We still have a little more than two weeks to go until the 2014 NFL Draft and that means two more weeks of mock drafts. Excited?
On Tuesday, CBS Sports draftniks Rob Rang and Dane Brugler both released their latest versions of a two-round mock and they both are in agreement as to who they think the Pittsburgh Steelers will take with the 15th overall selection. That player is Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert.
The once-proud Pittsburgh defense has fallen off in recent years and reinforcements are needed at all three levels. Gilbert plays with a gambler’s mentality that may scare some teams off but his athleticism and ball skills could make him a star if operating behind a productive pass rush.
The Steelers cornerback talent isn’t going to scare any opposing offense and in a division with Josh Gordon and A.J. Green, a tall, athletic playmaker at the position like Gilbert would be an ideal fit.
As far as round two goes, Rang and Brugler go in different directions. Rang has the Steelers taking Notre Dame defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt, while Brugler has Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin tumbling all the way down to Pittsburgh.
Rang writes:
At this point in the draft, Tuitt’s upside is just too tantalizing to ignore.
Brugler writes:
The Steelers need help at receiver opposite Antonio Brown and Benjamin could develop into a Plaxico Burress type target.
What’s interesting about both of these mocks is that Gilbert is the first cornerback off the board in each. In addition, both have a total of five cornerbacks being drafted in the first round.
Another quick observation is that both Rang and Brugler have North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron falling all the way down to the Miami Dolphins.
