The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2021 NFL season came to a close with another first round playoff exit. The Steelers go into the offseason with many holes to fill along the offensive line, middle linebacker, cornerback, defensive line, and for the first time in 18 years, quarterback.
A lot of fans are hoping the Steelers will draft the successor to future first ballot Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger. If I’m being honest with myself, this quarterback draft class just doesn’t give me a lot of hope that the next franchise quarterback to don the black and gold will be picked this year. There are only two guys in the class that I personally think can be developed into NFL franchise quarterbacks and those guys are Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis -- and I’m not even sure either of those guys will pan out. Only time will tell.
The last thing a franchise wants is to feel like they have a franchise quarterback on the roster with no one to protect him and let’s face it, offensive line play this past season was abysmal and that is the first thing that needs to be addressed, rather it be through the NFL Draft or through free agency. The Steelers do have some money they can spend this offseason. There are reports that teams that are interested in those two quarterbacks I mentioned will most likely have to trade up in order to get one of those guys. It happens every year, teams will reach for a guy if they feel strongly about him being THEIR guy. The quarterback position is that important in the NFL. Do I think the Steelers should mortgage their future and send a bunch of high draft picks to another organization to trade up to get Pickett or Willis this year? I think it'll be a veteran guy in 2022, whether that guy is already on the roster or somewhere else in the league.
With those things in mind, here is what I did with my first mock draft on thedraftnetwork.com:
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Round 1: Pick 20
The Pittsburgh Steelers select OT Tyler Linderbaum (6’3” 290 lbs.) from Iowa.
Ladies and gentleman, here is your starting center! Linderbaum is just too good of a prospect to pass on here! He is a home-run pick and the Steelers can move Kendrick Green to his more natural position of guard and I think he would excel there!
Round 2: Pick 52
The Pittsburgh Steelers select CB Kaiir Elam (6’2” 193 lbs.) from Florida.
The Steelers have a big need at the cornerback position. Joe Haden is aging and will be a free agent this offseason. It should be on the Steelers’ priority list to re-sign Ahkello Witherspoon, who played extremely well once he got into the groove of things with the defense. The Steelers don’t have the best track record with drafting corners, and most fans probably prefer the Steelers look into free agency this offseason to add to the CB room, but Elam is a solid second round option with a lot of talent and potential.
Round 3: Pick 84
The Pittsburgh Steelers select OT Abraham Lucas (6’7” 324 lbs.) from Washington State.
The Steelers need to add some more youth and starter capable players on the offensive line. I think the Steelers can do that with this 3rd round selection of Lucas. He plays with a nasty streak and that’s something this offensive line has lacked. The Steelers add some competitive toughness to the OL room with this pick, and he has the potential to start in 2022 at right tackle.
Round 4: Pick 137
The Pittsburgh Steelers select IDL Eyioma Uwazurike (6’5.5” 319 lbs.) from Iowa State.
Uwazurike is a physical player who is capable of getting down and dirty in the trenches. He plays extremely well against the run and the Steelers’ defense really struggled against the run without Stephon Tuitt all season, especially once NT Tyson Alualu went down with a season-ending injury. With Tuitt’s football future up in the air, this selection becomes that much more valuable if Tuitt decides to call it a career.
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Round 6: Pick 190 (via Kansas City Chiefs in Melvin Ingram trade)
The Pittsburgh Steelers select LB Joshua Ross (6’2” 232 lbs.) from Michigan.
This is another position the Steelers could probably address earlier on in the draft. This team’s inside linebackers were probably one of the biggest weaknesses of the defense in 2021. They struggled against the run, against the pass, and they struggled tackling. Hopefully, Devin Bush has a bounce back year this year, but the Steelers will still need to add to the room regardless. Ross is a very talented prospect. He was voted captain in back-to-back seasons and is more of a throwback linebacker. He struggles against the pass at times, but makes up for it with high football IQ.
Round 7: Pick 222
The Pittsburgh Steelers select S Amari Carter (6’2” 200 lbs.) from Miami.
Another position of need, especially for depth, is safety. Terrell Edmunds is a free agent this year and has proven that he is capable of making plays. It would be ideal to re-sign Edmunds if the price is right. There's not a lot of quality depth at the safety position, regardless. Carter is projected to be a strong safety in the NFL. He is a violent football player that is capable of making big plays in the open field. He struggles at times with being too aggressive and has been penalized many times the past few seasons for targeting and unnecessary roughness. He has qualities that can be coached up!
Round 7: Pick 238
The Pittsburgh Steelers select WR Velus Jones Jr. (6’0” 190 lbs.) from Tennessee.
Did you really think I was going to do a complete 7-round mock draft and not draft a WR? JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington are both set to hit free agency and both will most likely leave for other organizations, but it would be nice for the team to retain at least one of those guys if the money is right. Jones Jr. has the potential to be a solid slot receiving option for whoever starts at QB next season. He also has a great skillset to be a return specialist. He can be explosive with the ball in his hands.
The 2022 NFL Draft will be here before you know it! How do you see the Steelers spending their draft picks? Sound off in the comment section below!
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