The Pittsburgh Steelers still have plenty of holes to fill as the first two days of the free agency tamping period comes to an end. So far they've added future Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson, and guard Nate Herbig from outside the organization. They also re-signed safety Damontae Kazee. They haven't addressed the inside linebacker position yet or added to the offensive tackle room. But we fix that in my first mock draft of the draft season.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Broderick Jones Shines After a Dominant Rep
17: R1 P17 OT Broderick Jones - Georgia
Let Jones and Dan Moore fight it out for LT and the loser takes the LG position. Improves the entire left side of the line with one pick. Jones has as nimble of feet in this draft as anyone and has that mean streak you want from a lineman. He is a little undersized at 6'4 310lbs but I don't think it would prevent him from being an LT, especially as he looks to have exceptionally long arms.
32: R2 P1 OT Dawand Jones - Ohio State
Same as above but the loser takes the swing tackle spot. I honestly feel Dawand Jones is a top-15 pick and easily beats out Chuks Okorafor. He is so massive that all he has to do is get his hand on you to misdirect you which will fit Pat Meyers' offensive blocking philosophy. And in the run game, he will bulldoze over anyone in front of him. He is just so big and agile with ridiculously long arms his size will win so many battles of physical traits that can't be taught. If he tightened up his technique he could push him to perennial pro bowl status
49: R2 P1 S Brian Branch - Alabama
This would be the steal of the draft. All three of these picks are top-15 picks, in my opinion. Brian Branch might be the best tackling player I have seen come out of college football. His hands are just so strong that once he gets them on you, he doesn't let go. Branch is a Swiss Army knife you can play at SS, FS, Nickel and even MLB. His ability to cover, blitz and play the run makes him a nightmare matchup for offensive coordinators, and QBs have to take note of where he is at all times. I don't throw this comparison out there often, but he has a lot of Troy Polamalu-like traits.
AP Photo/Vasha Hunt
Alabama's Brian Branch lines up
80: R3 P17 LB Henry To'o To'o - Alabama
A better run stuffer than I expected to see out of a guy probably south of 230 lbs. He sifts through the trash well and is a good sideline-to-sideline player. In coverage, he has loose hips and quick feet which allows him to get deep in coverage and fill zones well. He is a good wrap-up tackler who will shoot down quickly on the ball carrier and does not allow extra yards. A decent enough blitzer to get after the QB and use his speed and intelligence to get pressure.
Pro Football Network
120: R4 P18 DL Moro Ojomo - Texas
A long-armed defensive lineman who uses leverage to penetrate and has been one of the best run stuffers in the nation for the last couple of years. He really turned up the pass rush this last year doubling his QB pressures from 10 in 2021 to 24 in 2022. He also had a career-high in sacks with five last year. I feel he is a versatile player who probably is best at the 3-4 3-technique but could play the 0-technique or 1-technique if need be. Cam Heyward isn't getting any younger and so far, DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk have not proved they are his replacement. I know we could use a true nose tackle, but I also feel we can easily enough grab a Jerrod Clark, Ricky Slade, or PJ Mustipher are likely UDFA priorities that could fit that role for the number of times we actually play with a true nose guard anymore.
236: R7 P17 WR Puka Nacua - BYU
I think at this point I did a nice job solidifying the offensive line and shoring up the middle of the defense, so I turn to an offensive playmaker. We currently have two good starting receivers with George Pickens and DJ so I get a surehanded guy who can play outside or inside. Nacua is a natural hands catcher who runs crisp routes to all three levels of the field. He can run reverses off the jet sweeps, tracks the ball extremely well and adjusts accordingly downfield, keeps both feet inbounds on tight throws and runs well after the catch. He is not going to burn anyone with his speed, but he does a very nice job creating separation with his route running so that he doesn't need to have elite speed.
BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) runs with the ball after a reception against Boise State in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday,t.
Steve Conner, Associated Press
243: R7 P24 EDGE Jose Ramirez - Eastern Michigan
Lots of edge rushers I like on the board, but I settle on Ramirez as I believe his motor, brute strength and first step give him an advantage in the likely-to-succeed category. The Steelers' defense really fell apart when TJ Watt was hurt, and Alex Highsmith is coming up on a big payday. Having a guy who can spot-start and rest Watt/Highsmith should hopefully keep everyone healthy and fresh while not showing a noticeable drop-off in play. The level of play for Ramirez is my biggest concern but I watched him closely at the Shrine Bowl and he really had a nice week of practice showing nice bend and power in his one-on-one sessions and put a cherry on top with an outstanding game.
Steeler Nation, would you be happy with a draft that focused on winning at the line of scrimmage? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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