In two days, the legal tampering window in the NFL will open, leading to plenty of big names coming to an “agreement” on deals and changing teams, creating plenty of buzz and excitement in the NFL world.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to be in on some of those players as GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl have shown to be quite aggressive at times in an effort to improve the roster and create competition across the board.
That will be no different this offseason.
For now though, it’s just a bunch of endless speculation in regards to free agency for the Steelers. One thing is clear, though: they have to address either center or offensive tackle and cornerback or safety in free agency to ensure they aren’t in a position of true “need” entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
In this first foray into my mock draft ahead of free agency, I wanted to lay a couple of things out to help shape the understanding of why I did what I did in the mock.
First, I believe the Steelers will sign a veteran center to be the stopgap at the position, at least early on. I can see the Steelers pursuing someone like Aaron Brewer to hold down the spot entering the draft. I see Pittsburgh largely investing on defense in free agency.
At linebacker, I believe the Steelers will land one of Jerome Baker, Blake Cashman or Tyrel Dodson in free agency. For this exercise, I have Baker landing with the Steelers. Then, at safety I see the Steelers adding a piece like Jordan Whitehead, giving Pittsburgh a young player with quite a bit of experience and versatility, shoring up safety next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. I also think the Steelers are going to add a veteran cornerback too. Adoree’ Jackson or Sean Murphy-Bunting could fit well, maybe both after the Friday release of Patrick Peterson.
So, that sends the Steelers into the draft with a clear-cut need at offensive tackle and defensive line as the top needs on my board.
With all that said, let’s dive into my pre-free agency mock draft.
ROUND ONE (20TH OVERALL) – AMARIUS MIMS/OT/GEORGIA — 6076, 340 LBS.
Analysis: So far, Mims seems like the leader in the clubhouse for likeliest first-round pick for the Steelers. He’s a massive human being. The size is jaw-dropping. He is still a very raw player with just eight career starts and less than 800 career snaps in college, but the potential is through the roof. If he went back to school and had another strong year for Georgia, he’d be a top 5 pick. The Steelers have a chance to get in on the ground floor early with him and develop him and reap the rewards moving forward.
He has tremendous size at 6076, 340 pounds and 36 1/8-inch arms. His measurements are truly insane. The testing numbers (5.07 40-yard dash, 1.78 10-yard split) at the NFL Scouting Combine really opened eyes, too. He can really move well for his size. While the experience might be an issue, and certainly is a fair argument against him, Mims flashed quite a bit on tape and is that raw piece with a very high ceiling. Teams might be willing to jump at the opportunity for a player like that.
He’d be a nice bookend pairing with former Georgia teammate Broderick Jones, too.
Others considered: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M; Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma; Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
ROUND TWO (51ST OVERALL) – RUKE ORHORHORO/DL/CLEMSON — 6040, 294 LBS.
Analysis: With Cameron Heyward getting up there in age and starting to slow down a bit, and Larry Ogunjobi largely being a disappointment so far, the Steelers really need to inject some additional youth along the defensive line to pair with Keeanu Benton moving forward. In steps, Ruke Orhorhoro in my mock draft.
The Clemson product is a former basketball player that came into football late. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Orhorhoro is a late bloomer. His best football is ahead of him. He had 9 sacks in his last two seasons combined at Clemson and then had a strong showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.89 40-yard dash with a 1.69 10-yard split. He also put up 29 reps on the bench. He can play inside and outside with his 34-inch arms.
He’s a sound run defender at this point but needs to continue developing as a pass rusher. He could handle a rotational role as a rookie and then take over in 2025 as a full-time guy.
Others considered: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Texas A&M; Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri; Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan
Ruke Orhorhoro scouting report
ROUND THREE (84TH OVERALL) – SEDRICK VAN PRAN-GRANGER/OC/GEORGIA — 6041, 298 LBS.
Analysis: Though I do think the Steelers will sign a starting-caliber center in free agency, it won’t be one that blocks them from adding a center in the draft in a loaded class at the position. In this situation, I have the Steelers dipping back into the Georgia pipeline to land Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, a player who has been a popular connection to the Steelers since last season.
Van Pran-Granger brings plenty of experience, having started 44 games for Georgia while serving as a team captain and winning two National Championships. He was a key anchor for the Bulldogs up front and set the tone. With new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in the fold and likely going to utilize more zone runs, Van Pran-Granger’s athleticism would fit in well in that regard.
