The 2023 offseason is in full swing, as the Pittsburgh Steelers are doing their homework on how to best improve their roster for 2023. Whether it is taking a hard look at the impending free agent class, or scouting the 2023 NFL Draft prospects, there is no doubt Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan have their hands full.
Joe Sargant | Getty Images
With all that said, that means that mock draft season is upon us. Each week, both Ben Michaelian and I will be teaming up to share a pair of mock drafts with all of Steeler Nation. We will be utilizing two separate mock draft simulators, one available at Fanspeak.com and the other at PFF.com, and alternating back and forth between them. This time of year mock drafts can change from day to day, let alone week to week, as the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine has wrapped up and Pro Days will be heating up. Check out our two mock drafts from this week below, as Ben started on PFF's simulator and I will be working with Fanspeak's.
Matt's Mock Draft For The Steelers
I think the Steelers should use Fanspeak for their real NFL draft because if the board actually fell this way for them I think all of Steeler Nation would look to high-five one another.
Starting off, it is always nice when arguably the top left tackle prospect in this draft class, Paris Johnson Jr, falls to the middle of the first round and into the Steelers' lap. I am not sold that the team feels they need to upgrade the LT spot but instead believe they have a bigger hole at left guard, but there is no way they can pass on Johnson.
Depending on how the team handles Cameron Sutton's impending free agency, they could be in desperate need of a cornerback, so adding Deonte Banks at 32 was an easy choice. Banks is a well-rounded corner who put together a solid combine performance. Pairing him with my next pick, Darnell Washington, makes for a star-studded second-round for the Steelers. Many will say the team doesn't need to invest a high pick in a tight end, but the team needs someone to pair with Pat Freiermuth, especially one that can block. Washington is already an NFL-level blocker that has excellent size and athleticism.
Jeff Hanisch | USA TODAY Sports
University of Maryland cornerback, Deonte Banks puts his hands up in the air as his team faces the University of Wisconsin.
I hate that I waited until the third and fourth rounds to address the middle of the defense, but I snagged two solid Texas Longhorns here with DeMarvion Overshown and Keondre Coburn. Overshown is a rangy linebacker that made huge strides in 2022 after converting from being a safety just a few seasons ago. Coburn is a seasoned defensive tackle that should be able to excel playing as a true nose tackle, as he has strength and deceptive quickness that will make him hard to move off of the ball.
Both of my late-round picks are guys that might not be viewed highly by others, but the Steelers might due to potential fits within their roster. Yasir Abdullah is an edge rusher in an off-ball linebacker's body, so he will have a limited amount of interest because of his lack of length. Because of his special teams acumen and nose for the football off the edge, he profiles as someone that Tomlin and the coaching staff typically go after. Elijah Higgins is a big-bodied wide receiver that some might try and turn into a receiving tight end, but I believe he profiles best as a big-slot wide receiver and can excel there. His run-after-the-catch ability should give him opportunities to succeed at the next level.
Ben's Mock Draft For The Steelers
PFF.com
Ben's Thoughts:
To start the draft by seeing Christian Gonzalez available at the 17th overall spot was a dream come true. He has top-ten talent and he was a steal at that point. The Steelers need major help at the cornerback position in the secondary and Gonzalez is the kind of player you can leave on an island and trust he’ll shut down that half of the field. That's something we haven’t seen in Pittsburgh in decades. Next, I addressed the offensive tackle position with Anton Harrison. He has great size and a solid baseline talent for development. He has average athletic talent but tested relatively decent at the combine. He would be a solid depth piece to start but could take over the starting role in the coming seasons.
After Harrison, I went back to the defense with Jack Campbell. Devin Bush’s time in Pittsburgh may be coming to an end and the group of inside linebackers isn’t as elite as we’d hope. Campbell is a large, physical player inside and is typically the play caller of the defense. He’s great at taking care of blockers and opening up stop gaps for defenders and is what the Steelers like to see in an inside linebacker. Not to mention, he tested incredibly well at the combine.
For the 80th overall pick, I stayed on the defensive side of the ball and took another prospect who tested through the roof at the combine with Sydney Brown. He’s a fast, physical player who would play that strong safety position. While the Steelers don’t have a true succession plan for that role, Brown could come in, learn the scheme and speed of play, and grow into a solid partner with Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Charlie Neibergall | AP Photo
Jack Campbell running during a play against the Wisconsin Badgers in 2022
After Brown, I addressed another succession concern on the defense at the edge position. There is a good chance the Steelers won’t be able to afford Alex Highsmith and there is little depth behind him for future development. Karl Brooks brings exactly that. His measurements are a bit in-between, meaning he’ll need to cut some weight to fit that true outside linebacker frame the Steelers like in their 3-4 scheme. But he has the motor and physicality to grow off of to take over for Highsmith if that time comes.
After Brooks, I took another cornerback in Mekhi Blackmon. The Steelers double-dipped with wide receivers last year, so what is to say they won’t do the same to replenish the secondary this year? Blackmon has a lot of development to do to get him to a starting level, but he has the ball skills and measurements to get him there. Although he plays very physically, he tends to play too physically and gets flags thrown all around him. But at the 236th spot, I figured that’d be a good spot to take a developmental secondary project.
Finally, I grabbed Jake Andrews to help with the interior of the offensive line. After playing guard earlier in his career, he moved to center and flourished there in his senior year. There aren’t a lot of current center options behind Mason Cole and Andrews would be another reliable depth piece to groom into a starter. He’s an effective run blocker and has great hand talent at pad level against defensive linemen."
Let us know below what you think about our mock drafts this week in the comments below.
#SteelerNation
