Steelers Mock Draft: Final 7 Round Projections

With the start of the 2015 NFL draft only hours away, it is time to take one final look at the Pittsburgh Steelers and one final mock draft update. At this point, it is nearly impossible to sort out the smoke from the fire when it comes to which players the Steelers might target.

The needs of the Steelers are fairly obvious. This is a defense that historically struck fear in the hearts of the rest of the league. If Pittsburgh wants to get back to that level of prominence, a focused effort on that side of the football is a must.

Some combination of pass-rushing outside linebacker, cornerback and safety have to be in the mix for three of the first five or six picks. In addition, adding depth at wide receiver, running back and tight end also fall into that mix. If the Steelers can snatch up some depth at defensive line, in particular the nose tackle, that would just be a bonus.

Let’s break down one final mock draft projection for the Steelers.

Unless specified, all player data courtesy of the NFL draft section of NFL.com.

First Round

The Pick: Landon Collins, S Alabama 

Of the three top safeties in this draft, Alabama’s Landon Collins checks off the greatest number of boxes to be a Steelers-type safety. Collins has great size (6’0”, 228 pounds) and often plays like a runaway train. The area of Collins’ game that is in question pertains to his ability to drop into coverage and be that single-high free safety that this team has been missing for years.

The truth is Collins’ range isn’t terrible. Initially in the league, his coverage assignments will have to be limited; however, that is not cause for concern with Pittsburgh. Although not ideal, safety Mike Mitchell could stay at free safety for another season, relegating Collins to the role that Troy Polamalu made iconic. 

Second Round

The Pick: Ronald Darby, CB FSU

Moving into the second round, the rebuild of the Steelers secondary continues. The Steelers need to replace Ike Taylor at cornerback, and there is doubt about just how good Cortez Allen can be. The hope is that Allen will regain his confidence and his game, but the team cannot sit by and wait. Right now, minus Allen, the starting cornerbacks for the start of the season would be William Gay and Antwon Blake. Yikes.

So the logical pick here is Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby. If you are looking for a wheelbarrow full of film on Darby making big plays, you are going to be disappointed. To scout Darby, you have to keep in mind that because he is so fluid in coverage and does such a great job mirroring wide receivers, quarterbacks just didn’t test him. Darby has ridiculous speed, and this allows him to play a bit lax, lulling a wide receiver into a false sense of security before clamping down on the route.

Third Round

The Pick: Chris Conley, WR Georgia

One of the players that really made the most of his opportunity at the scouting combine to boost his draft stock was Georgia wide receiver Chris Conley. He showed up in Indianapolis and put on an absolute show. He did enough that every team in the league that likely didn’t know who he was went back and dug up as much film as possible on the speedster with impressive size.

But why a wide receiver so soon? Putting aside the fact that Conley is an exceptional deep-threat and grossly underrated because of mediocre quarterback play, wide receiver is a need. Even with Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant in place, there is a need.

If Wheaton doesn’t take that next step in the upcoming season, there will be questions about whether he is in the conversation for a contract extension. If he isn’t, Conley can be in place as essentially a bigger version of Wheaton.

Fourth Round

The Pick: Davis Tull, LB Chattanooga

If you have been reading this mock draft so far just bubbling with vitriol because I haven’t put a linebacker in here yet, you can now relax. Chattanooga linebacker Davis Tull is a small-school star with an impressive game. At 246 pounds, Tull can hold up well at the point of attack. His production in college was outstanding with 36.5 sacks in 48 career games. 

Tull is absolutely relentless off the edge, possessing a strong understanding of leverage and how to coordinate the power in his upper body with explosion in his lower body. Level of competition is a concern for Tull, as well as age (he will be 24 as a rookie). But in the fourth round, there is very little risk involved, especially considering the depth of this class and with four more picks to go.

Fifth Round

The Pick: Markus Golden, DE/LB Missouri

As Pittsburgh’s fifth-round pick comes back around, they go back to the well for another outside linebacker. This time around, they turn to a power program and Missouri defensive end Markus Golden. Golden has lived in the shadow of guys like Shane Ray, Michael Sam and Kony Ealy. Golden might not be the best edge to come out of Missouri, but he still shows some enticing skills. Golden is successful because he is able to utilize excellent power with a high-energy rushing style.

That’s not to say Golden is just a brute at the line of scrimmage, even though he has a low-slung build similar to Steelers linebacker James Harrison. Golden has good balance and agility, but without that explosive first step, Golden has to rely on his ability to break down the play quickly and some nice counter moves to keep linemen off balance.

Sixth Round

The Pick: Wes Saxton, TE South Alabama

The reality is that while every Steelers fans thinks he is immortal, tight end Heath Miller will eventually have to stop playing football. Miller is still productive and was the sneaky weapon on one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL in 2014. However, with very little depth behind him, it would be prudent for the Steelers to try and bring in a player for Miller to mentor with the goal of being his replacement. 

An interesting potential replacement is South Alabama tight end Wes Saxton. Saxton differs from Miller in that he is much more of an athlete than football player at this point, but that shouldn’t deter the Steelers. This offense has been missing a true move tight end, and Saxton is all about the impact he can create in the passing game. Saxton plays like a big wide receiver but fails as a blocker.

Sixth Round

The Pick: Darryl Roberts, CB Marshall

The Steelers are currently in possession of two sixth-round picks. These picks might not feel like they have value, but in a draft this deep, there are going to be plenty of athletes to be had late in the draft. And really when it comes to late-round prospects, if you can steal a few elite athletes that you feel you can teach the game to, go ahead and take a shot.

That’s where Marshall cornerback Darryl Roberts comes in. Roberts is fast. No, I means really fast. Whether it is on the stopwatch or on the field, Roberts is one of the fastest guys to top speed in the entire draft, and his long speed is elite. The bad news about all that speed is Roberts plays reckless, often getting lax in coverage in hopes that his speed will bail him out. If he can learn to play with control and discipline, he could definitely contend for a spot as the nickel cornerback down the road.

Seventh Round

The Pick: Malcolm Brown, RB Texas

Finishing off the draft, the Steelers look to bolster the depth at running back. Even with the addition of running back DeAngelo Williams, this is a position of need. The truth is that Williams was brought in to replace star running back Le’Veon Bell during his suspension and add a veteran presence to the backfield. Bell is the star, but he needs some help.

And that help could come from Texas running back Malcolm Brown. The reason Brown works is because he is a bruiser. At 224 pounds, Brown gets his pads low and finishes runs. Brown’s style of running would allow him to absorb some of the punishment that would normally be earmarked for Bell. He might not be a feature back, but if his role is to grind out the tough yards and keep Bell healthy, he’s a smart pick.