Every year before the draft, the Steelers front office engages in a “mock draft” exercise. However, unlike typical mock draft where picks are projected for each team, the Steelers mock operates a bit differently. The Steelers organize their mock as if they have each pick in the draft. For example, “If we had the #1 overall pick, which player would we take?” Then, “If that player is gone and we had the #2 overall pick, which player would we take?” …and so on and so forth. This is a good way to finalize a Draft Board and scale players based on abilities and team need.
Yesterday at his pre-draft press conference, Kevin Colbert mentioned that the Steelers had interviewed over 120 prospects throughout the process from the collegiate All-Star Games, the NFL Combine, Pro Days, Private Workouts, and pre-draft visits. The Steelers full draft board will likely have over 200 players. Even if the Steelers do not have a major need at the position, the player will still appear on their board, because at some point they would likely become a value pick (for instance, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz might be ranked in the 50s on the Steelers board because at that point in the draft they would be the best prospects remaining). The only things that could take a player off the Steelers draft board would be scheme fits, injuries, or off-field issues where the team simply has too many concerns to even consider drafting the player.
Since you can find no less than a jillion mock drafts out there today, I decided to do something different and put together a “Steelers Mock Draft” for the first round. This should essentially function like a Steelers First Round Draft Board. As detailed in my Offensive and Defensive Draft Previews, positions are relatively gauged by team needs. Player positions are noted where they would fit into the Steelers 3-4 defense, not their natural position.
1. Jalen Ramsey (CB/S – Florida State)
Ramsey is the top defensive back prospect in the draft and is capable of playing any position in the secondary. He would fill the Steelers biggest need – addressing the 30th ranked pass defense.
2. Joey Bosa (OLB – Ohio State)
Bosa is the top edge rusher in the draft. While the Steelers have used two of their last three first round picks on outside linebackers, they are set up to be woefully thin in 2017. James Harrison will either retire this summer or after the 2016 season and the team will have to make a decision soon to pick up Jarvis Jones’ 5th year option or let him walk in free agency. If they do the smart salary cap thing and let Jones walk, their OLB depth in 2017 would be down to Arthur Moats, Bud Dupree and Anthony Chickillo.
3. Laremy Tunsil (OT – Ole Miss)
Marcus Gilbert is entrenched at the right tackle spot. Despite a serviceable half-season from Alejandro Villanueva and signing Ryan Harris in free agency, adding a franchise left tackle would be a huge boon for the offense. Tunsil is just that. Not only is he the best lineman in the draft, but some have him rated as the top overall player.
4. Vernon Hargreaves III (CB – Florida)
Hargreaves is the second-best corner available in the draft behind Ramsey. He is physical against the run and has great leaping abilities against the pass. He is probably not the 4th best player in the entire draft, but when gauging what the Steelers need most (secondary help), he rises up the board.
5. Myles Jack (ILB – UCLA)
There has been a lot of conflicting information brandied about regarding Myles Jack’s knee. What can not be denied is that the UCLA linebacker was an incredibly talented player when he was on the field. Some have him rated as the top overall player in the draft. Much like outside linebacker, if the Steelers do not make a move this offseason to extend Lawrence Timmons’ contract, they will be down to just Ryan Shazier in 2017 as Timmons and Vince Williams’ contracts will expire after 2016.
6. Shaq Lawson (OLB – Clemson)
Lawson is an athletic pass rusher who battled through a shoulder injury last season. He had 12.5 sacks last season, including 2 in the National Championship against Alabama.
7. Ronnie Stanley (OT – Notre Dame)
Stanley is more or less the consensus #2 tackle and is part of the top tier of talent in this draft. He would give the Steelers a long-term solution at left tackle and allow them to part ways with Mike Adams (and save $870K against the Cap).
8. DeForest Buckner (DE – Oregon)
Buckner is the top interior defensive lineman in the draft. There are some that absolutely love him, but I have some concerns about his schematic fit. Nevertheless, he is the best pass rushing defensive lineman in the draft with the size and power to become a good 3-4 defensive end. However, his best fit is probably in a 4-3 scheme.
9. Andrew Billings (NT – Baylor)
The Steelers obviously think very highly of Andrew Billings after sending Mean Joe Greene to attend his Pro Day. For what the Steelers are looking for in a defensive lineman (someone who can play NT in a 3-4 base and is athletic enough to press the pocket and play rotationally in the 2-DL nickel package) Billings seems like the ideal fit.
