Home Steelers Draft Steel City Blitz Mock 3.0: Post-Free Agency

Steel City Blitz Mock 3.0: Post-Free Agency

by Steelbydesign

1. Andrew Billings, DL, Baylor – Prospect Profile
Personally I’m still holding out hope for William Jackson III in the first round, but I think the Steelers will stick to their long-held philosophy of improving the front-7 over the cornerback position. The Steelers staff is doing their due diligence on the kid; sending Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert, Keith Butler, and even Mean Joe Greene to the Baylor pro day. Coach Tomlin was seen chatting with Billings’ parents and Joe Greene had dinner with Billings that night. Clearly, they want to get to know Billings better.

On the field, the Steelers coaches probably are already knowing what he’s capable of, and the answer is a lot in their scheme. Billings would step into 3-4 packages from day 1 as a nose tackle, but what makes him worth a 1st round pick is he wouldn’t leave the field as the schemes change. Heyward, Tuitt, and Billings would give the defense three guys more than capable of holding up against the run but more importantly, can also get home when rushing the Quarterback on passing downs. Billings to me, looks like the new-age NFL nose tackle.

2. Karl Joseph, SS, West Virginia – Prospect Profile
I listed Jeremy Cash here in my last update, and I’ll be honest I don’t have a great reason for changing it other than personally, I like Joseph more. If the Steelers want a guy that will play exclusively in the box and punish running backs; then Jeremy Cash or Su’a Cravens would be an adequate pick at this spot. If they want someone that can do that and cover the deep part of the field when asked, the Joseph is your man.

I’m hoping to get a better sense of where the team’s interest may lie from the reported visits to the team’s facility. Darian Thompson would also be a good pick at this spot, but something tells me they want someone that inflicts more punishment, and Karl Joseph is definitely that kind of guy.

3. Harlan Miller, CB, Southeastern Louisiana
Prior to this mock update, I’ve been thinking this is the year the Steelers finally grab a cornerback in round 1. They still could, but most of the team’s meeting thus far have been with later round cornerback prospects. Harlan Miller is one of those guys; having sat down with a formal meeting with the Steelers at the combine. Miller didn’t have a great weekend at the combine, running a 4.65 forty yard dash, and only managed 6 reps on the bench press.

None of those things really worry me though. I would like to see Miller get stronger, but the low bench rep total doesn’t surprise me as he has a very long, wiry frame. Miller has exceptionally quick feet, and reacts quickly on the ball and uses his long arms well. While he’ll likely struggle tackling somewhat due to his thin frame, he’s a willing tackler and uses good technique when wrapping up ball carriers. Miller’s lack of strighat line speed would be covered up somewhat in the Steelers’ zone heavy scheme. While Mike Tomlin typically likes to have offensive players return kicks, Miller also has experience as a punt returner which has to be attractive to the Steelers’ coaching staff.

4. Brandon Allen, QB, Arkansas
Allen has some things to like about his game, but he also has some serious physical limitations. At worst, he’s probably a solid career backup, but I could see him having some success as a starter if he has enough talent around him. The Steelers have shown interest in Allen and are said to “like his makeup.” Allen is a smart player that’s said to be a great locker room leader. He’s undersized, and has small hands that are probably the reasons he’ll be a backup, but he has a pretty good arm and good accuracy on short throws. He benefitted from a lot of play-action at Arkansas, but that’s ok, as he could do the same with Le’Veon Bell in his backfield.

I know some won’t love this, and it feels a little early to take Allen to me, but I think he’s gone by the 6th. I could see Dak Prescott or Cardale Jones being better picks if they fall here. I think that Steeler nation needs to prepare to possibly be angry about another Quarterback earlier than you would like.

6. (comp) Tyler Ervin, RB, San Jose State
Ervin is an undersized back that runs like a power back. That could lead to him getting dinged up down the line, but the Steelers don’t need him to come in and be their bellcow. Ervin has some impressive ability to find a hole, but the Steelers will be more interested in his experience returning kicks and punts. The senior back returned 101 kicks during his college career, taking 3 of them to the house. He was less experienced on punts, returning just 14 but made them count scoring on 2 of them.

7. Derrick Alexander, DE, Tulsa
I think the coaching staff really wants to stock their defensive line behind their two talented ends this off-season. Alexander met with the coaching staff durign the Tulsa pro day. The end/tackle tweener is a high motor guy with some pass rush ability from the end position.

7. Jay Lee, WR, Baylor
Lee is the other Baylor receiver with a lot of raw athletic ability, but a lot of holes in his game. He’s got solid size, long arms, and pretty good speed. He’d likely start out as a practice squad guy given the Steelers’ depth at the position, but Lee is a guy that could eventually be a nice backup with some work. Baylor’s offense tends to be on that doesn’t translate to the NFL game easily. Lee showed some solid blocking ability, especially on screens that the Steelers would like about his game. Could probably also return kicks.

