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Well, it’s official. The 2022 NFL Draft season is over, Steeler Nation. The Pittsburgh Steelers got an exciting group of guys that we will continue to follow throughout the summer and training camp as they prepare for their rookie season.
With that being said, it is never too early to look ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft! Looking ahead this early is always a bit of a crap shoot, as it isn’t clear what players will return to school or how they will perform this upcoming season.
However, there are still definitely benefits to looking ahead, as you can potentially see what position groups will be looking like and where your team could have needs.
Now, let’s get this one started.
Drafting a cornerback this high will get some eye-rolls out of some people in Steeler Nation, but there is no denying the Steelers could very well be pretty heavy in the market for one next off-season. They have three decent corners currently in Cam Sutton, Levi Wallace, and Ahkello Witherspoon. However, Sutton is a free agent in 2023 and the other two in 2024, with both Wallace and Witherspoon being able to be moved on from with little dead cap in 2023 if desired. Joey Porter Jr. is a long corner with good speed and ball skills that has a Steelers mentality in his demeanor on the field. Oh, did I mention he is also the son of former Steelers OLB Joey Porter? Not sure if the name gave it away or not.
Joey Porter Jr., CB from Penn State. Credit: USA Today Sports
The Steelers have their starting safety in Terrell Edmunds for 2022, but he was only signed to a one-year contract. It appears they still feel they need a long-term answer at that position, so enter Tykee Smith. Smith is a very physical player that can get a head of steam and make plays anywhere on the field. He also possesses good ball skills when the ball is in the air. Smith profiles as a versatile strong safety that can lineup in the box, in the slot, or cover a deep half. While Smith is a very talented player that could fit what the Steelers are looking for, he is on the smaller side standing on 5’10” tall and weighing just under 200lbs.
People all across Steeler Nation wanted the team to select a running back in the 2022 NFL Draft to take some of the load off Najee Harris. That didn’t happen. They will eventually need to add to this position, and I have them doing it hear selecting Sean Tucker. Tucker is a solidly built back standing in at 5’10” tall and 210lbs, but also possesses good speed and a well rounded skillset. In high school, he won the Maryland State Championship in the 55m dash, showing he has good speed for his size. He has basically carried the Syracuse offense the last season and a half, and would provide Harris with some needed help in the Steelers’ backfield.
Syracuse RB Sean Tucker runs away from Boston College defense. Credit: Syracuse.com
Logan Brown is the hardest player to gauge where he will land, as he has yet to start a game in college. He is a former 5-star tackle that spent his first three seasons at Wisconsin as a backup. He missed his freshman year with injuries, had his second season start without much of an off-season due to COVID-19, and sat behind a 5th-year senior in 2021. Brown has the talent, as shown by his 5-star billing, and is in line to get a starting tackle spot this season. The Steelers will need at minimum a swing tackle in 2023, so this is a good spot to grab a player with upside but might need some time to ramp up.
Yes, the Steelers select yet another wide receiver after selecting two in the 2022 NFL Draft. They are going to need to continuously fill out this position group as a lot of their non-starting depth is on expiring contracts, so input Julian Fleming, a forgotten about OSU wide receiver. Fleming is a former top-5 overall player coming out of high school, but has been stuck behind a long list of first round wide receivers. He has good size and athletic ability, and in 2022, we should finally see how he has developed.
Getting depth at OLB is something the Steelers are always looking to do, and hopefully they can find someone like Ali Gaye in the 2023 NFL Draft. Gaye was a rotational edge rusher in 2021 at LSU and shows flashes of greatness. Everything he does on the field up to this point has been due to his plus athleticism, so seeing how he develops in 2022 will really determine if he leaves for the draft or returns to school. He is a big, long, explosive athlete with a very intriguing skillset, but needs to get stronger and more refined technically before he is a viable option in the NFL.
Well there you have it. The first 2023 Steelers Mock Draft from Steeler Nation. Let us know below what you think of this mock draft and what positions you think the Steelers could target in 2023!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
With that being said, it is never too early to look ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft! Looking ahead this early is always a bit of a crap shoot, as it isn’t clear what players will return to school or how they will perform this upcoming season.