10. William Jackson III (CB – Houston)
Jackson is a player that Steelers bloggers absolutely love. He jumps out on tape and is an impact player both against the pass and the run. He is a big, physical corner who lit up the Combine and his Pro Day. Jackson absolutely fits schematically with the Steelers matchup zone coverage defense and would be a great addition to the secondary.
11. Mackensie Alexander (CB – Clemson)
Alexander is one of the youngest players in the draft (just a redshirt sophomore) but developed into Clemson’s shutdown defender. He is an incredibly smart player and very tape-savvy. There were some concerns that filtered out about his locker room conduct and the Steelers tend to take players that have produced turnovers. While Alexander has shut receivers down and deflected a ton of passes, he did not record an interception in his college career. This drops him below Jackson on the board, but he still have the mentality and toughness to be a great Steeler.
12. Leonard Floyd (OLB – Georgia)
There is a fairly large split on Floyd in the scouting community. He is an athletic edge player who has the length and burst to be disruptive. He lit up the combine and is about as opposite from Jarvis Jones as one can get.
13. Darron Lee (ILB – Ohio State)
Lee is basically a Ryan Shazier clone. Lee stepped in and filled Shazier’s spot in Ohio State’s defense. Like Shazier, he is a little light for an inside linebacker, but he has excellent vision and flies around the field. He is a playmaker who stood out for the Buckeyes. If Lawrence Timmons is not in the Steelers future plans, the tandem of Shazier and Lee inside could be deadly.
14. A’Shawn Robinson (NT – Alabama)
Robinson fits the mold of a traditional 3-4 nose tackle. He is very good laterally against the run and could work in some snaps in the nickel defense as well. He does not have a wide array of pass rushing moves but is a mammoth human being who is loaded with strength and can press the pocket. If the Steelers can’t land Billings, Robinson is not a bad consolation prize to plug-and-play in the middle of the defense.
15. Reggie Ragland (ILB – Alabama)
Ragland and Lee share a lot of similarities with their predecessors, Ryan Shazier and CJ Mosley. Ragland is more of a traditional inside linebacker – a downhill run-stuffer, but he has the speed and range to be a capable defender against the pass as well.
16. Karl Joseph (S – West Virginia)
Joseph has emerged as a very realistic candidate for the Steelers in recent weeks. Before suffering a torn ACL, Joseph was having an incredible season. Through 4 weeks he had 20 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 sack and 5 interceptions. Joseph is capable of playing at all 3 levels of the defense and can absolutely lower the boom. He would be a tremendous upgrade for the Steelers secondary even though he might not be able to play in the first few weeks of the season as he rehabs his ACL.
17. Sheldon Rankins (DE – Louisville)
Rankins has been called the top pass rushing defensive tackle in the draft. He lacks the size to play as a true nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme but would be an excellent fit as a 3-4 defensive end. Additionally, he could feast on slower interior linemen in the 2-down linemen nickel defense.
18. Eli Apple (CB – Ohio State)
Apple is a talented cornerback who is one of the top man-to-man corners in the draft. However, there are some serious concerns about his fit within the Steelers defensive scheme, which drops him down below some of the other top-tier corners.
19. Noah Spence (OLB – Eastern Kentucky)
On the field, Spence has proven to be one of the top edge rushing prospects in the draft. Off the field, there are some significant concerns as he was kicked off the Ohio State team for multiple failed drug tests and finished his career at and FCS school, where the Steelers tend to shy away from early in the draft. Nevertheless, he has the tools to be an elite edge rusher in the league if he keeps his act together.
20. Laquon Treadwell (WR – Ole Miss)
Even though Wide Receiver isn’t the biggest need for this team, at some point the top receiver on the board becomes worth the investment. For me, that point is after the top 17 defensive players are off the board. Wide Receiver could become a need quickly for this team as Martavis Bryant’s future is uncertain and Markus Wheaton’s contract is up after 2016. The Steelers still have space for a 5th wide receiver on the roster this season.
21. Josh Doctson (WR – TCU)
To me, Treadwell and Doctson are 1a and 1b on the Wide Receivers list. They are both incredibly talented receivers capable of making catches in traffic with terrific hands away from their body. Doctson had an incredibly productive career at TCU and would be a terrific weapon for Ben Roethlisberger.
