PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan)- It’s finally here. The 1st round of the NFL Draft is upon us.
The popular thought is that the Steelers will spend their 24th overall pick in that 1st round Thursday night on an offensive lineman or a running back.
Audacy Sports NFL insider Brian Baldinger is known for watching and breaking down film more just about anybody else out there. He joined The Fan Morning Show Thursday morning and gave high praise to three different players who have been linked to the Steelers in the vastly deep mock draft universe.
He believes that we’ll see both a running back and offensive lineman go to the Steelers in the first couple days of the draft, it just depends on what order they draft them.
“Look, Najee Harris is an intriguing guy. Not because everybody wants to mock him to the Steelers at number 24, he’s just a good player. I mean he’s good in pass protection, he’s a great receiver,“ said Baldinger. “He actually reminds me a lot of Le’Veon Bell when he came out of Michigan State. Almost the same size. Le’Veon lost weight as he got into the league and leaned up and really developed his style but when he was coming out of Michigan State, they’re almost identical. We’re talking about a big, powerful guy that can really inflict his will and can really wear down a defense. There’s not many of those guys in any draft.”
Baldinger is also very high on one offensive line prospect that will most likely be available when the Steelers are on the clock in the first round, despite dealing with injury issues throughout his college career.
“Sometimes it’s just risk and reward. I think he’s the best lineman in this draft and I don’t think anybody’s close,” Baldinger said. “But the medical is the medical. You’re rolling the dice. If he goes out and plays 16 (games) for you, you’re going to be a much better football team. He’s a heck of a player whether you play him at guard or center.
“I haven’t seen anybody that’s close to (Colts guard) Quenton Nelson until I started really watching Landon Dickerson this spring.”
Quite the comparison to name a three-time All-Pro guard into the discussion in Nelson.
But with the Pittsburgh Steelers, you can never quite count out a pick on the other side of the ball, can you? Baldinger made another comparison to a former Steelers great when describing one man whose name continues to be linked to Pittsburgh.
“When I first started watching (Tulsa linebacker) Zaven Collins I texted a personnel director, a good friend of mine, for one of the teams. He knows Pittsburgh and he knows the history of the Steelers. I said, ‘Is this Levon Kirkland? A faster, quicker Levon Kirkland?’ And he said, ‘That’s a pretty good call.’ And I think that’s what he is.
He was a great player and it’s no secret that the Steelers have, I mean it’s no secret since Chuck Noll, they have had one of the best, consistent linebacking corps that the league has ever seen and they keep re-stocking. Zaven Collins to me, looks like if you put him in a black and gold uniform on a Sunday, he looks like he could lead you coming out of the tunnel.”