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7 comments

Ben Anderson March 22, 2016 - 1:16 pm

It’s hard to argue the case you’ve laid out for why Billings may be the pick. The Steelers did show a great deal of interest.
But, when the Steelers use 5 DBs, about 70% of the time and that percentage seems to climb each year; they have to pull someone from the front 7 off the field. For the last 6 seasons that player has been the NT.
I can’t see spending a 1st round pick on a guy who is not suited to play any wider than 3 tech and who will likely come off the field on passing downs to make way for that 5th DB.

steelbydesign March 23, 2016 - 11:29 am

I hear you Ben.

Last year (not to toot my own horn) I felt like by reading between the lines, I got a really solid idea of what the team was looking to do in the draft. (check it out) The Steelers talk without saying anything, but typically they don’t show interest in a prospects they don’t want. I don’t think they bother with smokescreens like a lot of teams seem to.

I’m just really getting a sense that they want to re-stock the defensive line to A. Give Cam and Tuitt a rest once in a while and B. Give them some versatility to run 3 and 4 man fronts. I get the sense that they want to go DB in the middle rounds.

This is not how I would go personally. If it’s me drafting I’m figuring out how to get William Jackson III on the roster and then I’m hoping that Karl Joseph, Vonn Bell, Darian Thompson, Jeremy Cash, or Su’A Cravens are there in the 2nd. If not, maybe I go DL at that point and look at someone like Miles Killebrew or Justin Simmons later.

Vittorio March 23, 2016 - 6:54 pm

I know everyone wants a CB in the 1st round but honestly the value of a 1st round CB is going to the way side. If you were Colbert and you were creating the draft board for this years draft you would be filling most of it with DL. The value of that position is stronger than CB. I pointed out the flaws that the top CB’s have but it seems to me just about everyone is ignoring and I can’t understand it. Alexander needs a teacher more so than a coach to learn Zone, Apple reminds me of Dennard and Fuller is being talked about as a FS rather than staying at CB. For me personally I would take DL with the 1st 3 picks the team has and I know you guys don’t like that but you guys know that any CB the Steelers take is going in the slot to start off there career and who knows after that so take it for what’s it worth. Go find a Steelers big board and yes it exists and you tell me what looks like the deeper position and which position has more value in the draft. I don’t claim to be a expert I just go by what I read and what I see. You guys may not like it but how could guys argue against it?

steelbydesign March 24, 2016 - 11:38 am

I’m going to be honest, I stopped reading when you said the value of a 1st round cornerback is falling off.

Value on the cornerback position is higher than it ever has been in the NFL. Maybe not for this team. This team values pass rush and front 7 above all else, which I’ve agreed with for a long time but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s part of the reason the defense hasn’t been dominant in a long time.

Look at this year’s Superbowl. Josh Norman, Aqib Talib, and Chris Harris Jr are 3 of the top cornerbacks in the game.

Look at the massive contracts being handed out to AVERAGE CB’s in free agency. Janoris Jenkins is a pretty good cover man that gets burnt way too often to be called truly elite, and he got a 5 year 62 million dollar contract!!

Vittorio March 24, 2016 - 7:00 pm

I said 1st round CB not the entire draft board of CB’s. You mentioned the top 3 from the Superbowl but none of them were from the 1st round. The jets have had Revis as there top CB for years and the farthest they got was the AFC Title game. There are better DL on the board within the first 3-4 rounds of the draft then there is CB but for some reason which has yet to be explained other than “they need that position” no one will believe me. I pointed out the flaws of the possible CB’s that the majority of fans would want in the 1st round and fans just don’t want to listen. Go ahead and point out the flaws for every possible DL and I will listen that I promise but I ask you fans not to ignore the flaws of the CB’s that most fans want in the 1st round.

SCB Steelers Quick Hitters for 3/22/16 - Steel City Blitz March 22, 2016 - 4:19 pm

[…] Check out Chris’ latest Mock Draft for the Steelers. […]

Vittorio March 22, 2016 - 7:50 pm

You know Ben you and I are going to argue over the Steelers until they actually make there pick. I have read a Steelers big board quite a bit and to be honest when I read the board I find that there are better CB options after the first couple rounds. You may think I’m nuts but trust me I’m not. The DL class has more value picks In the 1st 3 rounds than the CB class. Lets look at Alexander, Apple and Fuller for a moment as they are the 3 guys outside of WJIII who most people think the Steelers will take. Alexander needs a teacher more so than a coach. Reason why I say that is that he doesn’t know much about Zone Coverage and is more a press guy which is not what the Steelers play. Next we have Eli Apple who while he is good he has flaws that I doubt can be fixed and no it’s not his youth. His aggressiveness has a tendency to cost him. Once the WR beats Apple he grabs the WR drawing PI penalties on many occasions. So I ask you what’s to stop Eli Apple from becoming Darqueze Dennard at the next level. Lastly we have Kendall Fuller who looks like another good CB in his family but recently it looks more and more like he gets converted to S and I ask how could he get picked before a DL? No knock on Fuller, he may end having a good career but honestly how could you pick a S at pick 25 before you pick a DL?

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