Predicting the Final Steelers Draft Board

Yinzer Crazy Co-Founder Mike Nicastro. Follow him on Twitter @MikedUpSports1 and Subscribe to "The Sick Podcast - Steelers Crazy!"

Just in case you weren’t aware, we are just 48 hours and some change away from the start of the NFL Draft. There are always things that can change, but as of now, I’d guess the Steelers already have their draft board set. I’m going to make like a fly on the wall and guess what that looks like in this piece. Keep in mind, this is who I think the Steelers would take, not who I would take (although it may closely resemble this list.)

I’m ruling out QB’s and running backs for obvious reasons, which is good for the black and gold, given that a player in their perceived top 12 is likely to fall to their pick if they stay at 17. But if we have the craziest twist of all, and zero QB’s are drafted before pick 17, here’s a list of guys, in order, that the team will target.

1.    Jalen Carter DT Georgia – I’m aware there are many off the field concerns, including his recent arrest for reckless driving which led to the death of a teammate. However, if you don't have a culture in place in which you believe you can help someone grow as a person, you don’t have a culture at all. I believe that Carter is the best player in the draft, at a significant position of need. And if the Steelers had the top pick, he’d be their selection.

2.   Devon Witherspoon CB Illinois – Now we begin to weigh need vs. value. While cornerback is the bigger need for the Steelers, I’d argue that EDGE’s Will Anderson (Alabama) and Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech) are the better overall players. However, that doesn’t mean that Witherspoon is far behind. Devon has the ability to shut down the likes of JaMarr Chase and Amari Cooper, and also play the run with a nasty mean streak. Because of the aerial attack-nature of this league, corners are going to continue to be drafted higher and higher. We witnessed it last year with Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner both going in the top 5. I think this year’s class is similar to those. Which leads me to…

3.   Christian Gonzalez CB Oregon – Another polished, plug-and-play corner. Gonzalez is extremely physical, and was honestly the best player I watched on tape this offseason. Similar to Witherspoon, I have him above players that have been both ranked, and mocked higher, in most drafts and big boards.

4.   Will Anderson EDGE Alabama – This may come as a bit of a surprise, as Anderson is generally regarded as the best defensive player in the draft. He also fits a need at EDGE. But the need isn’t as glaring as corner. Alex Highsmith is reportedly in consideration for the franchise tag after this season, and obviously TJ Watt isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Anderson would certainly be tantalizing, but in a draft with a clear top two elite corners, he falls slightly.

5.  Tyree Wilson EDGE Texas Tech – Wilson is the next EDGE who is far and away ahead of the next dude at the position. This explosive and incredibly long athlete is the current favorite to be drafted 2^nd overall by the Houston Texans. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a ten-sack guy right out of the gate. And yes, I think he’d be rated higher than some of the top offensive lineman on the Steelers board…

6.  Paris Johnson Jr. OT Ohio State – There’s honestly a case to be made for Paris Johnson Jr. to be NUMBER ONE on the Steelers board. He’s the best offensive lineman in this class. He’s a left tackle, which is preferred in the room because he could immediately replace Dan Moore, while keeping Chuks Okorafor at right tackle, a place where he really settled in last season. At the end of the day, I just think the guys ahead of him on this list are better players. But this may be the perfect fit.

7.  Broderick Jones OT Georgia – Here we have the second best left-tackle in the draft right behind Paris Johnson. Jones is quite raw, only having started one season at left-tackle with the Bulldogs. But he has all the tools. He’s an above average athlete, he plays well in space, and he has the size and length that Omar Khan and Andy Wiedl will covet.

8.  Darnell Wright OT Tennessee – I’ve concluded that I think Darnell Wright will be drafted AHEAD of Broderick Jones. He’s been the fastest riser over the past few weeks in this draft process. The reason I have him lower than Jones, is that there’s a chance he’s exclusively a right tackle, even though he played some left tackle in 2021 -- and mentioned he’d be comfortable there. He shut down the likes of Will Anderson Jr last season, which tells you just about all you need to know about Mr. Wright.

