Every CB is only under contract through 2024 or sooner
Deep CB draft class
DL
Alualu, Wormley, Heyward all 30+ years old
Defensive scheme needs deep rotation
Build from the trenches
First idea:
WR is not the biggest need, so this will upset some people despite getting an uber talented athlete that compliments Pickens’ playstyle on the outside. The rest of these picks are to beef up the trenches, and that will surely excite fans who haven’t seen a ton of investment on those positions recently.
Second Idea:
CB is one of the most volatile positions on any given team (especially PIT), so investing in two at the position seems reasonable given the shaky draft track record of PIT and CB’s. Torrence could fill in nicely at left guard almost immediately, and it seems that inside LB needs to be addressed as well.
Third Idea:
Draft the best overall player available, taking physical attributes, positional value and potential productivity into consideration.
Every single position on the Steelers offensive line could use an upgrade, so it would be wise to draft a lineman that has logged 35 college starts including every position other than center. Green has strong legs that allow him to move quickly and play with great strength, making him an asset on any run play.
This K. Green is a lot more promising than last years K. Green, and it wouldn’t take long for fans to see the impact he would have, benefitting N. Harris and making the job easier for whoever they have at QB.
Green has the athleticism and physical temperament to become an instant starter…
Last year’s poor run defense was a fault of many, however the inside linebackers rarely held up their end of the bargain. Clark plays with tremendous speed and instinct, racking up over 100 tackles and five sacks last season.
Additionally, he has the athleticism and tenacity to become a viable pass rusher, which could add a unique blend to his game, similar (but not to the magnitude) to M. Parsons for the Cowboys.
He uses his athletic traits to track and pursue ball-carriers and is a big reason why he ranks amongst the top in the nation in tackles for the 2021 football season.
As of now, it is unknown how the Steelers will address free agent CB’s J. Haden and A. Witherspoon. I think at least one of them will leave, so grabbing much needed depth at a valuable position would be the right choice.
Jones is good in man coverage and has traits like length and instinct that make him a candidate for special teams and special assignments like slot covering or playing different sides of the ball. Yes, last season he got work in at WR and he didn’t look too bad. He could also be used as a kickoff or punt returner pending what happens elsewhere at the position.
Jones has the hips and feet to cover slippery slot receivers and the ballhawking instincts to make plays from zone
Now I know the RB in Pittsburgh is among the leagues best young stars, however the usage rate Najee Harris received last year was too much for him to sustain a ten plus year career. To put the cherry on top, backup RB’s B. Snell and K. Ballage were nothing more than bad last season.
Haskins runs with a fierce demeanor and has exceled at many positions and roles on a football field. Steelers have been linked to Michigan players for quite some time now, and I think they take an extremely solid RB to spell Harris.
Tack on his receiving upside, ball security, and his blocking utility, as well as his special teams experience, and you’re looking at a safe Day 3 pick.
Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network – Draft Analyst
Similar to last draft, PHI will be wise to take yet another WR in the first round. London will be a great compliment to D. Smith, a more polished and quick route runner whereas London has tremendous positioning and hands to secure big time plays.
London also competed on the USC basketball during his time there, which has translated to the confidence and ability to make those big time plays. I have even noticed it seems like it’s helped his navigation in traffic and reading defenders. Whoever is the QB for the next few years will greatly appreciate having this guy to throw to in crunch time or panic situations.
Davis tested unlike anything we’ve ever seen before at his weight of 341 pounds. Adding him to the defense, for 15 plays a game or 45 plays a game, will immediately pay dividends.
He has incredible strength and burst to fill gaps and pursue ball carriers. There may be a lack of college production, but then again five or six of his defensive teammates will be taken in the first round of this years draft as well, so there were a lot of mouths to feed.
With the third and final pick in the first round, PHI should opt to further improve that defensive line group by adding another physical and strong defender, this time along the edge in Karlaftis.
