Mock Mock Mock!

[Superman]

truly an uninspirational draft...

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2023-nfl-mock-draft-c-j-stroud-anthony-richardson-jalen-carter-find-new-homes-in-round-1/

17) Pittsburgh Steelers: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee​

32) Pittsburgh Steelers: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson​

49) Pittsburgh Steelers: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami (FL)​

80) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State​

120) Pittsburgh Steelers DJ Johnson, EDGE, Oregon
234) Pittsburgh Steelers Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky
241) Pittsburgh Steelers Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina

 

[Superman]

my mock:

17. Brian Branch, DB, Alabama - just feel like we'd regret not taking this dude in a few years.
32. Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson - Appears to be a Shazier clone, and that aint a bad thing at all
49. Mazi Smith, DT, Meatchicken - BPA and an area of need
80. Jaelyn Duncan, LT, Maryland - again, BPA and area of need
120. Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin - we like to have brothers on the team
234. Justin Shorter, WR, Florida - a 6'4" 230lb WR this late, with 4.5 speed? yeah
241. Cameron Mitchell, CB, Norhtwestern

 

[CoolieMan]

Nathaniel "Tank" Dell at #80

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Some of their 1st round picks are surprising to me, Campbell, JMS, Tippman.
After the first 10 this draft could be a WTF moment, and hoping it's in a good way for our team.

 

[madinsomniac]

Lots of trading produced this one. All the good early ots were gone before 17, and the two I’d consider at 32 were gone there, so I addressed it with freeland at 120…

At at least four picks, the guy i most wanted was taken right before I picked. In all but one of these cases I opted to trade down … near the end of the draft I had a lot of seventh rounders so i traded up in the sixth and moved some low picks for ones next year

I didn’t get any of the nt/DTs I preferred but I did gamble on two lower round dts
17 Brian Branch S | Alabama
B+
38 Trenton Simpson LB | Clemson
B+
54 John Michael Schmitz IOL | Minnesota
A
80 D.J. Turner CB | Michigan
A+
109 Marvin Mims WR | Oklahoma
A
120 Blake Freeland OT | BYU
A+
133 Jaquelin Roy DL | LSU
A+
156 Luke Schoonmaker TE | Michigan
A+
161 Habakkuk Baldonado EDGE | Pittsburgh
A
203 Jalen Redmond DL | Oklahoma
B+
210 Stetson Bennett IV QB | Georgia
A+

 

[FordFairLane]

Brian Branch DB Alabama
Branch can play CB, S, Nickel and ILB. He's a swiss army knife who would go perfectly with Fitz.

#32- Trenton Simpson LB Clemson
Super freak athlete. Won't have to start right away and we can develop him and Robinson to perhaps take over in a couple of years.

49- Blake Freeland OT BYU
Physically gifted OT who has only given up one sack in college. If I didn't know I could get Lonnie Phelps later I would take BJ Ojulari.

80- Moro Ojomo DL Texas
Versatile DL who can play the NT or DE in the 34.

120- Tank Dell WR Houston
Should become the return man instantly and will fight it out with Austin for the slot position.

234- Lonnie Phelps Edge Kansas
Undersized Edge rusher who has shown production in the MAC and Big 12.

241- Ji'Ayir Brown S PSU
Not the athlete Brisker was but just as good if not better playmaker having 8tfl, 4.5 sacks, and 10 picks over the last two seasons.

 

[Djfan]

I would have thought you all were looking to fill trenches more than this.

 

[maowv]

A bit of a homer statement here but there is a sleeper mid-round guy that the Steelers should take earlier than expected.

WVU wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton. His measurables at the combine are great: 6-4, 225, ran a 4.38 and 7th fastest shuttle drill time. Having watched him the past few seasons, his hands are not above average, they are exceptional. The guy caught anything within arm's reach. 100+ catches, 1250 yards and 10 TD with a below-average QB and offense.

He is a freak athelte, has small receiver skills in a big receiver body. And he blocks. Has a bit of that Hines Ward mentality in the run game.

I really want to see him in Black and Gold.

