Quinn: Steelers Emphasize Value Of Championship Pedigree In Simulator Mock Draft 2.0

The Pittsburgh Steelers are less than a month away from the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, MI. The festivities will commence with the first round on Thursday, April 25th, and conclude with rounds four through seven on Saturday, April 27th. Omar Khan, Andy Weidl, and Mike Tomlin's 2023 draft was an epic success. The trio will have to work hard to match or exceed their inaugural draft class together. 

Until then, Steelers fans will have to be content with reading about or conducting their own mock drafts on one of the many simulators available on the internet. Before NFL free agency began and the Steelers embarked on a whirlwind of activity, we held the second annual Pro Football Focus (completely at the mercy of the simulator) mock draft 1.0. That was before Russell Wilson and Justin Fields joined the Steelers' quarterback room, and Patrick Queen signed the biggest free agent contract in franchise history. Khan sent Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for Donte Jackson and created a new need for the 2024 draft. 

With all that in mind, it is time for the post-free agency edition, mock 2.0. Reminder: We are at the mercy of the PFF simulator and who will be available when the Steelers pick. Away we go!

Round 1, Pick 20: Amarius Mims - Tackle, Georgia Bulldogs

It is hard not to pick Jackson Powers-Johnson in a mock draft when he is available. The Steelers need offensive line help, and despite Powers-Johnson's presence, the need for an upgrade at tackle is hard to ignore as well. Dan Moore Jr. is in the final year of his rookie contract in 2024, and he spent 2023 inexplicably preventing Broderick Jones from gaining experience at left tackle. 

What would be better than a former number one draft choice from the Georgia Bulldogs moving back to left tackle where he belongs? Pittsburgh could draft his Georgia teammate and reunite the pair of tackles from the 2022 National Championship team. Mims oozes potential, and most draft experts concur that injury concerns are the only reason he might be available for the Steelers at pick 20. 

Round 2, Pick 51: Roman Wilson - Wide Receiver, Michigan Wolverines

When Khan elected to ship Johnson to the Panthers, he did two things. The first was to express complete faith that George Pickens was the leading candidate to be the number one receiver in Arthur Smith's offense. The second was that he and Weidl would need to find an answer to the question about who the number two receiver would be in that offense. 

The Steelers had a massive presence at Michigan's Pro Day. Wilson was the most effective receiver for the National Champions in 2023 and is an outstanding athlete. He is only 5'11", which is a little small for a prototypical receiver in Smith's offense, but Wilson demonstrated repeatedly in college that he is capable of big plays. A championship pedigree paired with elite athleticism is an intriguing combination that could be exactly what the Steelers are looking for opposite Pickens. 

Round 3, Pick 84: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - Linebacker, Clemson Tigers

The Steelers signed away Queen from the Baltimore Ravens as the inside linebacker solution they have been searching for since Ryan Shazier's career came to a premature end in 2017 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Teryl Austin and the Steelers' base defense is still the 3-4, requiring two strong inside linebackers.

Pairing NFL legacy prospect Jeremiah Trotter Jr. with Queen could create the most formidable tandem in Pittsburgh since Shazier and Vince Williams patrolled the middle of the Steelers defense. Trotter's father was a four-time All-Pro, and the Clemson linebacker is an explosive athlete who excels in both run defense and pass coverage. The Steelers' 3-4 defense is at its best with superior linebackers, and adding Trotter to Queen, TJ Watt, and Alex Highsmith would create the best overall unit they have fielded in nearly a decade.  

Round 3, Pick 98: Sedrick Van Pran - Center, Georgia Bulldogs

The Steelers have to get a center, and after passing on Powers-Johnson in the first, Zach Frazier from West Virginia was not available by the time pick 51 rolled around in this simulation. Nate Herbig, and his 58 career snaps, is the most experienced center on the current roster. Pittsburgh's improvement at tackle with the selections of Mims in the first could be for naught if they don't stop experimenting at center.

However, all that changes if Khan adds the third former Bulldogs offensive lineman to snap the ball in 2024. Sedrick Van Pran was the center for the back-to-back National Championship teams in Athens, GA, and should not be mistaken for a consolation prize. Van Pran is an outstanding prospect who started at center in the SEC for three seasons. In 2023, he was First Team All-SEC and a Second Team All-American. Like Maurkice Pouncey and Dermontti Dawson, the Georgia center is an outstanding athlete and could be the next great Steelers center.

Round 4, Pick 119: Cam Hart - Cornerback, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Joey Porter Jr. and Jackson are at the top of the current cornerback depth chart in Pittsburgh. The Steelers also have second-year players Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush on the roster. The 2024 NFL is an offensive-driven passing league, and there is little doubt that Khan will add more players to the secondary through the draft. 

Cam Hart was one of Notre Dame's defensive captains in 2023 and, like most of the Steelers' secondary, is a big, physical cornerback. Hart posted a 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which is not spectacular. Still, when you factor in his 6'3" frame, he could find a very comfortable home in Pittsburgh as the press cornerback opposite Porter, while the speedy veteran Jackson slides inside. 

Round 6, Pick 178: Luke McCaffrey - Wide Receiver, Rice Owls

The Steelers are a family business that values NFL legacy players like Porter and Watt. Luke McCaffrey's father, Ed McCaffrey, was a Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos and a former All-Pro. Pittsburgh fans might be familiar with his brother Christian McCaffrey, who torched the Steelers for a 65-yard touchdown during the 2023 season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

Luke McCaffrey is an explosive slot receiver who caught 13 touchdown passes in 2023. He is not a speed merchant like Calvin Austin III, but his 4.46 40-yard dash, paired with his 6'2" frame, make him a matchup nightmare for the smaller cornerbacks who normally find themselves in the slot. The Steelers' new offensive coordinator appreciates size, and McCaffrey could settle in nicely. 

Round 6, Pick 198: Marcus Harris - Defensive Line, Auburn Tigers

Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi are aging members of the Steelers' defensive line, which is in dire need of youth. Keeanu Benton, who arrived in the vaunted 2023 draft class, should figure more heavily in the defensive line rotation in 2024 after a strong rookie season.  

Marcus Harris is a bit undersized at just over 6'2" and 286 pounds, but has impressive strength and is projected as a 3-4 defensive end in the NFL. He is a former five-star recruit who earned All-SEC honors in 2023. Harris is a stout run defender, but needs to develop as a pass rusher. Like most sixth-round selections, he is a project, but his run defense is a solid fit at this point in the draft. 

Steelers Mock Draft 2.0 Earns A- Grade 

The first attempt with the simulator in February before free agency began earned a B- grade from the PFF draft simulator. The selections of Wilson in the second and Van Pran at the end of the third round earned solid A grades, while the selection of Trotter was graded as a C+ and earned the lowest grade of the simulation. 

The selection of two wide receivers and a cornerback improved a B- effort in February to an A- in April. The PFF simulator values cornerbacks and wide receivers, especially in the later rounds. It will be interesting to see where the Steelers and Khan elect to go at the end of April and what positions they prioritize. 

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you agree with the selections? Please comment below, or on my X: @thebubbasq.

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