7 potential draft fits for the Steelers at pick 20
The NFL Draft is nearly two weeks away and speculation continues to run rampant about the Pittsburgh Steelers potential plans.
Mock drafts everywhere have them heavily linked to a quarterback. However, the guesses range all over as to where some of the draft’s higher profile passers may land.
By the time the 2022 NFL Draft rolls around, its likely that those names such as Pitt’s Kenny Pickett or Liberty’s Malik Willis are long gone off of the board to another team.
The same could be said for some other players, which leads to the question: Who is a realistic, potential fit for the Steelers with the 20th overall selection?
I take a look at answering this question by viewing a prospect from positions the Steelers could target in the first round, and with the prospects who should still be on the board when it’s their turn to choose.
QB: Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
The Steelers aren’t the only team with an apparent need at the quarterback, and as is always the case, those teams which have a hole at the position are generally picking higher because they had a poor season – due to said lack of a QB.
In almost every draft to date there’s a surprise team which pulls the trigger on a player somewhere on the board, generally early on too. I’m not sure that anyone saw the Kansas City Chiefs jumping for Patrick Mahomes several years ago, and I’m almost certain that the teams with needs, or another dark horse candidate, jumps in and takes Pickett or Willis.
Both should be gone by the time the Steelers are on the clock, which leaves one more quarterback they’ve been heavily linked to lately: Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder.
Pittsburgh has been flirting with quarterbacks all offseason, particularly Willis, but with him and their next-door neighbor Pickett both off of the board, Ridder could be their pick.
Mike Tomlin has said he is fond of mobility, but Ridder is more of a pocket passer who can escape pressure as needed, than a dual-threat. He’s also a four-year starter in college, who recently took the smaller UC to the College Football Playoff: which is no small feat.
He set career school records with 87 passing touchdowns and 12,418 all-purpose yards. His 28 interceptions show his decision-making to be on point, finishing his 50 college starts with a 145.8 QB rating.
Those traits have Ridder climbing the board. Many will believe he could be a second-round pick, but there’s little chance he’d still be available later in the second round when the Steelers select again.
S: Daxton Hill (Michigan)
The Steelers have yet to re-sign four-year starting strong safety Terrell Edmunds or an obvious replacement (such as Tyrann Mathieu) leaving the position wide-open for a swerve away from taking a quarterback.
Pittsburgh has been most-linked with Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton: but who hasn’t?
Hamilton has met with at least five teams with the top ten picks and it would be an absolute “draft day fall” for him to land with the Steelers at pick 20 overall.
That’s what leads me to the next top name at the position in this year’s draft, Michigan’s Daxton Hill.
While there could be another name or two in the mix at safety, Hill appears to be the most versatile: and that’s something the Steelers covet more than anything.
The six-footer can arguably lineup anywhere in the defensive backfield, something the Steelers were already doing with Terrell Edmunds more often in 2021, and have utilized Cameron Sutton for over the last two seasons. Hill could pop into a nickel corner role, lineup as a dimebacker, or simply play man coverage – something else the Steelers have coveted as of late.
If Hill is here at 20 and some of these other names are not, this could very well be Pittsburgh’s first round pick on draft day.
C: Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa)
Pick twenty is likely the sweet spot in any draft for an elite center to be chosen. Linderbaum headlines this year’s class of centers and was my first “love” with needs for the Steelers prior to free agency.
A few other teams dotted around the first round have the same need and could be eyeing the Iowa product too. The Steelers might have similar interest if they’re not entirely sold on experimenting with Kendrick Green as their starter again in 2022.
Yes, they brought in both Mason Cole and James Daniels in free agency as well, but both (especially Daniels) project to strictly playing guard. (With Cole possibly being a backup at either guard or center.)
The front office fielded questions about moving Green to the interior of the offensive line and didn’t hesitate to mention that’s a possibility.
