In less than a week, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be able to improve their team via the NFL Draft. Despite additions such as QB Russell Wilson and LB Patrick Queen in free agency, general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin still have a lot of holes to fill. Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings gave his shot at seeing how the draft would fall with a seven-round mock draft, which just so happened to fall very favorably for Pittsburgh.
With the Steelers’ first pick, Georgia tackle Amarius Mims fell to 20. Cummings quickly swooped up to grab him and pair with his former teammate Broderick Jones. Mims is a right tackle, so he would allow Jones to go back to his natural position at left tackle.
“The Steelers at No. 20 overall feel like the floor for Amarius Mims,” wrote Cummings. “Pittsburgh sent a heavy contingent to the Georgia Pro Day, and their familiarity with the program rings true going back to 2023. Mims has Day 1 left-right versatility, and his ceiling is near-unmatched.”
Mims has only started eight games in his collegiate career, so he is a raw prospect. However, the ceiling for Mims is high, and Tomlin is not going to run away from coaching a player, so that concern likely will not bother the Steelers too much.
Georgia has produced plenty of great pro talent recently, so returning to Athens for a draft pick sounds like a good idea. With the need to build up the offensive line, getting Mims, who stands at a towering 6’8″ and weighs 340 pounds, makes sense.
For the Steelers’ second pick at 51, Cummings grabbed Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson. Powers-Johnson is a fan-favorite selection, as the Steelers need a center badly, and he is one that some project can start on Day One.
“Injuries could push Jackson Powers-Johnson down the board, but the Steelers are a team that could swipe him up if he falls to a certain point,” wrote Cummings.
Powers-Johnson is one of the top centers in the draft, along with West Virginia’s Zach Frazier. At 6’3″ and 328 pounds, Powers-Johnson has consistently been mocked in either round one or two but has recently begun to fall a bit. If he does fall, it will benefit the Steelers, as last year, he was a unanimous All-American and won the Rimington Trophy for college’s best center.
In the third round, at pick 84, Cummings once again has the Steelers addressing their offense, this time with North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker.
“Tez Walker’s skill set fits perfectly with Russell Wilson’s vertical affinity, and he can be used as a RAC threat as well,” wrote Cummings.
When the Steelers traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, a huge hole opened up at wide receiver. Walker can fill that hole. At 6’1″ and 193 pounds, Walker has good size for a wide receiver, and like WR George Pickens, he can make contested catches. However, unlike Johnson, Walker is not the best route runner. Neither Pickens nor Walker blows anyone away with their route-running ability, which could be a problem. But if the Steelers decide they want to take a ton of deep shots this year, Pickens and Walker could be a good duo.
With the Steelers’ next third-round pick, at 98, Cummings finally addresses the defense with Florida State DT Braden Fiske.
“Length thresholds aside, Braden Fiske’s elite explosiveness and motor will help him succeed in the NFL,” wrote Cummings.
With the aging of DT Cameron Heyward, the Steelers need to prepare for the post-Heyward years. DT Keeanu Benton looked really good last year, but he can’t carry the defensive line on his own. Fiske is 6’4″and 292 pounds, so he is on a bit of the smaller side, but he was effective at Florida State. Fiske recorded six sacks, 43 tackles, and nine tackles for a loss last year. Due to his strong play he was named to the AP Third All-American team and second team All-ACC.
The Steelers need to start planning for the future, and bringing in defensive linemen now who can learn and develop until Heyward decides to hang up his cleats makes the most sense. This should help the transition to the next generation of Steelers defensive tackles be smoother.
With the Steelers fourth round pick Cummings has them selecting TCU CB Josh Newton.
Newton is 5’11 and weighs 190 pounds, and he can likely play slot or outside, whatever the Steelers think fits best. At 23 years old, Newton has five years of college experience, but in his last two, he racked up 19 pass breakups, four interceptions, and 68 tackles. Given the Steeler’s need for a cornerback, this pick makes sense, and the Steelers don’t want to wait too late in the draft to take a corner.
The Steelers’ next pick in this mock draft is in round six with the 178th selection. Here, Cummings has Pittsburgh staying on defense with Utah S Sione Vaki.
Vaki is 5’11 and 210 pounds and only has two years of college experience. Vaki has actually seen playing time on both sides of the field, as he has some experience at running back, though he is primarily a safety. Last year, Vaki recorded 51 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, one interception, and two pass breakups. The Steelers want someone to pair with S Minkah Fitzpatrick. Vaki would not start right away, but if the Steelers draft him, he could develop into a pairing somewhere down the line.
Pittsburgh’s last pick, 195, is also in the sixth round. Once again, Cummings has the Steelers going with a Utah defensive back, this time CB Miles Battle.
Battle is 6’4 and 205 pounds and played one year at Utah, previously playing for Ole Miss from 2018-2022. Battle had one interception last season, three pass breakups, and made 32 tackles. Battle has good size, so he isn’t a bad option for a late-round pick. Battle is older, though, at 24 years old. There would be questions about his ceiling, but sometimes, you just have to take a shot for a sixth-round pick.
If this is how the Steelers’ mock draft turns out, most people would be pretty happy. Being able to get both Mims and Powers-Johnson is a Steelers fan’s dream. Additionally, Pittsburgh was able to beef up its defensive line, looking to the future with its defensive line selection of Fiske, and take some flyers towards the end of the draft in the defensive secondary.