While not as flashy as others in this class, Karlaftis provides a high upside at not only a position of need but also a premium position in this years draft class. Getting to the QB is getting more and more important, so taking two pocket collapsers and run lane fillers will lift the PHI defense into a formidable defensive unit.
If you ask around the league – you can never have too many interior offensive linemen. With the focus likely on the rushing attack and giving J. Hurts as much time as possible to read defenses, it makes sense to draft an aggressive and developmental prospect with tackle experience and a guard outlook.
I think working with the PHI offensive line group and playing within that style of offensive can allow Smith to stabilize a role for himself throughout his rookie year.
Beavers is an incredibly smart person, posting a 4.0 GPA in high school and has shown toughness and improvement throughout his college career. Sticking with the physical and aggressive theme throughout this draft; Beavers plays downhill well and absolutely loves the game of football and getting better at it. A pick that any team should be happy for, PHI grabs him to become a crucial part of a potential dynamic rookie defensive core.
Now that the NFL season has finished, each team has solidified their spot in the draft order and us fans can begin even more speculation. You can see my other mock drafts here, so as the draft process moves along you are able to see in real-time the changes of certain players and teams.
Keep in mind, these picks are what I think the teams should do, not what they will do.
At least in this draft we genuinely don’t know who might get drafted first overall. Neal is a freak athlete that former #1 overall pick, QB Trevor Lawrence, will be thankful for going forward.
He will be the local favorite, and Hutchinson should have immediate impact on an up and coming Lions roster. He matches the mold of what Detroit is trying to build.
This might not be the direction that Houston takes, however it’s the direction the NFL is taking; edge rushers are extremely valuable. Thibodeaux has shown glimpses of being able to develop into a cornerstone on defense.
Saleh just can’t pass up a generational prospect in the secondary. Hamilton could have a Minkah Fitzpatrick-like ability to take away parts of the field and limit big plays.
Pro-football Network’s Ian Cummings believes NYG need to spend at least one of their picks protecting Daniel Jones, so they grab a safe and versatile option on the offensive line in Ekwonu.
Sam Darnold has proven enough times that he is not worth starting for 17 games a season. Pickett is the safest QB and highly rated as the top QB in this class, as by draft analyst Ian Cummings.
The highest drafted center in quite some time, Linderbaum and Ekwonu will anchor the offensive line for a generation. It’ll be easier to build a dynamic offense with these two players.
There’s a lot of directions to go here, and some Falcons fans believe the ‘best player available’ is the best option. Burks might not fit that mold, but he’ll fit nicely into that offense to add some more stability.
Even if Willis sits for a year, DEN can’t afford to not address the position in the off season. Willis has the best physical traits and talent of the QB’s in this years draft.
New York Jets (via SEA): Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
They upgraded their secondary already this draft, so why not help out the first line of defense? Walker was a part of a historic college defense, so his college production might not tell the story. His athleticism and anticipation are off the charts for his size and position.
One of if not the most impressive player during the bowl season, Dean looks ready to be a defensive leader. Adding his instincts and traits to a defense with good pieces already (just not at LB) will make a positive difference.
With a good showing against Alabama in his playoff game, Sauce Gardner could see his draft stock rise as high as MIN, who could use a game-ready corner.
No doubt CLE needs a playmaker on the outside to replace what OBJ was supposed to be. Although they should primarily be a running team, getting a WR who can consistently get open and make contested catches might add another level to the offense.
This is about as far as Stingley would drop in this draft. BAL loves to have a good secondary, so adding the talent and potential of Stingley will make that easier without their def. coordinator.
The most exciting team in the draft this year starts their first round trio of picks with a much needed boost in the front seven. Karlaftis can wreak havoc on offensive tackles with his power and relentlessness.
Philadelphia Eagles (via IND):Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
Yet again, PHI boosts their front seven on defense, because it just makes too much sense. Lloyd is the perfect player to boost a front seven – he’s good at tackling and plays downhill on the ball more often than not.
