Well isn’t this a fun one. You had an unanticipatedly high time with Bill Barnwell’s crazy all-trades mock draft the other day, so I thought you might also enjoy Pro Football Focus’ live-conducted mock draft that they recently published as well, using a number of different individuals to make teams’ selections, acting as their general managers.
In the website’s full seven-round mock draft, they actually have the Pittsburgh Steelers making two trades early, initially moving out of the first round. They sent their first- and third-round picks to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Broncos’ second-, third-, and fourth-round picks.
At 40th overall in the second round, the Steelers then jump back into the first round, swapping with the New England Patriots at 31 (giving up the second-round pick just acquired and their early fifth-round pick acquired from the San Francisco 49ers.
And they use it to select Josh Allen, who apparently nearly falls out of the first round, even while rumors swirl that the Cleveland Browns could select him at the top of the draft. Arguing that Allen was one of the top college quarterbacks in making big-time throws, Nathan Jahnke believes he can improve after a couple of seasons on the bench.
Moving on, the site has the Steelers selecting tight end Mark Andrews out of Oklahoma 60th overall in the second round. Jahnke cites the absence of a Heath Miller type on the team and calls Andrews his long-term replacement, noting that he led this tight end class in yards from the slot.
The Steelers then trade the third-round pick they got from the Broncos and their natural fifth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Miami’s third-round pick (just two spots later) and a fourth-round pick.
With the 73rd-overall pick in the third round, the Steelers…trade back again, this time with the Green Bay Packers. They move down another three spots in the third round while also picking up and extra fifth-round pick. And now with the 76th pick, the Steelers select linebacker Skai Moore out of South Carolina, praised for his coverage skills, noting that he intercepted seven passes while giving up no touchdowns.
With the fourth-round pick acquired from the Broncos, Pittsburgh selects edge prospect Ja’Von Rolland-Jones from Arkansas State. Rolland-Jones is praised for his consistent performances over a four-year college career and it is noted he can be used in clear pass-rushing situations.
Toward the end of the fourth round, with the 131rd-overall pick (acquired from the Dolphins (from the Patriots (from the Eagles))), Pittsburgh doubles down on inside linebacker with Wisconsin’s Jack Cichy. The Steelers do not select again until the end of the fifth with Green Bay’s compensatory pick, taking running back Dalyn Dawkins from Colorado State, among the most elusive college runners.
Pittsburgh finishes the draft with two picks in the seventh: Colorado tackle Jeromy Irwin and Troy defensive lineman Baron Poole. Irwin has inside-outside flexibility while Poole is characterized as an interior rusher.
So to summarize, the Steelers come out of the draft with eight players, their top two being on offense:
Round 1 (31): QB Josh Allen
Round 2 (60): TE Mark Andrews
Round 3 (76): ILB Skai Moore
Round 4 (113): OLB Ja’Veon Rolland-Jones
Round 4 (131): ILB Jack Cichy
Round 5 (174): RB Dalyn Dawkins
Round 7 (220): T Jeromy Irwin
Round 7 (246): DL Baron Poole
