Ryan Lippert’s Final 2018 Steelers 7-Round Mock Draft
Football fans, the wait is finally over. Draft week is officially here! With all of the buzz surrounding draft week, we are starting to get a clearer picture of where prospects might land. The Steelers had a great 2017 season but there are still some improvements that can be made. With that being said, here are some picks that I think the Steelers should make to push them in the right direction.
First Round: Rashaan Evans – LB, Alabama
I’ve decided to stick with my previous first round selection for my final mock draft. Although the Steelers just signed Jon Bostic, inside linebacker still makes the most sense with this selection.
Evans would provide the Steelers with the best player possible to fill in for the absence of Ryan Shazier. In his senior season for the Crimson Tide, Evans finished with 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and six sacks.
I strongly believe that Evans can come in and eventually start as a rookie alongside Vince Williams and be a solid weapon in this Steelers defense.
Previous Selection(s): Ronnie Harrison – S, Alabama
Second Round: James Washington – WR, Oklahoma State
I’ve decided to stick with my pick for the second round in my mock draft as well. Even though the Steelers have an outstanding passing attack, I still look for them to add another weapon within the first three rounds. Washington is a name that I keep hearing mentioned with the Steelers and I think he would be a tremendous fit in this offense. In his final season with the Cowboys, Washington finished with 74 receptions for 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns. If Washington falls to the Steelers, I believe that this would be a huge steal! Washington could come in and easily be the fourth receiver on the depth chart as a rookie and possibly compete with Bryant for the third spot if he plays well enough.
Previous Selection(s): Leighton Vander Esch – LB, Boise State
Third Round: Marcus Allen – S, Penn State
With their third round selection, I have the Steelers adding some help in the secondary. I believe that with the signing of Morgan Burnett, the Steelers have their two starting safeties in Burnett and Sean Davis. However, they still need to add some depth. Allen is a local product at Penn State who the Steelers have been keeping a close eye on.
As a senior, Allen finished with 71 tackles, one sack, and one interception. Although he won’t start right away, Allen gives the Steelers a rotational player and someone who can find a role on special teams. Allen is a player who can be developed into a huge asset for this defense for many years to come.
Previous Selection(s): Duke Dawson – CB, Florida; Dante Pettis – WR, Washington
Fifth Round: Poona Ford – DT, Texas
In the fifth round, I have the Steelers getting some much-needed help on the defensive interior. Javon Hargrave has been a force for the Steelers but he needs some help. Ford may be short for an interior lineman at 5’11” but he makes up for it with his power.
In his final season with the Longhorns, Ford finished with 31 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass deflection. Ford will be a project player for any team in the league due to his lack of physical traits. However, if put into the right system he can be a solid rotational player and possibly a potential starter.
Previous Selection(s): B.J. Hill – DT, NC State; Troy Fumagalli – TE, Wisconsin
Fifth Third: Tony Brown – CB, Alabama
With their second fifth round selection, the Steelers gain some more help in the secondary. Although they have three solid corners in Artie Burns, Joe Haden, and Mike Hilton, they could still always use some depth. Brown would be a solid mid-round selection to add to this secondary.
In his senior season at Alabama, Brown finished with 29 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception. Although those numbers may not jump out, Brown played a key role on an Alabama defense that won the national championship and has plenty of room to grow.
Brown can be a solid rotational player on this defense and find a role on special teams. If he continues to improve, Brown could see himself earning significant playing time on this Steelers defense.
Previous Selection(s): Quin Blanding – FS, Virginia; Rashaan Gaulden – CB, Tennessee
Seventh Round: Kentavius Street – DE, NC State
In the seventh round of my final mock draft, I have the Steelers adding some more depth on the defensive side of the ball. I think it is obvious to all Steelers fans that the Steelers have two solid defensive ends in Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt.
However, depth is never a bad thing as I have already mentioned. As a senior at NC State, Street finished with 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. In college, Street kind of took the backseat to potential top-5 pick, Bradley Chubb.
Getting a shot to be on an NFL roster could be Street’s chance to truly show his true potential. I can see Street coming in and being an eventual rotational player on this defensive line.
Previous Selection(s): Trevon Young – Edge, Louisville; Lowell Lotulelei – DT, Utah
Seventh Round: Jordan Mailata – OT, Sydney (Australia)
The final pick of this mock draft was an interesting one for me. With all of the positional needs that I see for the Steelers taken care of, I decided to go with a project player for them.
As a former rugby player out of Australia, Mailata has never played a down of American football. However, his 6’8″ frame at 346 pounds has caught the attention of several NFL scouts.
Mailata possesses a ton of athleticism for someone his size and could be a solid offensive tackle if given the right coaching. Obviously, Mailata would be a practice player at first but could eventually become a backup option for this offensive line if he can develop.
Previous Selection(s): Jordan Akins – TE, UCF; Skai Moore – OLB, South Carolina
Conclusion
Well there you have it, there’s my final mock draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I strongly believe that any of these players in my three mock drafts can help the Steelers if selected.
However, the front office may see something different.
Now it’s time to just sit back and let the people who get paid the big bucks make their decisions and hope that it leads to a Super Bowl victory in 2019!