However, there are still definitely benefits to looking ahead, as you can potentially see what position groups will be looking like and where your team could have needs.
Now, let’s get this one started.
Round 1: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Drafting a cornerback this high will get some eye-rolls out of some people in Steeler Nation, but there is no denying the Steelers could very well be pretty heavy in the market for one next off-season. They have three decent corners currently in Cam Sutton, Levi Wallace, and Ahkello Witherspoon. However, Sutton is a free agent in 2023 and the other two in 2024, with both Wallace and Witherspoon being able to be moved on from with little dead cap in 2023 if desired. Joey Porter Jr. is a long corner with good speed and ball skills that has a Steelers mentality in his demeanor on the field. Oh, did I mention he is also the son of former Steelers OLB Joey Porter? Not sure if the name gave it away or not.
Joey Porter Jr., CB from Penn State. Credit: USA Today Sports
Round 2: Tykee Smith, S, Georgia
The Steelers have their starting safety in Terrell Edmunds for 2022, but he was only signed to a one-year contract. It appears they still feel they need a long-term answer at that position, so enter Tykee Smith. Smith is a very physical player that can get a head of steam and make plays anywhere on the field. He also possesses good ball skills when the ball is in the air. Smith profiles as a versatile strong safety that can lineup in the box, in the slot, or cover a deep half. While Smith is a very talented player that could fit what the Steelers are looking for, he is on the smaller side standing on 5’10” tall and weighing just under 200lbs.
Round 3: Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse
People all across Steeler Nation wanted the team to select a running back in the 2022 NFL Draft to take some of the load off Najee Harris. That didn’t happen. They will eventually need to add to this position, and I have them doing it hear selecting Sean Tucker. Tucker is a solidly built back standing in at 5’10” tall and 210lbs, but also possesses good speed and a well rounded skillset. In high school, he won the Maryland State Championship in the 55m dash, showing he has good speed for his size. He has basically carried the Syracuse offense the last season and a half, and would provide Harris with some needed help in the Steelers’ backfield.
Syracuse RB Sean Tucker runs away from Boston College defense. Credit: Syracuse.com
Round 4: Logan Brown, OT, Wisconsin
Logan Brown is the hardest player to gauge where he will land, as he has yet to start a game in college. He is a former 5-star tackle that spent his first three seasons at Wisconsin as a backup. He missed his freshman year with injuries, had his second season start without much of an off-season due to COVID-19, and sat behind a 5th-year senior in 2021. Brown has the talent, as shown by his 5-star billing, and is in line to get a starting tackle spot this season. The Steelers will need at minimum a swing tackle in 2023, so this is a good spot to grab a player with upside but might need some time to ramp up.
Round 5: None, Steelers traded pick to Seattle Seahawks for CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Round 6: Julian Fleming, WR, Ohio State
Yes, the Steelers select yet another wide receiver after selecting two in the 2022 NFL Draft. They are going to need to continuously fill out this position group as a lot of their non-starting depth is on expiring contracts, so input Julian Fleming, a forgotten about OSU wide receiver. Fleming is a former top-5 overall player coming out of high school, but has been stuck behind a long list of first round wide receivers. He has good size and athletic ability, and in 2022, we should finally see how he has developed.
Round 7: Ali Gaye, EDGE, LSU
Getting depth at OLB is something the Steelers are always looking to do, and hopefully they can find someone like Ali Gaye in the 2023 NFL Draft. Gaye was a rotational edge rusher in 2021 at LSU and shows flashes of greatness. Everything he does on the field up to this point has been due to his plus athleticism, so seeing how he develops in 2022 will really determine if he leaves for the draft or returns to school. He is a big, long, explosive athlete with a very intriguing skillset, but needs to get stronger and more refined technically before he is a viable option in the NFL.
Well there you have it. The first 2023 Steelers Mock Draft from Steeler Nation. Let us know below what you think of this mock draft and what positions you think the Steelers could target in 2023!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
