Though the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season remains ongoing, advancing to Wild Card weekend, we’re also thinking about the future of the franchise and April’s draft. With that in mind, we’re starting our weekly Mock Draft Monday, offering at least one mock per week of how to best improve the team for 2024 and beyond.
While we still have the All-Star games, NFL Combine, and Pro Days upcoming prior to the draft this spring, it’s never too early to go through mock draft scenarios and project player/prospect fits who the Steelers may be interested in given their current needs on the roster and the talent in this upcoming draft class.
ROUND 1 (#23 OVERALL) — Nate Wiggins/CB/Clemson
The Steelers desperately need a running mate at cornerback opposite of Joey Porter Jr. going forward with Levi Wallace a free agent that has had a down season. Patrick Peterson has shown he’s lost a step with his age, operating better in a role where his athleticism isn’t tested as much on the outside.
If Pittsburgh opts to pass on a quarterback in the first round and stick with Pickett one more season, Clemson CB Nate Wiggins could squarely be in their crosshairs. He’s a near-physical clone of Porter, standing 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, with long arms and the speed and athleticism to cover bigger receivers on the outside. Wiggins had 29 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown for the Tigers this season, and he has three interceptions total over the last two years. Pairing Wiggins with Porter would give Pittsburgh a quality duo in the secondary for the foreseeable future, having the length and athleticism to hang with most wideouts they’ll see on a weekly basis.
ROUND 2 (#54 OVERALL)— Sedrick Van Pran/C/Georgia
The Steelers go back to the well in Athens, drafting yet another Bulldog with a 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 happened with LT Broderick Jones this season.
ROUND 3 (#85 OVERALL)— Cedric Gray/ILB/North Carolina
The Steelers lost their top three inside linebackers, with Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander suffering season-ending injuries in back-to-back weeks, while Elandon Roberts has dealt with groin and pec injuries in recent weeks. Alexander is a free agent this offseason, meaning Pittsburgh may choose to inject some young blood into the room to pair with the veterans.
Cedric Gray would be an ideal choice, standing 6-foot-3, 233 pounds and has the tape to back it up. He racked up 144 total tackles last season for the Tar Heels and had 121 total stops, five sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and four pass deflections this season. Needless to say, Gray is all over the field for the Tar Heels defense, being one of the top tacklers in college football the last two years. He would be that athletic linebacker Pittsburgh needs in the second level to play sideline to sideline as well as drop into coverage.
ROUND 4 (#122 OVERALL VIA RAMS)— Roman Wilson/WR/Michigan
The Steelers could cut (or significantly rework the contract of) WR Allen Robinson II this offseason to save cap space, leaving them with Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Calvin Austin III as the only viable receivers left in the room. They draft another potential steal in the middle of the draft here by selecting Roman Wilson out of Michigan, who has the skill set to play outside and in the slot.
The 6-foot-0, 192-pound senior had 45 receptions for 735 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, utilizing his combination of speed, quickness, and strong hands to generate separation and make catches in traffic. Wilson could start out in the slot as a rookie and potentially move outside, depending on what happens with Johnson once his contract is up.
ROUND 4 (#123 OVERALL)— Javon Foster/OT/Missouri
The Steelers could use another offensive tackle this offseason, with Chukwuma Okorafor looking like a potential cap casualty after getting benched this season, along with Dan Moore Jr. still not looking like the long-term answer at left tackle.
Should Pittsburgh not draft an offensive tackle early and opt for a developmental piece that could become a starter down the road, Javon Foster is a name in this draft class to watch. The 6-foot-5, 319-pound senior got into the lineup in 2020 on a part-time basis but has been a starter ever since at left tackle. Foster has the size and length you want in a blindside protector, possessing the athleticism to set the depth of the pocket and combat opposing pass rushers attempting to get the corner. A quality run blocker as well, Foster could climb up boards this spring as a potential starter in the league.
ROUND 6 (#198 OVERALL)— Justin Eboigbe/DL/Alabama
The Steelers need to add more depth and potential starters to their defensive line, and Alabama’s Justin Eboigbe could fit both of those qualities. He’s projected as a late Day Three pick right now, but I’d personally be surprised if his draft stock stayed there.
He has the measurables the Steelers look for in their 3-technique/4i defenders, standing 6-foot-5, 292 pounds, and had his best season as a pass rusher, posting seven sacks and 63 total tackles. He can play the run as he eats up blocks, controls gaps, and can provide some competition for depth behind the starters to start his career, taking time to develop and become more of a contributor.
ROUND 7 (#240 OVERALL)— Tory Taylor/P/Iowa
Instead of taking a player who may not make the roster at the end of the draft, Pittsburgh opts to draft a starting-caliber player as an upgrade to conclude the draft. That would be Iowa’s Tory Taylor, who won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter this season. Taylor has punted 86 times this season, averaging nearly 48 yards per boot (47.9) while placing 30 of those punts inside the 20-yard line. Taylor also has a long of 67 yards on the season, possessing the leg to flip the field as well as the accuracy to down the ball inside the 10.
Steelers P Pressley Harvin III has been inconsistent this season, and his play has been a talking point by Mike Tomlin in the past, meaning Pittsburgh very well could be looking for his replacement this offseason, with Taylor being the ideal candidate.