LAC cannot afford to pass up an upgrade to their horrific run defense. Davis will be an excellent wall for the defense and probably rotated in throughout the game situationally.
With the current WR core of NO, there is no way they can pass up the skillset of Williams at this spot. If Winston comes back (which he should) he gets an explosive WR to air it out with.
With an offensive line as bad as PIT, taking the most versatile linemen in the draft is a no-brainer. If last year’s K. Green can earn a starting spot, this K. Green will be able to win a starting job at any position other than center.
This just seems like a good fit for NE; Mac will have London to through to when under duress and/or in the redzone. A lot can change in an offense when one guy can get to so many catchable positions.
A deep WR class will start to make it’s run at some point in this draft. Olave was paired up with fellow first-rounder G. Wilson for his whole career, but breaking away from him could make Olave a bigger star, similar to Justin Jefferson’s storyline.
Traditionally DAL has a top tier offensive line, however they are trending away from that given their current age and skillsets at the position. They need to make a pick here to stabilize the offensive line for years.
If the top five WR’s are taken, don’t be surprised to see BUF boost their defensive line depth, which was put to the test (and failed) in their final game against KC. Wyatt would be the fourth member of last years Georgia team to be drafted in the first round.
Even after the top tier of OL prospects come off the board, there are some names that can make immediate impact, and Johnson is on the fringe of the first-round, per Oliver Hodgkinson from Pro Football Network..
Ojabo falls in this mock more than most, due to his newness to the sport and overall raw potential. TB needs to generate more pressure without blitzing and Ojabo can make that happen.
Well, a disappointing finish will certainly call for some changes in GB. For starters, they need someone to trust catching the ball other than Davante Adams, despite who may be throwing it to him.
Penning being left here would be a blessing for the Dolphins, who get this pick from the 49ers. It would boost the offensive line talent immensely and immediately, which MIA has shown they desperately need.
Mahomes and the new offensive line will be fine without taking an offensive player here. So, drafting a tremendous athlete that will hunt down the ball and cover in the slot can improve something else that struggled last year.
I mocked Rhyan to the Bengals in the first mock draft a few months ago, so it feels right to keep him projected to protect the almighty Joe Burrow for the next few years or more.
I couldn’t not include three QB’s in the first round, because I’ll probably place a bet near the draft at o2.5 taken. So, Corral gets to enjoy the bench for a year or so and then will inherit one of the leagues best young offensive line groups.
Mason Rudolph? Marcus Mariota? Jimmy Garoppolo? Jameis Winston? Or a rookie…
QB Ben Roethlisberger gave 18 hall of fame seasons to the Steelers, and replacing him will likely be the hardest replacement ever for the franchise. The realistic options for next year’s starting QB job in Pittsburgh are as follows and NOT in any order:
Kenny Pickett
Malik Willis
Sam Howell
Matt Corral
Mason Rudolph
Jimmy Garoppolo
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota
Mitch Trubisky
Russell Wilson
Here is how some of these QB’s compare in their last ten games started (Mason Rudolph’s sample size):
Players on these graphs are used as reference points and comparison; sorted from lowest QB rating (Rudolph) to highest (Burrow – good standard for franchise QB).These two graphs together show a clear difference between what the Steelers’ options are and what they’re looking for.
This list has some talented QB’s and some not so talented QB’s. The craziest thing is that I think the best player for the job is one of the lesser talented names on the entire list… Factoring in everything that the Steelers front office should (like contract, familiarity, and draft capital) the best QB for the Steelers in 2022 is…
This will make someone rage click off this page I’m sure of it. But hear me out; Rudolph has one of the best things an NFL team could ask for – a QB on a rookie deal. The resources saved by locking in Rudolph as next years starter could and should be used to acquire smaller pieces for a roster that desperately needs better pieces.
