Any of yinz up for a mock draft?
I know, I know. The Pittsburgh Steelers have only played five games so far this season and the college football season has still half of the schedule left to go. I can already hear “Save the mock drafts for the offseason!” raining down in the comments section, but remember by the bye week last year, we were talking about a Steelers team that was 2-6 looking at a top-five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft until they managed to turn things around down the stretch.
While the Steelers enters their bye week this season in better shape than last year, they have several notable key weaknesses that need to be addressed this upcoming offseason to build their team and put them in a better position to compete in the AFC North. With all of that said, here is my early mock draft on what direction I think Pittsburgh would go if the season ended today. Buckle up, ladies and gents. Let’s have some fun.
ROUND 1 (#25 OVERALL) — SEDRICK VAN PRAN/C/GEORGIA
The Steelers go back to the well in Athens, drafting yet another Bulldog with championship pedigree. Van Pran is considered the top center prospect in this draft class, having good size (6-foot-4, 310 pounds) along with the athleticism to work well on the move as a run blocker. He does possess some technical issues that need to be ironed out of his game in pass protection, but he’s an NFL-caliber center who should be able to start sooner rather than later in his rookie season. Pittsburgh can draft Van Pran and have him sit behind incumbent Mason Cole to start the year, eventually having Van Pran take his spot like what may happen with LT Broderick Jones this season with Dan Moore Jr.
ROUND 2 (#58 OVERALL) — JOSH NEWTON/CB/TCU
The Steelers have shown that they crave size, length, and physicality from their cornerbacks, and they get another one in TCU’s Josh Newton in Round Two. Newton stands 6-feet, 190 pounds and has the measurables and traits to be a sticky press man corner. He flashed last season for the Horned Frogs but decided to go back to school and better his draft stock. He’s squarely in the Day Two mix right now, having the traits to match up with wide receivers on the outside as well as the instincts to take the ball away. Should he test well this spring, Newton could cement himself as a top-60 pick.
ROUND 3 (#89 OVERALL) — TYLER GUTON/OT/OKLAHOMA
Another former Horned Frog makes to Pittsburgh in Round Three. OT Tyler Guyton transferred from TCU as a former tight end/H-Back, bulking up his 6-foot-7, 327-pound frame to put his hand in the dirt and mow people over as a blocker. Guyton is a great athlete for his size, being a steady mover in pass protection while doing a good job working in the run game. He can develop behind Chukwuma Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr. next season, becoming the heir apparent to the starting right tackle job opposite Broderick Jones.
ROUND 4 (#126 OVERALL) — JAYLAN FORD/ILB/TEXAS
The Steelers will lose ILB Kwon Alexander next offseason, and with Elandon Roberts past the age of 30, the Steelers would be wise to look for another long-term answer to battle with Mark Robinson for a spot. Enter Texas LB Jaylan Ford. He has been a machine for the burnt orange, having posted 119 total tackles last season and is up to 40 total stops this season so far. Ford also excels in coverage, having six interceptions so far in the last two seasons. Pittsburgh needs to add a big, physical off-ball linebacker who can cover, and Ford fits the bill. Standing 6-foot-3, 242 pounds, he can run, hit, and cover with the best of them in this class.
ROUND 5 (#162 OVERALL) — BRU MCCOY/WR/TENNESSEE
The Steelers could add another big slot receiver with Allen Robinson II’s future with the team up in the air after this season as well as a special teamer with Miles Boykin on a one-year deal. Enter Tennessee’s Bru McCoy, who fills both roles, having found a home in Rocky Top as a former five-star recruit. McCoy is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds with the size and athleticism to be a problem in the red zone as well as over the middle of the field for smaller slot corners and safeties. He can fill the Boykin role as a special teamer who can run down kicks and punts while hopefully providing more as a pass catcher in the slot or at the Z.
ROUND 6 (#204 OVERALL) — JOSH PROCTOR/S/OHIO STATE
The Steelers need to add more safety depth with the room looking thin behind Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, and Keanu Neal. Miles Killebrew is a good special teamer but should not be counted on to play defensive snaps. Enter Josh Proctor. The sixth-year senior has a ton of playing experience with the Buckeyes, having played deep on the back end, in the slot, as well as in the box. He possesses good size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) and decent athleticism, but does his best work with the ball in-front of him. He could help provide depth at strong safety while also become a core special teamer, using that to earn a roster spot and get a hat on Sundays to eventually earn a role on defense.
ROUND 7 (#246 OVERALL) — JUSTIN EBOIGBE/DL/ALABAMA
The Steelers close out the draft by adding some more depth along the defensive line with Justin Eboigbe from Alabama. He has the measurables the Steelers look for in their 3-technique/4i defenders, standing 6-5, 292 pounds. The fifth-year senior isn’t much of a pass rusher (4.5 sacks in five seasons) but he can play the run as he eats up blocks and controls gaps. He could provide some competition for the final defensive line roster spot, taking time to develop on the inactive list/practice squad until he can get a helmet.
