Nicastro: Steelers Mock Draft 1.0

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, we aren’t closing on Christmas just yet – but for a Sports fan does it get any better than this? We’re quickly approaching Spring which means March Madness, NBA and NHL Playoffs, as well as the Masters are right around the daylight savings time corner. But my favorite of them all is also quietly almost here – it’s NFL Draft season baby! Time to separate the boys in shorts from the men in shorter shorts, as we dissect what players the Pittsburgh Steelers may be targeting in the April draft.

Here is my first mock draft of the spring for the Steelers.

Round 1. Pick 18 – Minkah Fitzpatrick S Alabama

Not much else needs to be said. This was a home-run by Kevin Colbert, as he left the detractors and naysayers looking foolish. Fitzpatrick is a top 10 NFL Draft talent in any year and is ascending rapidly. For the first time in over 50 years the Steelers won’t bring a card to the table in the first-round – and that’s perfectly fine with me.

Round 2. Pick 49 – Chase Claypool WR Notre Dame

Now the draft really begins, as the Black and Gold make their first pick of 2020. Claypool is a near 6’5 240 pound wide-receiver/tight-end hybrid that just ran a swift 4.42 at the combine in Indianapolis this past weekend. As the kids say – that’s freakish. So why would he be there at 54 and what makes him a good fit for the Steelers?

This draft is absolutely loaded when it comes to skill position players. Wide-receivers such as Claypool, Denzel Mims and Michael Pittman who would normally be first round picks any other year are more than likely to plummet due to the depth of the position. The first round will see at least 4 or 5 WR’s drafted – pushing some of that excess 1^st round talent down the board and creating excellent value for a team needing a WR.

Claypool is an OW – offensive weapon. He is a matchup nightmare on the outside for smaller corners and he’s too fast to be covered by a backer if he plays in-line. He’s also a terrific blocker, something the Steelers will certainly covet.

Although James Washington and Diontae Johnson look the part after coming into their own in 2019, this value is too good to pass up for an offense that could use an extra few pieces.

Round 4. Pick 99 – Ben Bredeson G Michigan

Adding a big-ugly up front will be critical this year to the Steelers who are likely to have some attrition on the offensive-line. There are no guarantees that veteran guard Ramon Foster will be re-signed and there are questions about if Chuks Okafor is ready to step-up at tackle in year three. Bredeson checks a lot of the boxes – experienced, big-school prospect who has great technique and has faced some elite competition over his tenure at Michigan

Round 4. Pick 114 – Neville Gallimore DT Oklahoma

There is uncertainty around Javon Hargrave as the black and gold may ultimately have to choose between keeping Bud Dupree long-term or Hargrave, which leaves an opening in the middle of the defensive front. Gallimore checks in at 6’2, 305 pounds and is more of a prototypical nose gap, a la Casey Hampton. He is however a nimble athlete, very similar to Hargrave in that his job wouldn’t just be to plug the holes but to stop the run and penetrate the QB.

Round 5. Pick 137 – Deejay Dallas RB/WR Miami

Another hybrid type offensive weapon is intriguing. He will likely slot at RB but he has an opportunity to be elusive in the pass game. He averaged 6 yards per carry on the ground last season for a bad Miami team, which tells me his ceiling is probably higher than most think.

Round 6. Pick 179 - Sage Lewis - OLB Florida International

Lewis is a playmaker on the outside that can provide depth in the case that Bud Dupree, TJ Watt or Ola Adenyiyi get nicked.

Round 7. Pick 210 - Kelly Bryant - QB Missouri

An additional camp arm would make things interesting as Duck Hodges could ultimately go from starter to the job search board.