Not only that, but the Steelers (and most teams) will not be jumping at the opportunity to take more risk than they have to. Rudolph has shown the staff and fans everything that he can and cannot do on the football field with the current offense, which should make it possible to game plan around his strengths and weaknesses. Whereas bringing in anyone will require somewhat of an adjustment and the QB performance might be negatively affected as a result.
2- Mitchell Trubisky (+1600)
Again, I’m probably not making a bunch of sense right now. But hear me out again; Trubisky just sat one year behind arguably the most talented QB in the world right now. The graph at the beginning shows one thing; his statistics look better than the others, namely his combination of rush yards per game, total touchdowns, completion percentage and touchdown percentage.
Based on current contract values, Trubisky will be cheaper than M. Mariota, J. Winston, A. Dalton and T. Bridgewater. He satisfies Tomlin’s desire for a mobile QB while actually improving the overall effectiveness of the offense, compared to Big Ben or Mason Rudolph.
3- Jameis Winston (+900)
Probably the most expensive name on the free agent list, I believe Winston can build off of his productive half-year in New Orleans. The stats don’t lie, and they tell us that Winston is truly the ‘all or nothing’ type of QB with a great ability to score touchdowns…and also the ability to ‘waste a pass’ (interception or incompletion).
That’s not exactly what the Steelers would sign him to be though, as he grew more patient and anticipated better throughout his time in New Orleans. He would only be brought in if other big upgrades were made to positions like WR and OL.
4- Malik Willis (+1400)
Here’s the first rookie, finally! The reason I don’t have any rookie higher than four is because I don’t think the better QB’s in the class will be available at pick 20, and I don’t see PIT trading up for any of them.
However if they did trade up, to get Willis, it would probably not be to sit him for a year, right? I would have to assume given his potential that they’re able to design an offense that he’s able to adapt to considering the offensive scheme they tried to run with the total opposite QB of Willis (Big Ben).
5- Sam Howell (+1800)
Oh another rookie? This rookie is (probably) the most pro-ready QB in the class, given his accuracy, experience and athleticism. Although I don’t like to put too much weight on this; Kevin Colbert and the scouting department have watched Sam Howell the most throughout the season/off-season. A real possibility could be the top five lineman are gone and the top two or three QB’s are gone, in either case might prompt PIT to draft Howell for safety and needs.
6- Marcus Mariota (+1300)
Mariota is probably dying to get the chance to start again, but even if he were to come to PIT, something tells me it would still be a battle between him and Rudolph for the entirety of preseason.
Although he could help boost the running game with his mobility, he hasn’t gotten the chance to do that in a while and his speed/elusiveness may be on the decline given his age. However, he has shown the ability to take care of the football and that could prove to be all a team needs from their QB.
7- Jimmy Garoppolo (+750)
Garoppolo has been discussed the most heavily in connection with PIT’s starting QB next season (at least among free agents). While he might have the innate ability to pull out wins and command a powerful offense, it isn’t as clear how much of that was because of him, rather than despite him. The price tag and expectations would far exceed the offensive productivity with him and the current scheme.
8- Matt Corral (+1200)
I won’t lie I think Corral would be fun to watch in PIT. He’d likely use his legs as much as he needed, and that in itself would give the offense a different type of style for the foreseeable future. Not sure how serious his injury is, but even if he’s fully healthy he doesn’t have the most prototypical frame of an NFL QB and will likely undergo A LOT of pressure if PIT drafts him in the first round. If it happens I wouldn’t surprise if Corral sat behind Rudolph to at least start the season.
9- Russel Wilson (+1200)
Well, Wilson is easily the most proven and valuable QB on this list, and adding an escape artist QB who throws one of the best deep ball passes in the game would instantly make the offense more explosive given their QB immobility last year and lack of deep ball success.
What’s important to keep in mind though is Wilson would cost at least two first-round picks and maybe even a player. The roster isn’t constructed to spend as much as possible on a QB when other pieces are needed yet would be forfeited with the acquisition of Wilson.
