M&M Mock Draft: Should Steelers Grab A Franchise Left Tackle, Or Double Dip At Cornerback?

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

Matt's Mock Draft For The Steelers

Matt's Thoughts

Where the Steelers could go with their first round pick is still a mystery to most, but where Tomlin and Khan visited for Pro Days tells a lot about who they could select. Ohio State is one they both attended, so selecting Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round makes a lot of sense. Tomlin previously said he is "comfortable" with their offensive line/tackle situation currently, and if we remember his interview on The Pivot with Ryan Clark, he doesn't like being comfortable. Johnson Jr. has elite athletic traits for an offensive tackle which give him the highest upside of any tackle in this draft. 

After taking a LT with my first selection, I went on a bit of a defensive run, starting that off with Mazi Smith. Smith is a potential long term answer in the middle of the Steelers defense they have been missing, as he is the perfect candidate to be the team's nose tackle. He has the size and strength to be a traditional nose tackle, but he also has some pep in his step as well. Think almost a little bit like Javon Hargrave. After that I had to address the secondary, as it is clear the Steelers are doing their due diligence on cornerbacks, so I grabbed Tyrique Stevenson. Stevenson has the physicality and athleticism to contribute early in his career, and is one of the most well-rounded cornerbacks in this draft class. 

Grabbing edge depth is definitely important with Alex Highsmith's impending free agency next offseason, so getting K.J. Henry in the 3rd is a solid snag. Henry can easily fill a rotational role early in his career as his game is very polished, as it should be for being 24 years old. He isn't an elite athlete, but should be able to be a solid complimentary edge player for a long time. After this little defensive run I snagged a wide receiver the Steelers have shown a lot of interest in with Charlie Jones. Jones, like Henry, is 24 years old but has an NFL ready game that can contribute early in his career in the slot. He didn't play heavily in the slot in college, but when he did in college he dominated, and should provide Kenny Pickett with an ultra reliable target to fall back on. 

Someone who is almost always a pick for me in the seventh round, and is again here is Noah Gindorff. He is a large tight end that excels as a run blocker but hasn't shown much explosiveness in the passing game. Think of how most of Steeler Nation views Zach Gentry and you have a new version of him with Gindorff, except Gindorf is better athlete. Ankle injuries have limited him the last two seasons, but he is one of my favorite late round dart throws. 

Lastly, with the Steelers losing Terrell Edmunds to the Philadelphia Eagles they could afford to add to their safety group, and do here with Kaevon Merriweather. Merriweather is a similar player to Edmunds in the fact that he is best in the box and has a good level of physicality, but he is smaller and not the same caliber of athlete Edmunds is, which is why he can be had in the seventh round. 

Ben's Mock Draft For The Steelers

Ben's Thoughts:

As we creep closer to the draft at the end of the month, I figured I’d have some fun with this edition. Through the Steelers’ navigation tactics throughout the free agency period, one could argue the highest needs remain on the defensive side of the ball, specifically at cornerback and along the defensive line. Therefore, I went with the double-dip tactic starting at the cornerback position with Christian Gonzalez. Gonzalez remains as one of the top, if not the top, cornerback prospects available in the draft and he’d be an instant plug-and-play starter as a rookie. 

After Gonzalez, I took Deonte Banks at the 32nd overall spot. We are all familiar with Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s love affair with the University of Maryland and Banks met with the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Similar to Gonzalez, Banks has a high ceiling heading into the NFL and could see himself starting as the season progresses. After that pair of cornerbacks, I addressed the defensive front, starting with Zacch Pickens. Pickens is an athletic, versatile defensive tackle who can line up anywhere along the line. He’s effective at stunts and using his technique to get past offensive linemen on his way into the backfield. 

Next, I took Keeanu Benton. Benton is a powerful interior lineman who has the right traits to be coached up to becoming a steady starter at the next level. He’s already slated to meet with the Steelers leading up to the draft and the Steelers admire Wisconsin defenders. Not to mention, standing 6’4” and weighting 309 pounds, Benton is a massive presence as a defensive lineman. After Benton, I added depth to the outside linebacker group with Byron Young. 

Young is a strong EDGE rusher who can be developed into that 3-4 outside linebacker the Steelers like. There isn’t much of a succession plan at the position opposite of T.J. Watt should Highsmith price himself out of the Steelers’ range and after a year of NFL coaching, Young could be exactly that. 

To round out this mock, I added a couple of weapons on offense for added depth. Jake Bobo is a bit rough around the edges, but he’s an athletic offensive prospect who could be developed into a more steady contributor. He doesn’t necessarily have that high-end speed scouts like to see in a receiver, but he could bulk up and become an elite-level pass-catching tight end. 

Finally, I ended this mock with the third quarterback on the depth chart in Clayton Tune. The Steelers remain with only Pickett and Mitch Trubisky on the roster and they have generated interest in Tune. Tune has a strong arm and played in a pro-style offense in college and could develop into a solid back-up quarterback at the next level. Not to mention, if by any way he outperforms Trubisky and finds himself as the backup to Pickett, the Steelers could save some salary cap money by moving Trubisky elsewhere.

Let us know what you think of our mock drafts this week below!

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