We have made it. The FINAL mock draft before the real thing. This one will be the most realistic one yet, but of course it’s all depends on how that board breaks.
It’s Monday – you know what that means.
Now we go back to the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator.
Alright, here we go…Donny Football’s Steelers Mock Draft 11.0
ROUND 1 – PICK 17: BRODERICK JONES (OT, GEORGIA)
Last Week: Darnell Wright (OT, Tennessee)
There was a run on offensive tackles in the middle of the 1st round, seeing Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson Jr. and Darnell Wright all taken before we reached 17. Joey Porter Jr. was also selected by the Packers a few picks earlier than the Steelers were on the clock. That opens up the opportunity for the Steelers to select Dane Brugler’s second-rated offensive tackle, Broderick Jones from the Georgia powerhouse. Jones is a long, mobile and powerful offensive lineman that could protect the franchise QB for years to come. Jones is only 21 and has under two full seasons of experience at left tackle at Georgia, but he’s a former basketball player with great footwork for a big man and has the upper body strength to compliment it. This would be a great scenario for the Steelers with Skoronski and Johnson Jr. off the board and some draft circles believe Jones could be the home run hit out of this tackle group.
ROUND 2 – PICK 32: CAM SMITH (CB, SOUTH CAROLINA)
Last Week: Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina)
I’m going with Smith again here. The way things sit right now, I believe a combination of offensive tackle and cornerback have to be addressed with the first two selections unless a remarkable talent slips to either pick 17 or 32. The Steelers get a ballhawk corner with Smith to start round two. He had six interceptions returned for touchdowns in his college career with 22 of 94 targets being either picked off or broken up at South Carolina. A little bit of a down year in 2022, but an excellent 2021, boasting a PFF grade over 88. Smith also brings solid size to the position at 6’1, 180 pounds that can be used inside or out as a corner.
ROUND 2 – PICK 49: FELIX ANUDIKE-UZOMAH (EDGE, KANSAS STATE)
Last Week: Tuli Tuipulotu (Edge, USC)
Bud Dupree came and went without a contract from the Steelers on his visit a few weeks back and now he calls Atlanta his home. The Steelers have done nothing to help their edge depth this off-season, in fact, they have done the opposite after releasing Jamir Jones a few weeks ago. That leaves them with TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith – one great and one good player, but there is next to nothing behind the pair. With that being said I fully expect an edge rusher to be a draft priority and there’s even a shot one gets taken at 17 or 32 depending on who is on the board. Anudike-Uzomah is ranked seventh out of all edge rushers in Dane Brugler’s “Beast” with him expecting the explosive 21-year-old to find his home in the 2ndround. He can be a future option if the team decides against re-signing Highsmith, which is a decision looming next off-season.
ROUND 3 – PICK 80: JORDAN BATTLE (S, ALABAMA)
Last Week: Trade
Safety is still a need for the Steelers and pick 80 left them with a few options at other positions, but they try their luck with another Alabama safety. Battle has spent four seasons in the Nick Saban defense, which holds as a positive for any player going into draft weekend. Battle is also a big safety at 6’1, 209 pounds, so he fits the Steelers mold in that sense after swapping out Terrell Edmunds for Keanu Neal. The latter isn’t expected to step right in and start in what could be a group effort on the back-end of the defense alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick. He can move around whenever he’s on the field and you know the Steelers like that versatility.
ROUND 4 – PICK 120: MORO OJOMO (DL, TEXAS)
Last Week: Anthony Johnson Jr. (S, Iowa State)
The Steelers go back to Andy Weidl’s favorite area of the field with pick 120 and find another young body to put on the defensive front. Ojomo would find his home as a 3-4 defensive end that won’t terrorize on every play, but he’s a consistent player that accumulated a lot of snaps in his career at Texas. The Steelers still have a few seasons of Cam Heyward, but on an aging defensive line, Ojomo could find himself being useful sooner rather than later.
TRADE: PIT & LV
PIT RECEIVES: PICK 174
LV RECEIVES: GUNNER OLSZEWSKI
ROUND 5 – PICK 174: JALEN MORENO-CROPPER (WR, FRESNO STATE)
Look for the Steelers to do this – not the exact move for the exact pick, but I would fully expect the Steelers to find some way to get back into the 5th or 6th round because of the 100 plus pick gap they face going into Saturday. In this case, they deal a receiver/return specialist to draft another receiver. Would this trade happen for real? Who knows, but blame the simulator, not me. Moreno-Cropper is a slot guy that had over 1,000 yards last season at a clip of 13.1 yards per reception. He’s not big, but he’s got speed, which could give the Steelers a pair of slot options that possess speed 4.4 or faster with Moreno-Cropper and Calvin Austin III. There’s no need to get rid of a useful target like Diontae Johnson, but shipping Olszewski away is no loss after the signing netted the Steelers nothing but preseason touchdowns and regular season mistakes.
ROUND 7 – PICK 241: AUBREY MILLER JR. (LB, JACKSON STATE)
Last Week: Jacob Slade (DL, Michigan State)
Another late-round inside linebacker pick this year after the Steelers found Mark Robinson late in the selection meeting in 2022 and in limited action he looks like a player that could provide potential upside. Miller played under Deion Sanders his last few years of college and put together a 2022 that garnered an 85 grade from Pro Football Focus. One of his grades really stood out to me – his 91.8 coverage grade. Miller provides the late, shot-in-the-dark type pick that could pay dividends.
ROUND 7 – PICK 251: MAX DUGGAN (QB, TCU)
HOOOOOOOOOOOO! That’s right, baby. “Hacksaw” Max Duggan is getting drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Believe it or not, QB is a tertiary need with this team with just two of them on the roster right now. Duggan doesn’t have the makeup of the next franchise quarterback, but he has a chip on his shoulder even after leading TCU on an unlikely run to the National Championship Game in January. Duggan threw for nearly 3,700 yards last season with 32 touchdowns to just eight picks, with nine more scores on the ground, where he also proved to be a threat to college football defenses.