9.  Peter Skoronski OT Northwestern – Skoronski could actually go higher than any of the previous offensive tackles listed, and I don’t doubt for one second that if he’s available at 17, the Steelers would draft him. However, I’ve been steadfast on the thinking that he’ll ultimately be a guard. This isn’t a knock on him. He’ll be one of the best guards in the NFL in due time. But after the signings of James Daniels last year, and Isaac Seumalo recently, it’s clearly less of a need than tackle.

10.  Lukas Van Ness EDGE Iowa – This is where things get MIGHTY interesting. Because if the Steelers do not trade up, I don’t foresee them getting any of the top nine players on this board. Van Ness is a project. For some reason, he never started at Iowa. WTF Kirk Ferentz? However, he’s got the measurables of an Aidan Hutchinson, and can stand up and play the edge, or put his hand on the ground. That’s killing two birds with one stone for Pittsburgh. I strongly believe if he is available at 17, and the Steelers stay there – he will be the pick. Whether you or I like it or not.

11.   Joey Porter Jr CB Penn State – Little Peezy checks in at 11. My co-founder Jordan York has said it well over the course of this offseason – this pick would not be based on nepotism whatsoever. The Steelers are going to take the best player on their board, even if it were Mike Tomlin’s own son (alright, maybe not.)

Porter has the size and length to hang with the likes of the aforementioned Chase and Cooper, which is a solid foundation to work with. However, his ball skills are lacking, having only recorded one interception last season. He’s not afraid to come up and tackle however, which should appeal to the Steelers Brass.

12.  Deonte Banks CB Maryland – Any prospect out of Maryland or Ohio State is automatically going to make the Steelers draft board each season. But once again, this isn’t just the Steelers filling their quota. I genuinely think Banks is better than Porter. He tested out of this freaking world at the combine, posting a 4.35 forty time, and a 42 inch vertical. And his tape, whew baby. The guy is a dog. Although fans may think this is a reach, I promise it’s not. He’ll get drafted shortly after if he’s not the pick.

13.  Myles Murphy EDGE Clemson – Myles Murphy is a better overall player than Porter or Banks, but once again we’re calculating need vs. value. Murphy is 6-5, 268, and plays a lot faster than that. He’s a sleeper to go at 17 in my eyes, as he could fall due to the run on quarterbacks, and the EDGE rushers who will go before him, like Anderson and Wilson.

14.  Nolan Smith EDGE Georgia – Smith burst onto the scene at the combine, becoming the heaviest player in combine history to run under a 4.4 forty, at 238 pounds. Still, the knock on him is his size – as he stands 6’2. Compared to the likes of Wilson, Murphy, even Van Ness, he doesn’t fit the profile. Can he get around the behemoth offensive lineman's in this league? To be determined.

15.  Bryan Bresee DL Clemson – I actually had the Steelers drafting this interior defensive lineman from Clemson at pick 17 in my Mock Draft 1.0. Since then, the consensus is that he continues to fall based on his injury history. He was the number one recruit out of high school, but has missed 13 games due to various injuries over the past two seasons. However, I think it’s safe to say the Steelers aren’t afraid to draft players they really like due to durability concerns. See: George Pickens.

16.  Anton Harrison OT Oklahoma – This is another deep sleeper for me to be the pick at 17. If the Steelers miss out on the offensive lineman above, Harrison is much more than just a consolation prize. Harrison started 35 games for the Sooners over the past three seasons, at both right tackle and left tackle. He’s versatile, polished, and just a really steady player.

17.  Jaxson Smith-Njigba WR Ohio State – The final curveball here in the last player on my big board. Smith-Njigba is far and away the best wide-receiver in the draft. After signing Allen Robinson, my guess is the team isn’t in the market for a receiver. However, if a talent like Smith-Njigba drops, how can you say no?

(Honorable Mention: Brian Branch, Mazi Smith, Jordan Addison)

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for my final mock draft, and make sure to follow me on Twitter @MikedUpSports1 and subscribe to the sick podcast.