The Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary could use an injection of youth and speed. Or two. Or three. That’s the direction Pro Football Focus went in its latest 2024 Steelers Mock Draft, giving them three new pieces in the defensive backfield in the first five rounds.
At the top at No. 20, PFF selected a safety, Miami (Fla.)’s Kamren Kinchens, for the Steelers. Explaining the pick, author Trevor Sikkema writes:
“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.
He’s earned career-high PFF grades in run defense (82.2) and as a pass-rusher (74.3) in 2023, while his 90.7 coverage grade from a season ago ranked first among all safeties in the nation.”
A versatile player would give Pittsburgh more options, especially considering how beat up the secondary, primarily the safeties, was in 2023. Kinchens is a ball hawk with a decorated box score. In three seasons at Miami, he racked up 162 tackles (five for a loss) with a whopping 11 interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a sack. With good size at around 200 pounds, he has the pedigree and production Pittsburgh looks for in the first round.
Most of his snaps have come at free safety, creating conflict with Minkah Fitzpatrick, but his usage indicates he’s not just a single-high defender. Top-end talent in this year’s safety class isn’t particularly strong but Sikkema believes Kinchens has a chance to go in the top 32.
Pittsburgh sticks in the secondary in the second round, moving to corner and drafting Auburn’s D.J. James. Sikkema writes:
“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. 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.”
An Oregon transfer who spent his final two years at Auburn, James recorded 3.5 tackles for a loss and picked off two passes in 2023 for the Tigers. As Sikkema notes, 165 pounds is ultra-light for an early-round corner, though there’s some precedent there. In 2023, Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes was drafted by the Washington Commanders in the first round, overlooking his 166-pound Combine weigh-in, though Forbes had a bumpy first season in Washington.
In the third round, the Steelers switch gears and attack the offensive line, selecting Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger. Sikkema writes:
“Van Pran has played over 2,500 snaps at center throughout his three seasons as a starter at Georgia. He’s more power than he is finesse, but that leadership and experience from him is a skill in and of itself.”
Quick side note. Some outlets list his name as just “Van Pran” but his Instagram page refers to him as “Van Pran-Granger” so we will call him the latter throughout draft season. Regardless, the consensus is you can call him one of the top centers in this year’s draft. With experience in the elite SEC and the Steelers’ affinity for drafting Bulldogs, he checks plenty of boxes. That includes need after Mason Cole regressed in 2023. Pittsburgh will have an up-and-close look at Van Pran-Granger this upcoming week with Steelers Assistant OL Coach Isaac Williams coaching him and the American Team offensive line. Check out our full scouting report on him here.
With the Steelers’ pair of fourth-round picks, Sikkema mocks them Rutgers CB Max Melton and Florida WR Ricky Pearsall. He notes Melton could kick to the slot at the next level while he praised Pearsall for his solid hands. Melton picked off eight passes for the Scarlet Knights and made an impact in the run game with 8.5 career tackles for a loss.
Pearsall transferred from Arizona State to Florida ahead of the 2022 season, catching nearly 100 balls and more than 1,600 yards in his two seasons with the Gators. He also handled a handful of punt returns. Pittsburgh has two established outside receivers but with nothing in the slot and Diontae Johnson entering the final year of his extension, the Steelers can’t ignore the position.
Overall, it’s a solid Steelers mock draft in terms of positions, though skewed heavily towards the secondary. It also doesn’t address the team’s situation at offensive tackle. While free agency will plug holes, good offensive tackles typically don’t hit the market and when they do, they sure don’t come cheap. The NFL has an “o-line tax” each March, making the draft a smarter avenue to find talent.
Look for scouting reports on all these players before the draft kicks off April 25.
