Steelers Mock Draft: Updated Day 2 Predictions

There’s no doubt good fortune was shining down on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. After watching all of the top cornerback prospects come off the board ahead of them, the Steelers instead scored a huge win when Kentucky linebacker Bud Dupree slid to pick No. 22.

The addition of Dupree makes for drastic changes to how the rest of this draft is going to play out for Pittsburgh. Now, instead of perhaps drafting multiple outside linebackers later in the draft, the spot is set. This means that on the second day, Pittsburgh can turn its attention to rebuilding the defensive secondary.

Another note about this: With seven picks remaining, don’t be shocked if Pittsburgh makes a small move in the second round if there is a defensive back it covets. The Steelers hit it big with Dupree in the first, so the front office could be looking to take some chances in hopes of getting another star.

Second Round

The Pick: Landon Collins, S Alabama

I’m not sure there would have been a lot of complaints if Dupree had been off the board, and the Steelers drafted Alabama safety Landon Collins with pick No. 22 on Thursday night. Fortunately, Dupree slipped, and the decision never had to be made.

Now, in the second round, Collins goes from being a borderline reach to a tremendous value. Collins would initially provide the Steelers with some of the physical presence that safety Troy Polamalu brought to the table. Against running backs and tight ends, he should be able to more than hold his own in man coverage. 

However, the intimidation that Collins can bring as a hitter could get him on the field early. Safety Mike Mitchell should be healthy and could remain at free safety while Collins gets up to speed. A 2016 starting safety tandem of Collins and Shamarko Thomas would be an interesting pairing, as both are aggressive in coverage, and neither shies away from contact.

Third Round

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The Pick: Alex Carter, CB Stanford

Day 2 of the draft rounds out with the Steelers adding another defensive player who could offer solid returns as a rookie. Stanford’s Alex Carter might not be the highest-rated cornerback among those who could be on the board when the Steelers pick in the third round. However, there is precedent he’d be the pick. 

In the first round, when the Steelers went on the clock, they had the choice between Dupree and Missouri linebacker Shane Ray. Both are skilled pass-rush specialists with impressive talent. The Steelers opted for Dupree, and it is safe to assume that Ray’s potential character flags played a role.

So when Pittsburgh comes up in the third round, it selects Carter because he’s a combination of size and solid man-coverage skills and is a model citizen. Pittsburgh needs to add some size to the secondary, and Carter checks in at a solid 6'0", 196 pounds. He has quality experience (33 career starts) and has displayed a high football acumen to go with sound cover skills.

Fourth Round

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The Pick: Kenny Bell, WR Nebraska

With the defensive side of the football taken care of, Pittsburgh can turn its initial focus on the third day to the offense. Pittsburgh doesn’t have any truly pressing needs at wide receiver, but adding a player who could potentially supplant Markus Wheaton makes a lot of sense.

Nebraska’s Kenny Bell is one of the best deep threats in the entire draft. Bell has impressive field speed and fits well with how the Steelers utilize their wide receivers. He can take a short, even horizontal route and use his agility and acceleration to turn it into a huge gain. This is the type of production the Steelers want from Wheaton but haven’t seen yet.

Fifth Round

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Wes Saxton, TE South Alabama

With depth and the future addressed at wide receiver, Pittsburgh can now look to tight end for a change in philosophy and some much-needed athleticism. Not many have heard of South Alabama tight end Wes Saxton, but his game is a lot of fun to watch.

Let me back up a minute and say his 2013 game was a lot of fun to watch. In 2014, schematic changes to the South Alabama offense were a cruel joke to Saxton, as the changes took him almost completely out of the game plan.

Saxton won’t wow anyone as an in-line blocker, but he is built like a big wide receiver (6'3", 248 lbs) and plays like one as well. With soft hands and excellent routes, Saxton is a definite weapon over the middle of the field. Again, this pick is less about 2015 and more about planning for the inevitable loss of tight end Heath Miller at some point.

Sixth Round/Seventh Round

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Pittsburgh has three picks in the final two rounds, and with the haul it has made thus far, it can cut loose a little here. Instead of focusing on positions, the Steelers can look at individual talent and take a chance on some overwhelming athleticism.

The Pick: Andrew Donnal, OT Iowa 

With their first sixth-round pick, the Steelers get one of the most underrated tackle prospects in the entire draft. Iowa’s Andrew Donnal was overshadowed by his teammate Brandon Scherff and also had his time cut short with injuries. Nevertheless, when he finally got his shot, he did an admirable job starting every game of the 2014 season at right tackle. 

Donnal is a technician at tackle with excellent coordination between his upper and lower body. He kicks out quickly and sets up with a solid base. What he needs to work on is improving his upper-body strength and his punch.

The Pick: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB Oregon 

As a fan, it is hard to see Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu this low in a mock draft. Unfortunately, with his knee injury and no news about a positive recovery, he is going to slide. If Ekpre-Olomu were on track for a speedy or even average recovery, social media would be abuzz with the news. Instead, his camp is mum, which likely means there’s nothing good to talk about.

However, there is very little risk in taking the former Duck this late. If he can get healthy again, Ekpre-Olomu has the potential to be a quality starting safety. He has a solid frame (5'9", 192 lbs), exceptional ball skills and a hard-nosed attitude against the run. Take a shot here on a college star and hope it pays off, I say.

The Pick: Chris Bonner, QB Colorado State

As the draft wraps up for the Steelers, they finish things off with a quarterback. As a quarterback, Landry Jones offers very little in terms of potential. If the Steelers could snatch up Colorado State quarterback Chris Bonner, it could make cutting the cord on Jones a bit easier.

Bonner is a huge (6'7", 225 lbs), tough kid with a strong arm. He comes from a pro-style offense and can make all the throws. Unfortunately, his footwork is questionable, and he’s never really been pushed by the competition. If the Steelers opt to cutting bait with Jones, Bonner is a great replacement.

All player data courtesy of the NFL draft section of NFL.com.