Earlier this week I asked the TFTB’s Draft Team (name coming soon, I’m thinking something that strikes fear into the hearts of our parents and friends that we still blog for fun) to do a full NFL Mock Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers using one of my personal favorite mock draft tools, http://www.fanspeak.com!
Just for a little background info on Fan Speak, we all chose the same exact settings. The website brings together a list of Big Boards, from Matt Miller on B/R to the site’s experts themselves. Then you can choose the draft difficulty, the Team Needs and so on.
It really all started with Greg Malek sending me and Dre his “First Official” steelers mock. Malek, traditionally only an on air talent here at TFTB, comes alive during Mock SZN. Hopefully, we can bring you the Mock Draft content we wanted to produce last year leading up to the NFL Draft in April!
Below are the guy’s selections from what was available through the simulation. Yes, I get it random person reading this…I also would take Joe Burrow in the second round, but sadly he was unavailable. The nicest thing about this platform is that it lets us have some variations. For example, if D’Andre Swift was available in my mock, I probably would have selected him making this different than your traditional Steelers Mocks.
I want to do a high-level analysis of each person’s mock, but just know I have 0 clue who was available for each of these selections or the mindset of each blogger as they drafted.
One thing that Malek and I differ on is BPA V Need, or the argument or either taking the best player available versus taking something that the team drastically needs. I lay more on the side that a team should fill holes in the draft, while Malek believes that you can’t teach certain degrees of talent, so filling your roster with amazing guys is official crucial. In both of our opinions, there is obviously a healthy dose of both concepts on draft night, we just disagree at what point which means more to the team.
Deke
Honestly, my mindset here was what would make the Steelers instantly better by filling our holes. I love Cole Kmet, but I don’t see him actually falling to us in the second round. Other notable selections were Xavier Mckinney and J.K. Dobbins, Mckinney being the selection that haunts me at night here. But alas, Kmet fills an instant need for the Steelers and should be the top TE taken on draft night. Down the list, I did take Jalen Hurts in the third who most likely (again) won’t be there on draft night. I would LOVE Hurts to be our Qb of the future, so we’ll just have to wait and see. Claypool is a big body receiver, something our team is drastically missing since the stupid stupid face Moncrief didn’t pan out. The last three guys were big needs as well, Phillips has a shot at filling in our LB hole next to Bush AND Mckivitz and Hanson are both big boys that need time to develop. All in all, I’d be very happy with this draft.
Pick 49 – R2P17 – Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
Pick 102 – R3P38 – Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
Pick 121 – R4P18 – Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
Pick 132 – R4P29 – Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU
Pick 198 – R6P19 – Colton Mckivitz, OT, WVU
Pick 232 – R7P18 – Jake Hanson, C, Oregon
Brooksy
The one place I seemed to have messed up is not taking Thaddeus Moss somewhere in my mock. I’m extremely jealous that Swift fell to Brooksy here because that guy is just going to be superb in the NFL and would be a great star in our offense. Moss has a ton of growing to do, but proved in the Natty that he can play under the big lights. Brooksy rounds out his first mock with a few holes in the Steelers team, including Kvon Wallace, an intelligent safety who would replace Edmunds beside Minkah.
Pick 49 – R2P17 – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Pick 102 – R3P38 – Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Pick 121 – R4P18 – Leki Fotu, DL, Utah
Pick 132 – R4P29 – Kvon Wallace, S, Clemson
Pick 198 – R6P19 – Colton Mckivitz, OT, WVU
Pick 232 – R7P18 – D.J. Wonnum, Edge, South Carolina
Dre
If I was being completely honest here, I thought Dre would have taken Moss with the first selection. Moss has quickly (and loudly) become Dre’s new Sutton, a call back to the early days of TFTB draft coverage. Tackling (see what I did there) the OT position is smart if the right guys are there for the Steelers, and Davon Hamilton is a popular name for the Steelers to take later on in the draft. Well done Dre!
Pick 49 – R2P17 – Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia
Pick 102 – R3P38 – Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Pick 121 – R4P18 – Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Pick 132 – R4P29 – Trystan Colon-Castillo, C, Missouri
Pick 198 – R6P19 – Davon Hamilton, DL, Ohio State
Pick 232 – R7P18 – Tipa Galeai, Edge, Utah State
Malek
OOOOOOOOOOOOO greg. Greg Greg Greg. The first text that came after the image of his mock was one of remorse, basically saying that had he known was he could get in the 4th round he wouldn’t have taken Kmet in the second. Although personally, the Steelers should take both of these guys if presented with this situation.
Pick 49 – R2P17 – Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
Pick 102 – R3P38 – Van Jefferson, WR, Florida
Pick 121 – R4P18 – Brandon Jones, S, Texas
Pick 132 – R4P29 – Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Pick 198 – R6P19 – Tavien Feaster, RB, South Carolina
Pick 232 – R7P18 – Jack Driscoll, OT, Auburn
RankKing
Austin comes in with arguably the most intriguing draft, starting with his TE selection. Again, I’m a BIG fill a need guy, but Trautman might need more time than the Steelers have to be ready for success. One pick I do love is Anthony Gordon, the QB from Leach’s old school. Gordon is a baller and with the right situation could be a nice 10-15 ranked Qb down the road. Andernee Jennings is also a quality edge rusher, a need the Steeler may have coming their way with Bud Dupree.
Pick 49 – R2P17 – Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
Pick 102 – R3P38 – Andernee Jennings, Edge, Alabama
Pick 121 – R4P18 – Anthony Gordon, QB, Washington State
Pick 132 – R4P29 – Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
Pick 198 – R6P19 – Patrick Nelson, S, SMU
Pick 232 – R7P18 – Victor Johnson, OT, Appalachian State
thoughtsfromthebench.com 