Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have signed free agent safety Mike Mitchell, we’re starting to see the major media draftniks slot a few different players in the 15th overall selection of their first-round mocks of the 2014 NFL Draft.
On Friday, Pat Kirwan of CBS Sports released his newest mock draft and he has Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’shede Hageman being selected by the Steelers in the first round.
Prototypical size for a 3-4 defense like the Steelers. It’s so hard to find 6-6 athletes that can play across the front. He will have to learn to play hard all the time if he wants to stay on the field for Pittsburgh.
While Hageman could eventually fit as a 3-4 defensive end in the Steelers defense, we’ve seen several times in the past how that move can take some time. Ziggy Hood unfortunately never effectively made the move from defensive tackle to a 3-4 defensive end and it took Cameron Heyward a few seasons to become the player that he currently is.
While Hageman has a great back story and is now believed to be a high-character prospect with some upside, he will be 24 years of age come August. In addition, as Kirwan points out, there are some questions about his motor.
When you consider that the Steelers probably haven’t given up completely yet on Nick Williams and Brian Arnfelt, selecting Hageman with the 15th overall pick in the first round not only seems like a bit of a reach, it also might be considered to be a luxury selection by many.
So, where do you weigh in on Hageman? Have at this pick in the comments below.