22. Keanu Neal (S – Florida)
Reportedly, Mike Tomlin is enamored with Keanu Neal. On the field, Neal has many similar-but-not-quite-as-good traits as Karl Joseph. He is a big hitter and capable of playing down in the box as well as a single high in coverage. If the Steelers want to address the safety position and are concerned about Joseph’s knee injury, Neal could very well be the pick.
23. Kendall Fuller (CB – Virginia Tech)
Fuller’s name continues to pop up during the draft process with connections to Pittsburgh. He had a very good sophomore season and missed most of his junior year after suffering a torn meniscus. He was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year as a freshman when he had 6 interceptions. He is a tough corner that will stick his nose in against the run who comes from a high pedigree, being the fourth Fuller brother to make the NFL.
24. Jarran Reed (NT – Alabama)
As opposed to teammate A’Shawn Robinson, Reed is more of a traditional 3-4 nose tackle. He has size and strength to clog up the middle and is a capable two-gap run defender. However, he does not have the quickness to get to the outside and doesn’t bring much on passing downs.
25. Vernon Butler (NT – Louisiana Tech)
Butler is a big strong player that perfectly fits the mold of a traditional 3-4 nose tackle. He can get low and win with his pad level. Butler is more than just a “hold-the-line” player as he posted double-digit tackles for a loss in each of the last two seasons. He has the ability to be a 3-down player in the NFL and has drawn comparisons to Muhammad Wilkerson.
26. Taylor Decker (OT – Ohio State)
The Top 25 of my draft board contained just 4 offensive players. That is more of an indication of the Steelers team needs than the talent of offensive players in this draft. There has been some debate as to whether Decker or Ronnie Stanley is the second best tackle in this draft. Decker is an incredibly talented player and could start at left tackle immediately for the Steelers.
27. Jack Conklin (OT – Michigan State)
Some think that Conklin is better suited at right tackle in the NFL, but the fact remains that he was the only player to shut down both DeForest Buckner and Joey Bosa this season. As with the other offensive tackles, Conklin would be able to compete for the starting job on the left side immediately and allow the Steelers to (finally) part ways with Mike Adams.
28. Vonn Bell (S – Ohio State)
Bell is a very solid all-around safety. He is positionally sound and doesn’t get drawn off his marks by fakes or trying to jump routes in front of him. However, he is not the biggest player and struggles with tackling more than the “boomer” safeties in this draft.
29. Chris Jones (NT/DE – Mississippi State)
Jones has been drawing a lot of hype recently despite starting just one season for the Bulldogs. He flashed a ton of NFL potential in that one season and has the size to play the interior line positions. Jones has incredible upper-body strength and he dominates the point of attack, especially against the run. He has sneaky good feet and hand quickness which enabled him to tally 7.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.
30. Ezekiel Elliot (RB – Ohio State)
This ranking is much more related to team need than it is to actual ability. Elliot is the best running back in the draft and could very well be a Top 10 player from a talent standpoint. That said, running back is one of the Steelers least-needed positions right now, which diminishes Elliot’s value for the team.
31. Kenny Clark (NT – UCLA)
Clark has the size to fill in at the nose tackle spot in a 3-4 defense. He has a background in wrestling which aids him in the trenches and helps him collapse the pocket. Despite playing on the interior of the line, he was 2nd on the team in tackles and sacks last season. The knock on Clark is his short arms (the Steelers tend to look for defensive linemen with longer arms). There are some questions about his ability to play all 3 downs in the NFL.
Next Best Available:
Defensive Line: Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss), Jonathan Bullard (Florida), Jihad Ward (Illinois)
Safety: Jeremy Cash (Duke), Darian Thompson (Boise State), TJ Green (Clemson)
Cornerback: Artie Burns (Miami)
Outside Linebacker: Kevin Dodd (Clemson), Shilique Calhoun (Michigan State), Emmanuel Ogbah (Oklahoma State), Kamalei Correa (Boise State)
Inside Linebacker: Su’a Cravens (USC), Jaylon Smith (Notre Dame)
Wide Receiver: Tyler Boyd (Pittsburgh), Corey Coleman (Baylor), Michael Thomas (Ohio State), Will Fuller (Notre Dame)
Offensive Line: Jason Spriggs (OT – Indiana), Josh Garnett (OG – Stanford), Germain Ifedi (OT – Texas A&M)
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