While he has plenty of experience, he could potentially sit and develop a bit more behind a veteran free agent center. However, if he’s ready right away and shows it in training camp, put him into the lineup, no questions asked.
Others considered: Calen Bullock, S, USC; Max Melton, CB, Rutgers; Christian Mahogany, iOL, Boston College
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger scouting report
ROUND FOUR (118TH OVERALL) – CAM HART/CB/NOTRE DAME — 6030, 202 LBS.
Analysis: The Steelers seem to like their cornerbacks big, strong and Avatar-like. Notre Dame’s Cam Hart fits that mold at 6030, 202 pounds with 33-inch arms. Steelers Depot’s Jonathan Heitritter compared Hart favorably to Steelers’ cornerback Joey Porter Jr. with his length and physicality, so why not snatch him up for the Steelers.
Hart met with the Steelers formally at the Senior Bowl, too, so there is some interest there. He can play outside and even has some box-safety traits, though he profiles easily as an outside corner that can handle press-man duties. With the Steelers signing Sean Murphy-Bunting in my free agency prediction for this mock draft, Hart can come in and develop with limited playing time and potentially form a Legion Of Boom-like cornerback room in Pittsburgh with Porter and Cory Trice Jr.
Others considered: McKinnley Jackson, DL, Texas A&M; Leonard Taylor III, DL, Miami (FL); Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
ROUND FOUR (119TH OVERALL) – JORDAN TRAVIS/QB/FLORIDA STATE — 6011, 200 LBS.
Analysis: The last time we saw Jordan Travis on a football field, his leg snapped in rather gruesome fashion from an ugly hip-drop tackle. Since then, he’s progressed quite well in his recovery and should be cleared for football activities by April, giving him time to go through a potential Pro Day ahead of the draft.
He profiles as a sound developmental quarterback for the Steelers with good mobility and an underrated arm. He really improved during his time in Tallahassee, becoming a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who found himself in the Heisman Trophy discussion in 2023 before breaking his leg. Landing in Pittsburgh as a developmental No. 3 in Arthur Smith’s scheme could be a great spot for Travis to continue to heal his leg without the pressure of playing.
Others considered: Josh Newton, CB, TCU; Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State; Cedrick Gray, LB, North Carolina.
ROUND SIX (194TH OVERALL) – JOSHUA CEPHUS/WR/UTSA — 6022, 189 LBS.
Analysis: Outside of Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, the Steelers have a lot of questions at wide receiver. Allen Robinson II was released on Friday, opening up a hole at the position, though Arthur Smith doesn’t run many three WR sets. Calvin Austin III also returns, but he’s been mostly a disappointment from a receiving standpoint.
They need another big, fast receiver to develop, and so far in the pre-draft process they have shown a bit of interest in Cephus, having met with him multiple times at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas, as well as at the Hula Bowl in Orlando the week prior. He’s a willing blocker in the run game and has strong, consistent hands. He needs work as a route runner though, and there are some character concerns regarding a December 2022 DWI after a rollover crash, leading to a suspension.
He’s got good size and body control, which makes him an intriguing late Day 3 option to take a shot on.
Others considered: Solomon Byrd, EDGE, USC; Johnny Dixon, CB, Penn State; Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State
ROUND SEVEN (240TH OVERALL) – DARIUS MUASAU/LB/UCLA — 5117, 225 LBS.
Analysis: After landing Jerome Baker in my theoretical offseason, I could afford to wait a bit on linebacker. Though I did consider Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper in the first round, Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in the second and North Carolina’s Cedrick Gray in the fourth, I waited until the seventh to land UCLA’s Darius Muasau, a guy who impressed me at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Muasau had an informal meeting with the Steelers at the Combine, too, and clocked a 4.70 40-yard dash, a 1.59 10-yard split and had a 36.5-inch vertical jump. Prior to his two seasons at UCLA, in which he started 26 games, Muasau was a standout at Hawaii. In two seasons with the Bruins, Muasau was named Second Team All-Pac 12 in both seasons. He’d be a nice, athletic linebacker to try and develop long-term.
Others considered: Tyler Owens, S, Texas Tech; Khalid Duke, EDGE, Kansas State; Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State