10- Kenny Pickett (+900)
Now this is NOT me saying Pickett is the worst QB on this list, please keep that in mind! As it stands now, I’m willing to bet that there’s a 99% chance Pickett gets drafted inside the top-15 and that would mean PIT sacrificing draft capital and/or players to jump up and select him.
I like the chemistry Pickett would have with offensive coordinator Matt Canada, however no amount of chemistry can fix the offensive line that would be in a state of unknown heading into next season, especially if a QB is taken in round one and not a lineman.
There are many paths for the Pittsburgh Steelers to find their next QB, whether it be for one year or the next ten. There are pros and cons to each of their options and a lot of the decisions will likely come down to cost and risk. Mason Rudolph should be the starting QB next year, because he is the lowest-risk option on this list and is also the cheapest while he’s still on his rookie contract.
With that being said, if the objective is to look at the odds and make money on this situation; my bets are going to be placed on Mason Rudolph ($5), Marcus Mariota ($1), and Sam Howell ($1). I wouldn’t take them though until more of the draft process gets going, as that will tell the fans a lot about who is focused on who.
A couple of things should make for this mock draft to be more accurate and fulfilling than last December. First, the college bowl games have been played (or cancelled in some cases), giving scouts another chance to evaluate players’ attributes.
Additionally, the draft order is further along to being set. There is still one week left in the NFL season, however there’s a few less possibilities now that teams have just one game remaining.
Have you ever wondered where your favorite NFL team likes to look for next-level talent? When coaches, general managers, and scouts create a plan, it often includes ‘shopping’ at places they trust. In this series, the most popular colleges for each NFL team will be discovered.
With data pulled from Pro Football Reference, these five colleges have the most players selected in the draft by the Cleveland Browns since 1976:
University of Miami (FL), 15
Sheldrick Redwine
Chad Thomas
David Njoku
Duke Johnson
Travis Benjamin
Leon Williams
Kellen Winslow
Joaquin Gonzalez
James Jackson
Andre King
A.C. Tellison
Gregg Rakoczy
Willie Smith
Rocky Belk
Scott Nicolas
University of Southern California, 15
Cody Kessler
Randall Telfer
Hayes Pullard
Jordan Cameron
Kaluka Maiava
Daylon McCutcheon
Scott Galbraith
Chip Banks
Charles White
Paul McDonald
Rich Dimler
Clay Matthews
Kenny Randle
John McKay
Pete Adams
University of Arizona, 13
Scooby Wright III
Trevin Wade
Syndric Steptoe
Dennis Northcutt
Manuia Savea
Mike Robinson
Cleveland Crosby
Charles Nash
Brian Murray
Ransom Terrell
Bob Crum
Larry McKee
Ricky Stevenson
Texas A&M University, 12
Damion Ratley
Myles Garrett
Johnny Manziel
Michael Jameson
Steve Bullitt
Randy Dausin
Don Jones
Keith Baldwin
Mike Whitwell
Cody Risien
Robert Jackson
Leonard Forey
Ohio State University, 11
Tommy Togial
Denzel Ward
Brian Robiskie
Darnell Sanders
Craig Powell
Mark Krerowicz
Tom Skladany
Jim Cope
Dan Scott
Dick Wakefield
Larry Zelina
Despite having many picks taken from Miami (FL) and USC, you have to read through about 30 names on the list until you find the first name that was ever household.
Have you ever wondered where your favorite NFL team likes to look for next-level talent? When coaches, general managers, and scouts create a plan, it often includes ‘shopping’ at places they trust. In this series, the most popular colleges for each NFL team will be discovered.