 

[Superman]

I would have thought you all were looking to fill trenches more than this.

yeah, i agree.
though with our FA signings, I don't see us taking any interior OL at all. Which leaves us to just take a tackle. Ideally, we take Broderick Jones, but in my mock, I couldnt pass on Branch since Jones was already gone.

 

[FordFairLane]

A bit of a homer statement here but there is a sleeper mid-round guy that the Steelers should take earlier than expected.

WVU wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton. His measurables at the combine are great: 6-4, 225, ran a 4.38 and 7th fastest shuttle drill time. Having watched him the past few seasons, his hands are not above average, they are exceptional. The guy caught anything within arm's reach. 100+ catches, 1250 yards and 10 TD with a below-average QB and offense.

He is a freak athelte, has small receiver skills in a big receiver body. And he blocks. Has a bit of that Hines Ward mentality in the run game.

I really want to see him in Black and Gold.

Definitely a freaky athlete. He's a bit of an enigma. He reminds me a little of Pickens where he doesn't try to get open enough. If Pickens would run crisp routes he'd of easily been a thousand yard guy. But it's hard to throw to a guy who has the CB right on his hip. With Wheaton I don't understand a guy that fast not running away from DB's. I would love to get him into camp. There's a wide margin on where he will go. I think 3rd or 4th round.

 

[SteelerFan448]

1.17 Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
-With Sutton and Edmunds gone, they are missing a versatile piece in the secondary.

2.32 Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
-Trying to find an electric playmaker for the slot. The Steelers have nothing at receiver behind Johnson and Pickens.

2.49 Mazi Smith, IDL, Michigan
-Massive presence up front to help keep the new ILBs clean.

3.80 Clark Phillips, CB, Utah
-Undersized, but still had 6 interceptions last year. The Steelers lack quality nickel corners right now and they did quite well with Mike Hilton.

4.120 Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan
-Good upside as a receiver and blocker. Legit No. 2 TE candidate in the fourth.

7.234 Lonnie Phelps, EDGE, Kansas
-Very productive in the backfield over the past two seasons.

7.241 Ji'Ayir Brown, S, Penn State
-The Steelers can still get to the QB and I feel Dupree will end up here. Just trying to build depth on the secondary as they move on from Sutton, Edmunds, and hopefully Allen.

 

[slashsteel]

1Brian Branch S
2A Kelee Ringo CB
2B Mazi Smith DT
3 Jaelyn Duncan T
4 Nick Herbig LB
7A Keondre Coburn DT
7B Stetson Bennett QB

 

[bermudasteel]

my mock:

17. Brian Branch, DB, Alabama - just feel like we'd regret not taking this dude in a few years.
32. Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson - Appears to be a Shazier clone, and that aint a bad thing at all
49. Mazi Smith, DT, Meatchicken - BPA and an area of need
80. Jaelyn Duncan, LT, Maryland - again, BPA and area of need
120. Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin - we like to have brothers on the team
234. Justin Shorter, WR, Florida - a 6'4" 230lb WR this late, with 4.5 speed? yeah
241. Cameron Mitchell, CB, Norhtwestern

I cosign this...

 

[Buster]

Is Jaelyn Duncan a starter or a project? I’ve heard both. Some have him going at the end of the 1st, some have him in the 3rd round.

 

[slashsteel]

Is Jaelyn Duncan a starter or a project? I’ve heard both. Some have him going at the end of the 1st, some have him in the 3rd round.

I look at him as rough around the edges.

Developmental boom or bust type. I think 3 is a good spot for him...

 

[Stryker]

17. Brian Branch, DB, Alabama - He's been the guy I've been pimping and I'd love to snag him here.
32. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia - We need a corner and he's a 1st round option in the 2nd.
49. Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas - Thought hard about TE Tucker Kraft here, but went with the need at ILB over the luxury at TE.
80. Jaelyn Duncan, LT, Maryland - We need a LT, last chance at a good one.
120. Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State - What's not to like about Penn State TEs?
234. Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky - We need a NT and he has all the measurables.
241. Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue, - I can get him with my last pick? Product, same size and measurables as our starting QB, I go with him!

 

[ianv2012]

A bit of a homer statement here but there is a sleeper mid-round guy that the Steelers should take earlier than expected.

