M&M Mock Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers Shifting Needs After Opening Weeks Of Free Agency

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. 

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. Also, check out the Steeler Nation big board on Fanspeak's simulator!

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 utilized PFF's simulator and I will be working with Fanspeak's.

Matt's Mock Draft For The Steelers

Matt's Thoughts

With all the Steelers have done so far in free agency, there are only a few positions that really make sense in the first round. Those are safety, cornerback, left tackle and defensive line. I could be persuaded that a wide receiver is a possibility, but I don't believe it is at the moment. With that being said, it is nearly impossible to pass on Brian Branch at #17. He is a safety that spends heavy time in the slot, so he can really be an instant contributor early on in his career. Pairing him next to Minkah Fitzpatrick, or moving him to a full-time slot role makes selecting him an easy decision, especially since he could be a top-10 pick. 

I am going to get some slack for this, but I am still about drafting Darnell Washington with the team's 32nd overall pick. Zach Gentry is back, but only on a one-year deal, and that still only gives them two true tight ends on the roster. No Connor Heyward doesn't count, and they might use him as the fullback on the roster next year anyways. Even with Gentry back, Washington might already be the best blocking tight end on the team if the Steelers were to select him, and his freakish athleticism gives him immense upside. 

Seeing Anton Harrison there at 49 overall was a bit surprising. There is a real chance he goes in the first round, so I was glad to grab him at 49. He was an elite pass blocker in college but needs to add some strength to become an asset in the run game. Give him a year to redshirt as the team's swing tackle, or if he beats out Dan Moore Jr. let him play early on. Regardless, he can be a long-term play at either tackle spot. 

This next spot is where I deviated from my usual strategy. I made a trade to acquire more picks and move back. I rarely do this, but I do not see the Steelers waiting for 114 picks from their fourth-round selection and their first seventh-round selection. So, I saw an opportunity and I took it. I made a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire the 88th overall selection, the 185th overall selection and a 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for the 80th overall selection. 

Two sixth-round picks don't seem like much, but moving down eight spots in the third round isn't a lot either. Plus, the Steelers have shown a tendency to trade away future day-three picks in exchange for one-year rentals, so adding an extra sixth-round pick in 2024 gives them the flexibility to do that again. 

With the newly acquired 88th overall selection, I settled on Jaquelin Roy to help bolster the defensive line. He screams a 3-4 defensive lineman with his sturdy lower half and upper body strength. He most likely makes sense as a defensive end, but he played a decent amount of nose tackle for the LSU Tigers as well, so the Steelers could choose to use him either way. The next pick is who I probably consider my steal of the draft and that is Parker Washington. I love getting Washington this late, as I think he can be an immediate contributor in the slot. He is very good once the ball is in his hands and has a thicker build which allows him to handle the work over the middle. 

Getting an extra pick allows for some flexibility late in the draft, so I decided to take a running back by selecting Sean Tucker. Tucker is a natural runner with elite first-step quickness that can provide a solid early-down option at running back if injuries were to strike the Steelers' backfield. Starting off the seventh round, I grabbed Yasir Abdullah to give the team an athletic option for outside linebacker depth. Abdullah will likely draw James Harrison comparisons due to his size and pass rush success, but the play style is very different as Abdullah wins with speed and is one of the best athletes in this draft class. 

Finishing off the draft I snagged Cameron Brown to add a body to the perimeter cornerback group. He is a natural for the cornerback position that shows a very good understanding of route combinations and matching wide receivers in and out of their breaks but lacks elite physical tools to take the next step in his game. 

Ben's Mock Draft For The Steelers

Ben's Thoughts:

I took a bit of a different approach this week compared to the ones previously. Starting at the 17th overall selection I grabbed arguably the best safety in this year’s class in Brian Branch. Branch is a tenacious defensive back and would be an instant plug-and-play in the Steelers’ zone scheme. Even with the signing of Keanu Neal the Steelers still need their long term answer at the position next to Fitzpatrick.

Then at the 32nd overall selection, I went in a different direction than a lot of people would go - that being the receiver role. Josh Downs is one of the best slot receivers available in the draft and that is exactly what the Steelers’ offense needs. They are in need of another playmaking pass catcher who is tough and has reliable hands. Downs is quietly sneaking up a lot of draft boards and with him being available at 32nd, it was a no-brainer for me. 

After Downs, I went back to the defensive side of the ball with Siaki Ika. I may have reached some on this, but it is hard to turn down a 335 lbs defensive tackle. The Steelers need a refurnished defensive interior and Ika reminds me a lot of Casey Hampton. I took full advantage of him being available at that spot. 

Next, I went back to the secondary and took Garrett Williams. It is well-known and universally agreed that the secondary still needs help and Williams would be a great protégé under Patrick Peterson. He wouldn’t need to start right off the bat but has all the right traits to develop into a three-down starter at cornerback. 

After Williams, I went with another depth piece in KJ Henry. Henry is an athletic EDGE rusher who would fit well within in Steelers’ outside linebacker profile. He wouldn’t start over TJ Watt or Alex Highsmith by any means, but the Steelers need depth on the outside and Henry brings everything coaches like to see in a developmental piece.

In the final round, I took the opportunity to add more depth to the offensive tackle position. The Steelers have made it clear they are relatively content with their current tackles, so I see that need being pushed farther and farther to the bottom of the shopping list. Trevor Reid is an athletic tackle who uses that ability to be versatile in how he can be utilized along the offensive line. The Steelers admire young offensive linemen who show versatility in their skillset and Reid fits that mold. 

Finally, I went back into the University of Pittsburgh pool and grabbed SirVocea Dennis with the last pick. Dennis was a long-time staple in the Pitt defense at the inside linebacker position and would be another great developmental piece behind presumably new starters in Cole Holcum and Elandon Roberts. He’d need to get bulked up and coached up in his physicality up along the line, but he’s effective at diagnosing plays and making sure the defense is lined up in the right spot. Dennis was a team captain with Kenny Pickett and he’d bring that same leadership to the other side of the UPMC Sports Performance Complex.

Let us know what you think about our mock drafts this week in the comments below.

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