With the NFL season officially at the halfway point, many have started to turn their attention to the college game and more specifically, the 2024 NFL Draft. the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a better spot at the halfway mark than they did a year ago, sitting at 6-3 with a legit shot to make the playoffs. Still, the Steelers have several notable weaknesses on the roster that should be improved on to boost a team that ranks 28th in the league in both yards gained and yards allowed.
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus undertook the challenge of improving Pittsburgh’s roster in a recent five-round mock draft, selecting only for Pittsburgh as he focused on the team’s needs. He went with a familiar name in Round One, selecting Miami S Kamren Kinchens at 23rd overall to pair with S Minkah Fitzpatrick.
“Pittsburgh does have a need at cornerback, and we’ll get to those later. But outside of Minkah Fitzpatrick, they need new playmakers in the safety room,” Sikkema wrote. “So, as safety is not as deep as cornerback in this upcoming class, I tried something new. Kinchens is one of maybe two safeties I see as potential first-rounders in this class. We might not get any safeties in the first round, but he is one of the guys who could make it. He has good size and athleticism and is an all-around type of defensive back, as evidenced by his diverse snap counts. He’s played 203 snaps in the slot, 263 snaps as a box safety and 740 snaps as a free safety.”
If the Steelers wanted to try and find a long-term running mate for Fitzpatrick, Kinchens would be an ideal choice. The 6-0, 205-pound junior is a ballhawk, having six picks in 2022 and another one so far this season. He flies around making plays on the back end of the defense, having the range to contest passes as well as come downhill against the run. With Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal being more role-specific players, Kinchens can come in and play a variety of spots, interchanging with Fitzpatrick in a versatile secondary that makes plays on the football.
In the second round, Sikkema addressed Pittsburgh’s need at cornerback with a name that hasn’t been mentioned much with the other top corners in this draft class but has made himself into a quality defender in Auburn’s D.J. James.
“James is a bit slender in his build at 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds, but his body control and movement skills are impressive and will suit man coverage,” Sikkema wrote. “He has earned coverage grades of 85.7 and 89.2 over the past two seasons. He has the mentality and production of a guy who could be a Year 1 starter.”
James, a fifth-year senior, started his career at Oregon before making the transition to the SEC in 2022 as a graduate transfer. He has two interceptions and six pass deflections this season after being named second-team All-SEC last season, with the height, length, and athleticism to cover receivers on the outside. His thin frame could be cause for concern, but James has shown he can get the job done at a high level at Auburn and is setting himself up to be a mid-round pick this spring.
In the third round, Sikkema has the Steelers selecting Georgia C Sedrick Van Pran, who is widely considered a fringe first0round prospect, at 87th overall.
“Van Pran has played over 2,500 snaps at center throughout his three seasons as a starter at Georgia,” Sikkema wrote. “He’s more power than he is finesse, but that leadership and experience from him is a skill in and of itself.”
The 6-4, 310-pound junior has started the last three seasons and has been a part of a menacing offensive line that has led the Dawgs’ rushing attack on the way to two straight national championships. Van Pran is an athletic center who will excel in zone-blocking schemes thanks to his mobility and aggressiveness. He has some balance and core-strength issues he needs to work on to be more sound as a pass protector, but he’s still likely the favorite to be the first center drafted in this draft class. It would be a steal if Pittsburgh nabbed him in Round Three.
In the fourth round, Sikkema doubled down on cornerback for the Steelers, selecting Rutgers CB Max Melton, who is also another defensive back that has flown under the radar compared to several other names in this class. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has seven interceptions in his last three seasons and is up for the task of matching up with top receivers on the perimeter. But Sikkema cited his skill set as one that could allow him to kick inside to the slot, being that he has average long speed but the quickness and physical demeanor to represent himself well in run support.
To conclude the draft, Sikkema had the Steelers selecting Florida WR Ricky Pearsall. The 6-1, 192-pound senior has played 358 snaps in the slot and 314 out wide, making him a versatile pass catcher who can take over the big slot role for WR Allen Robinson II if Pittsburgh chooses to move on from the veteran this offseason. He does well in combative-catch situations and knows how to generate separation as a route runner, making him a solid options to become the team’s WR3 behind the likes of Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Pearsall also has shown to be an effective gadget guy on jet sweeps, having rushing scores in each of the last four seasons.
