The Los Angeles Times held a mock draft with one beat writer from every team selecting a player for their team, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette selected Ole Miss DL Walter Nolen for the Steelers. Both Michigan DL Kenneth Grant and Oregon DL Derrick Harmon were off the board, with Grant being selected No. 16 overall for the Arizona Cardinals and Harmon going No. 17 to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Despite Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders being on the board, Dulac went with Nolen. He’s been steadfast that the Steelers won’t pass on one of the top defensive linemen in the draft in favor of a quarterback despite growing smoke that Sanders could be Pittsburgh’s choice if he’s on the board.
If Nolen was the selection for Pittsburgh at No. 21, it would come as a surprise and be a change from how the Steelers usually operate pre-draft. The Steelers didn’t host Nolen for a pre-draft visit and didn’t have Omar Khan or Mike Tomlin at Ole Miss Pro Day, although assistant general manager Andy Weidl was in attendance. They also didn’t have a formal meeting with him at the Combine, but they did talk to him at the Senior Bowl.
Not coming in for a pre-draft visit with Khan and Tomlin not at his Pro Day and being selected would be a major switch up in how the Steelers usually do business, but Nolen is considered one of the top defensive linemen in the class. A transfer from Texas A&M, he had a breakout year last season at Ole Miss with 48 tackles and 6.5 sacks and was named an All-American. Of his 48 tackles, 14 of them were for a loss.
At the Combine, he measured in at 6036 and 296 pounds with 32 1/2″ arms. He didn’t participate in athletic testing at the Combine or at his Pro Day.
Defensive line is one of Pittsburgh’s biggest needs after the team didn’t meaningfully address the position in free agency. And with Harmon and Grant off the board, the Steelers could take a chance on Nolen despite not having as much contact with him prior to the draft as they usually do with their first-round pick.
But taking Walter Nolen over someone like Shedeur Sanders would make it even more of a surprise, even with the need at defensive line. With Harmon potentially falling due to medical concerns, it would be a little bit of a shocker if both he and Grant went off the board ahead of Nolen, but the draft is full of surprises, and Nolen becoming a Steeler can’t be completely ruled out.
