead and do nothing else don’t you.
I’m not a fan of Eli Harold either, but the team reportedly has shown a lot of interest. And I’m going to expect an apology from you after teh team takes a TE this weekend Vittorio.
Your going to be waiting a long time before that ever happens. You yourself said that Eli doesn’t beat his man off the snap he has no chance of beating him with a pass rush so why mock him there instead of someone like Orchard and not a DL like smith who is just that a DL just like Hunter. It’s simple if the teams did not believe that Hunter or Smith could be OLB’s what makes you think otherwise now? Coates is fine I wouldn’t argue with you on that pick though as you say fix the drops. What about guys like Clark of Michigan and Mueller of Kansas St as late round guys?
Because a mock is a prediction of what will happen, not what I want to happen. Wanna make a bet on whether or not the team drafts a TE this weekend? Because I guarantee you they will.
Low and behold the guy I wanted all along fell to 22 in Alvin Bud Dupree. I have had fans question me as to why I kept saying Dupree but now they can all apologize to me cause I knew he would be there and you guys were wrong. As for you Chris I’ll apologize if they take a TE but I want you to apologize to me as well since you thought he wouldn’t be there at 22.
I’d challenge you to show me where I ever said anything about not wanting Dupree? No, I didn’t think he’d be available at 22, but not many people did. I’m done responding to these types of comments though as you obviously just aren’t willing to see others’ opinions. I posted mocks trying to predict what may happen based on what my gut tells me and what I’m hearing from sources.
Where’d you go Vittorio?
I’d say calling 3 picks on the money (including the TE) was pretty solid.
[…] I wonder if I wouldn’t have done even better if Marcus Peters had been available in round 1). Check out my final 2015 mock here. I have to get it in now, because this is really the last time I can brag about it before the picks […]