A new name to Depot’s rolodex of mock drafts. Lance Zierlein rolled out his third mock draft today for NFL.com and he has the Pittsburgh Steelers taking Miami (FL) tight end David Nojku with the 30th overall pick. Here’s his explanation for the pick.
“I would run this card up to the commissioner if Njoku dropped this far. Njoku has the ability to work all three levels of the field and has the potential to become a solid blocker.”
Njoku is considered one of the top two tight ends in this year’s class, just behind O.J. Howard in most people’s eyes. Our Dave Bryan has floated the idea of Njoku as heavy as anyone else and for a good reason. He’s a talented player as a vertical and red zone threat. He broke out in 2016, catching 43 passes for nearly 700 yards and eight touchdowns.
He killed it at the Combine too. Standing in at 6’4 246, he ran a 4.64 40, jumped an absurd 11’1″ in the broad, and 37.5 inch vertical. Sliding to 30 may even be a bit of a fall and there’s a good chance he becomes a top 25 pick selection in the 2017 draft.
Dave broke him down way back in February, a report that you’ll see linked at the bottom of the article. While Njoku is a great receiver, Dave also gave him high marks for his effort and potential as an in-line blocker, a crucial component of the projection.
If you’re wondering, Takkarist McKinley, Charles Harris, Kevin King, and Jabrill Peppers were all off the board by the time the Steelers made their “selection.” Haason Reddick went #5 overall to the Tennessee Titans, which I’m sure will capture some headlines.
Again, check out his whole mock draft at the link here.
