The annual mock draft cycle is starting to come to a close and a few days ago Chad Reuter of NFL.com was back on center stage with a full six-round prediction for all 32 teams.
In his latest offering, Reuter has the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Washington wide receiver John Ross with the 30th overall pick and he writes:
Ross’ 4.22 speed made headlines at the combine, but teams are concerned about his average size and injury history at Washington. Pittsburgh takes the value pick here as a over-the-top threat to help out Antonio Brown.
Ross, who measured in at the scouting combine at 5106, 188-pounds, caught 81 passes for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns last season in his first full year as a starter.
While the Steelers have shown interest in a few wide receivers so far during the pre-draft process, it would be a bit of surprise if they wound up selecting Ross, who many feel will wind up being drafted before the 30th overall pick.
In the second round of his latest mock, Reuter has the Steelers selecting Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
Humphrey would be quite a gift for the Steelers in the second as many view him as being one of the top five cornerbacks in this year’s draft class. The 6002, 197-pound cornerback recorded 81 total tackles in addition to five interceptions and 18 total passes defensed in his two years at Alabama. The Steelers brought Humphrey in for a pre-draft visit and general manager Kevin Colbert attended the Alabama pro day this year.
With their first of two third round picks, Reuter has the Steelers selecting South Florida running back Marlon Mack.
Mack, who rushed for 3,609 yards and 32 touchdowns on 586 college carries, also caught 65 passes for 498 yards and a score over the course of three seasons at South Florida. Steelers running backs coach James Saxon was present for Mack’s pro day several weeks ago.
Later in the third-round Reuter has the Steelers selecting Wisconsin edge-rusher Vince Biegel, who measured in at the combine at 6032, 246-pounds.
Biegel recorded 20.5 sacks, 178 total tackles and two forced fumbles in the 52 games that he played in at Wisconsin that included him starting 40 times.
In the fourth round of his mega-mock Reuter has the Steelers selecting Michigan State safety Montae Nicholson, who has already had a pre-draft visit with the team.
Nicholson, who measured in at the combine at 6023, 212-pounds, registered 200 total tackles during his college career in addition to four interceptions and eight total defensed passes. He started 23 of 38 games that he played in at Michigan State.
In the fifth-round Reuter has the Steelers selecting Pittsburgh edge-rusher Ejuan Price with the 173rd overall pick in this year’s draft.
Price, who registered 143 total tackles that included 29.5 sacks in the 45 games that he played in at Pittsburgh, missed two full seasons during his college career due to injuries. He enters the draft already 24 years of age and measured in at this year’s combine at 5113, 241-pounds.
In the sixth and final round of his latest mock Reuter has the Steelers selecting Northwestern linebacker Anthony Walker.
Walker, who measures in at 6005, 238-pounds, recorded 278 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and four interceptions in the 38 college games that he played in.