With data pulled from Pro Football Reference, these four colleges have the most players selected in the draft by the Cincinnati Bengals since 1976:
Ohio State University, 15
Michael Jordan
Billy Price
Sam Hubbard
Reid Fragel
Dan Herron
Dan Wilkinson
Jeff Cothran
Steve Tovar
Sonny Gordon
Gary Williams
Ray Griffin
Pete Johnson
Archie Griffin
Ken Kuhn
Tom Klaban
University of Michigan, 14
Chris Evans
Ryan Glasgow
Morgan Trent
Leon Hall
Chris Perry
Glen Steele
Rod Payne
William Carr
Tony McGee
Mike Hammerstein
Eric Kattus
Ben Needham
Ron Simpkins
Mark Donahue
University of Georgia, 13
Trey Hill
Shawn Williams
Orson Charles
A.J. Green
Clint Boling
Geno Atkins
David Pollack
Odell Thurman
Robert Geathers
David McCluskey
Rex Robinson
Mike Wilson
Joel Parrish
Arizona State University, 10
Renell Wren
Christian Westerman
Marcus Hardison
Levi Jones
Victory Leyva
Lynn James
Skip McClendon
Jim Warne
David Fulcher
Don Kern
Auburn University, 10
Deshaun Davis
Carl Lawson
C.J. Uzomah
Pat Sims
Kenny Irons
Rudi Johnson
Takeo Spikes
Willie Anderson
Lamar Rodgers
Craig Ogletree
Throughout this series, it’s pretty common to see teams like Ohio State be a common pipeline for NFL talent. However, the interesting fact lies with the secondary schools like Auburn and Arizona State. For whatever reason, the Bengals have tried and trusted these programs to provide next-level talent.
Have you ever wondered where your favorite NFL team likes to look for next-level talent? When coaches, general managers, and scouts create a plan, it often includes ‘shopping’ at places they trust. In this series, the most popular colleges for each NFL team will be discovered.
With data pulled from Pro Football Reference, these four colleges have the most players selected in the draft by the Baltimore Ravens since 1996:
University of Oklahoma, 11
Marquise Brown
Ben Powers
Orlando Brown Jr.
Mark Andrews
Allen Patrick
Chris Chester
Mark Clayton
Dan Cody
Trent Smith
Martin Chase
Sammy Williams
University of Alabama, 11
Anthony Averett
Bradley Bozeman
Marlon Humphrey
Tim Williams
C.J. Mosley
Courtney Upshaw
Terrence Cody
Le’Ron McClain
Jarret Johnson
Terry Jones
Ralph Staten
University of Notre Dame, 8
Devin Hayes
Miles Boykin
Ronnie Stanley
Kapron Lewis-Moore
Tom Zbikowski
Gerome Sapp
Anthony Weaver
Javin Hunter
University of Miami (FL), 6
Tommy Streeter
Tavares Gooden
Ed Reed
Richard Mercier
Duane Starks
Ray Lewis
This list of players and colleges shouldn’t really surprise anyone if we remember that the Ravens franchise was founded in 1996, so naturally they have selected players from top tier schools that have dominated most of those years.
It could be argued that all-time, with emphasis on the last 30 years, these programs are the best college football programs ever. So in summary, the Baltimore Ravens look at the best to find their best.
Have you ever wondered where your favorite NFL team likes to look for next-level talent? When coaches, general managers, and scouts create a plan, it often includes ‘shopping’ at places they trust. In this series, the most popular colleges for each NFL team will be discovered.
With data pulled from Pro Football Reference, these five colleges have the most players selected in the draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1975:
Clearly the Pittsburgh Steelers have a tradition and trend of selecting players from Big Ten universities. This has reaped some incredible benefits as players like TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward and Santonio Holmes have come from Big Ten schools.
Will the Steelers look to reload with some more players from the Big Ten conference in the 2022 NFL Draft? Perhaps, as Iowa OL Tyler Linderbaum has to be on their radar at the moment, as well as some players available in later rounds such as Northwestern S Brandon Joseph and Minnesota OL John Michael Schmitz.
All-Time Bets 