Georgia OT Amarius Mims is one of the most popular choices mocked to the Pittsburgh Steelers, including by our own Steelers Depot panel. But if you believe one report from Yahoo’s Charles Robinson, and draft season is always tricky to separate fact from fiction, it’s possible Mims is not only passed up by the Steelers but by all 32 teams in the first round.
In a last-second draft article 48 hours away from Round 1, Robinson believes it’s plausible Mims isn’t drafted until Day 2.
“The three interesting players to keep an eye on are [Olu] Fashanu, [JC] Latham and Mims. There are definitely some split opinions on all three. I wouldn’t be overly stunned if Fashanu and Latham weren’t the second and third tackles off the board behind [Joe] Alt (which is the slot they’re often mocked to), or if Mims potentially slips out of the first and into the top of the second round. Bottom line: Tackle order is going to be a little more chaotic than people might think.”
Offensive tackle is regarded as a deep and talented class but that also creates a tougher projection on who will go to which team and with what selection. It’s obvious Notre Dame’s Joe Alt will be the first tackle off the board and one of the first non-quarterbacks. From there, it gets uncertain.
Fashanu was viewed as a top-10 pick a season ago and that held true early in the pre-draft process. But his stock has cooled in recent weeks, and he may no longer be the second tackle taken. It could be Washington’s Troy Fautanu or Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, two prospects Pittsburgh has shown interest in.
Latham is a mauling run blocker but there are concerns over his athleticism to play tackle. He also didn’t test in the pre-draft process putting him at a potential disadvantage compared to his peers. The Steelers attended his Pro Day and need a right tackle and by the sounds of it, Latham could be on the board at No. 20.
Mims is a true wild card and has been throughout the pre-draft process. With sky-high upside, Amarius Mims is one of the draft’s largest prospects with elite 36-inch arms. But his inexperience makes him a risk and his pre-draft process was rocky. He injured his hamstring running the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, missed Georgia’s official Pro Day because of it, and declined to weigh in during his individual workout earlier this month. Mims has been well-connected to Pittsburgh, but it seems truly uncertain where he’ll land.
Robinson mentions BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia as a potential surprise late first-round pick, echoing a sentiment from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Other late first-round tackle options include Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton and even Houston’s Patrick Paul, though he’s most likely to go in the second round. If the Steelers pass on a tackle in the first round, they’ll have a close eye on Day 2 options. Notre Dame’s Blake Fisher, brought in for a visit, could be high on their list.