Perhaps all of Pittsburgh’s attention to quarterbacks is to make sure they do their homework, but also realize their “guy” isn’t in this year’s draft: using it as a smokescreen to land an elite, ten-plus-year starter in the middle of an offensive line which desperately lacked talent last season.
DT: Jordan Davis (Georgia) & Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
I struggled with where to place Wyatt’s teammate, Jordan Davis, who could land in the top ten but also fall somewhere within the top twenty picks as well.
Everyone saw what the Steelers defense looked like without Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt last season. While Chris Wormley adequately filled in for Tuitt, the nose tackle position in Pittsburgh’s base 3-4 defense struggled to find a fixture for most of the year, finally settling on Montravius Adams – who was added from the Saints practice squad in November – as their starter.
That speaks volumes to a team need, especially with Alualu approaching his 35th birthday and Tuitt’s future uncertain. Cameron Heyward, who is playing his best football and ages like fine wine, also turns 33 next month.
The Steelers could use some fresh legs and depth along the defensive line, and both of these Georgia Bulldogs would fit the bill.
It’s more likely that Davis is the first off of the board – and at 6-6 340 lbs., I’m not sure he offers the Steelers more than a defensive tackle role as opposed to his running mate, Wyatt, who is 6-3 307 lbs., which is more inline with Alualu (6-3, 303), Wormley (6-5, 300) and Adams (6-4, 303).
That’s important because a nose tackle-specific player is likely to only see 20-30% of the defensive snaps in Pittsburgh’s recent schemes, whereas a versatile player such as those mentioned flirt with playing anywhere from a 1-technique over the ball to a 3 technique, lining up over the B gap taking on a guard and/or tackle.
Wyatt’s size better projects him to the versatility the Steelers love, but Davis not only had a standout NFL Combine, but was also one of the Steelers dinner visits: a usual sure sign they have their sights set on a player.
Regardless, fans shouldn’t be surprised if either of these two players winds up on the Steelers roster come draft day.
CB: Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU)
The Steelers sent all of the brass to LSU’s Pro Day, perhaps to get a strong look a Stingley.
The team has also dined with Houston’s Marcus Jones, but Stingley is usually graded as one of the top five cornerbacks in this year’s draft – and like most picks in this article, could be gone before the Steelers have the chance to get him.
However, if things don’t work out with some other plans, perhaps the Steelers take a stab at Stingley.
Currently, Cameron Sutton is on the last year of his two-year deal signed in 2021. Both Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon, who signed in free agency to compete for the open spot vacated by Joe Haden, are on two-year contracts also.
Pittsburgh could look ahead and snag a talented 6-1 DB, but someone who has only played in ten games over the last two season: meaning he shouldn’t be counted on to start right away, which could be a good or bad thing in terms of a boom-or-bust pick.
WR: Chris Olave (Ohio State)
The Steelers didn’t send anyone to Ohio State’s pro day, which apparently has a lot of the draft experts cooling on their interest in either of the Buckeyes’ talented receivers, Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave.
What most fail to overlook is that the Steelers have a love affair with draft players from The Ohio State University, and most certainly have everything they need to know about both players to make a decision on whether to draft them.
Wilson should be long-gone before pick 20, but Olave could be there when the Steelers go on the clock, making for an interesting decision.
With three receivers leaving in free agency (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ray-Ray McCloud, and James Washington) the team will definitely address the position in this year’s draft. It’s just a matter of when.
Staring down the barrel of an Olave pick, he also offers the versatility to play inside or outside, much like JuJu did. He has the ability to break away with his speed and could fill a large hole left in the slot while being groomed behind Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and even veteran Anthony Miller for the time being.
This would allow for the chess piece to be moved around the board and not having to be counted on to start day one, something that Mike Tomlin has been reluctant on with his rookie wideouts.
While some may see the first round as too rich for the Steelers to pick a receiver, they could roll into 2022 with Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph. What better way to support those passers – and perhaps a rookie quarterback taken in 2023 – than to surround them with talent?