WVU wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton. His measurables at the combine are great: 6-4, 225, ran a 4.38 and 7th fastest shuttle drill time. Having watched him the past few seasons, his hands are not above average, they are exceptional. The guy caught anything within arm's reach. 100+ catches, 1250 yards and 10 TD with a below-average QB and offense.

He is a freak athelte, has small receiver skills in a big receiver body. And he blocks. Has a bit of that Hines Ward mentality in the run game.

I really want to see him in Black and Gold.

Alot of easy drops on tape concern me

 

[Litos]

1.17 Skoronski OT and everywhere else on the Oline, including C
2.32 Cam Smith CB, can start right away at Nickel and develop as an outside corner too. Good size and great combine
2.49 Drew Sanders LB. Can be the 3rd OLB while he gets accustomed to the starter ILB position
3.80 JL Skinner SS, will be able to cover TEs and defend the run too
4.120 Boutte WR if healthy, or... Tank Dell WR and returner
7a. Coburn NT
7b. I'll let you choose

 

[slashsteel]

1.17 Skoronski OT and everywhere else on the Oline, including C
2.32 Cam Smith CB, can start right away at Nickel and develop as an outside corner too. Good size and great combine
2.49 Drew Sanders LB. Can be the 3rd OLB while he gets accustomed to the starter ILB position
3.80 JL Skinner SS, will be able to cover TEs and defend the run too
4.120 Boutte WR if healthy, or... Tank Dell WR and returner
7a. Coburn NT
7b. I'll let you choose

I like Skor I just think he is a probable G and that room is full.

 

[Badcat]

I like Skor I just think he is a probable G and that room is full.

100% agree.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

17. Brian Branch, S, Alabama - he can do it all.
32. Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma - fixture at LT for the next decade
49. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia - paired with Muth
80. Julius Brents, CB, Kansas - best corner left on the board.
120. Bobby Boucher, LB, SCLSU - this guy is a beast on film.
234. Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green - Help in the middle.
241. Robert Beal, Edge, Georgia - depth.

 

[madinsomniac]

A bit of a homer statement here but there is a sleeper mid-round guy that the Steelers should take earlier than expected.

WVU wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton. His measurables at the combine are great: 6-4, 225, ran a 4.38 and 7th fastest shuttle drill time. Having watched him the past few seasons, his hands are not above average, they are exceptional. The guy caught anything within arm's reach. 100+ catches, 1250 yards and 10 TD with a below-average QB and offense.

He is a freak athelte, has small receiver skills in a big receiver body. And he blocks. Has a bit of that Hines Ward mentality in the run game.

I really want to see him in Black and Gold.

He is absolutely a target in the lower rounds and they have shown interest in him… but they probably need to get a fifth round pick to get him for sure… he may even go higher… but he probably won’t be there in the seventh like people thought when all these grades first came out… and we don’t have fifth or six round picks

 

[SteveA]

17. Brian Branch S Alabama
32. Darnell Wright OT Tennesee
49. Jalin Hyatt WR Tennesee
80. Luke Weipler C Ohio State
120. Darius Rush CB South Carolina
234. Travis Dye RB USC
241. Jaheel Billingsly TE Texas

​

 

[FordFairLane]

Is Jaelyn Duncan a starter or a project? I’ve heard both. Some have him going at the end of the 1st, some have him in the 3rd round.

He has given up 19 sacks, 7 last year alone, and had 17 QB hurries last year alone. I just don't see any way he makes it as an NFL tackle unless you are trying to cripple your QB. I personally think he could be a decent center as his strengths are his athleticism and run blocking. He is very aggressive and good coming down hill. But backing up and he just gets off balance and takes himself out of the play. I think you put him at guard or center you might have a good pulling linemen that can get infront of your back and blast holes for him. He likely would still be a little bit of a liability as a pass protector but I think he could do better in a box rather than trying to be out there at LT with that space. I have him as a 7th round pick. Too much risk with his lack of production and likely need for a position change.

 

[CoolieMan]

If the right guy is not there this year

skip OT and try for Patrick Paul in next years draft

I think you all know who he plays for