The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a little quiet this offseason. The only big signing was that of quarterback Mitch Trubisky. With seven picks in this year’s draft, the team can afford to take a few swings. However, the team has a few holes on the roster that need to be addressed, and this draft class offers a lot of support. Furthermore, with top-level prospects at 20 for the offensive line, the team can’t afford to pass them up. At the same time, people around the league believe that Trubisky’s year in Buffalo will serve him well and take his game to a better level. Therefore, the team could see what he has before drafting another signal-caller.
To help with this mock draft, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Team Mock Drafts.
Round 1, Pick 20: Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
Trubisky is the biggest free-agent signing the team had; this off-season, his expectations are high around the league. With Trubisky spending a year in Buffalo, the consensus around the league is that he will have learned a lot from Josh Allen and the Bills staff. At the same time, the Steelers need to retool the offensive line to see what Trubisky has fully. Green is the perfect player for Mike Tomlin to coach and a demon in both the run and passing game. Therefore, he is the ideal player to start retooling the offensive line. Furthermore, with Green being a pro-ready player, he can step in and become a leader for the team both on the field and in the locker room.
For more on Green, check out our scouting report on him.
Round 2, Pick 52: Demarvin Leal, LB, Oklahoma
Leal is a crazy athletic defensive lineman who can play inside and out. Coming from A&M, where he had a stellar career that yielded a lot of production, his future is bright. With a potential replacement for Cameron Heyward, who is on the back nine of his, career Leal is a perfect fit. However, the most significant upside he provides is the ability to play anywhere on the defensive line. Leal also serves as a fierce pass rusher; alongside T.J. Watt and Stephon Tuitt, the defense should have no problem playing the run and the pass. However, his biggest asset is allowing the team to experiment with different sub-packages having Leal line up all across the line.
For more on Leal, check out our scouting report on him.
Round 3, Pick 84: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
Lucas is the big tackle out of Washington State after spending multiple years with the program. However, with day one starter probability Lucas is a guy the team needed to target by the end of day two. At 6’7″ 340 pounds, he is a giant man that plays with a violent mentality the team is famous for. However, with the Steelers taking him as a day one starter in the third round, he will have growing pains in the first few weeks. At the same time, Lucas is fully able to be a day one starter but will become a lot better in the back half of the season. Furthermore, the Steelers have just rebuilt the offensive line, with Green going in the first round and Lucas in the third.
For more on Bryant, check out our scouting report on him.
Round 4, Pick 138: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
With a secondary that needs a lot of work to have defensive success, Bryant could be a great building piece. However, he still has a few tools that need to be worked on. At the same time, Bryant is a day one starter for most teams, and the Steelers need a young and athletic corner. Furthermore, Bryant will fit the Steelers culture and be a fan favorite for a decade.
For more on Bryant, check out our scouting report on him.
Round 6, Pick 208: Kalon Barnes, iOL, Baylor
Barnes, the incredible and explosive prospect of Texas, had a great season and an even better combine. While Barnes is a raw prospect, he will still be one of the high-value candidates teams seek out. However, with an area of improvement in his coverage, he does make up for it by having incredible speed and ball skills. At the same time, he ran one of the fastest 40-yard dashes this year at the combine. Furthermore, Barnes is a willing tackler and a player who can play in the slot and become a glue guy for the Steelers.
For more on Barnes, check out our scouting report on him.
Round 7, Pick 225: Leon O’Neal, S, Texas A&M
With strong safety being an area of need the Steelers need to focus on during the draft, Neal in the seventh round is excellent value. However, while Neal will have growing pains transitioning to the NFL, he could get significant snaps early on. Having a great career at A&M, he can come into the year right away and be productive. At the same time, Neal’s downside is that he doesn’t have a lot of potential and room to grow. Although he can be a solid rotation player for years, that is his peak. However, Neal is a player that can bolster the Steeler’s secondary.
Round 7, Pick 241: Michael Woods II, WR, Oklahoma
The Steelers use this draft to bolster the entire team and select a quarterback next year. The one area that the team hasn’t focused on is wide receiver. Although the receiver room is solid, it could have more depth. Woods had a promising career with the Sooners but suffered from an intense draft class. Although Woods could go in the fifth round in other drafts, the Steelers get a steal in the seventh. The 6’1″ receiver has a lot of upside as a boundary receiver. With a lot of physical tools, he is a player that has significant upside with his ability on the field.
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