It is that time of year again. NFL Draft season is fast approaching, and with the Steelers currently out of the playoff picture now, it could come sooner than we would have liked. The Steelers, currently, would be picking 19th in the 2019 NFL draft, so we will go by those rankings, and take it for what it is, strictly saying. The Steelers needs are defined as such: ILB CB EDGE S WR IOL Those are your six “main” needs if you will, others being more minor, like IOL and WR, probably will not be addressed very early, especially with the depth of guys being there this year. The Steelers thus will focus on defense, and the biggest thing they need is playmakers, so let us make it happen, how about it? Round 1: DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia Maybe he won’t test out of the building, but after all the defensive back play the Steelers have seen this year, they should go after a guy who has the strongest fundamentals you could ever ask for, right? Well, if they indeed do want to go that route, Baker fits the mold about as good as anyone. And, here it is, Baker brings the aggressiveness that really only Sean Davis has in the secondary right now. I am here for that. DeAndre Baker is a damn good CB too. I have him just outside my Top 5, but I don’t doubt that he could slip in there as my rankings evolve. He’s just so solid, sticky as hell, and straight up feisty. This dude is gonna be a good NFL CB. #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/DGTxVW4lgn — Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) December 22, 2018 Why would Baker be so appealing, though? This guy has ball skills and the aggressiveness he has makes him a fantastic press corner. Those are two things Tomlin will know he needs next year, as both are incredibly lacking from this team’s CB corps this year. Baker can make plays on the ball and tracks it well, including the impressive stat of leading the NCAA in pass deflections this year. I am huge proponent of thus going out and grabbing him. Many have tried, none in the past two years have succeeded. Receivers covered by 18 forget what touchdowns are. The best CB in the country is Deandre Baker and it isn’t close. pic.twitter.com/SzxLTNiWvl — blakejmorgan (@blakejmorgann) October 15, 2018 Baker’s mirroring could use work, as he can be overly aggressive with his feet and be susceptible to getting burnt, but he is so sticky and has the recovery technique down. Obviously, he is not an athletic specimen that the Steelers would usually go after, but I am honestly just fine with that due to how good he is. Baker can play in the nickel or outside, and even more importantly, is a great run defender and tackler. That is one of the nicest things you can have in a “Steelers” CB type, and none fit it better than Baker, so I would certainly look out for the Steelers interest for him. This is a great fit and overall, just a fantastic player who can fill a hole. Round 2: Juan Thornhill, Safety, Virginia You want to pair Sean Davis with a guy who just about everything you would want in a safety? I give you Juan Thornhill, who has crazy good ball skills and processing ability. His instincts are a little slow still, but his speed and range is better than you would think. Wanna see how good his ball skills are? Check this out: There are not 32 players better in this draft than Juan Thornhill. Some team is gonna get a very good player. Dude has out of this world ball skills. #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/eQmXuUVZgq — Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) December 16, 2018 This is a pretty stupid good adjustment on the ball and it is all because he reads the QBs eyes incredibly well. Good processing, and the flip of the hips is so fluid. Thornhill will give you that fluidity that you want in a single-high, but he has the length to also play in the slot in man. He is not always great against bigger guys, but he can press them more than well enough to able to thrive in a Tampa 2, man coverage based system like Tomlin’s. He really does excel in run defense, though. Thornhill tackles well and has amazing angles. He has the aggressiveness to play down in the box as well. The Tomlin to Virginia pipeline should be strong here, and I have no issue with that if Thornhill is the ultimate pick at safety, even after Edmunds was picked a year earlier.<doc-sep>You knew it wouldn’t take long for the mock drafts to catch up to the potential wide receiver situation in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are potentially facing a future without wide receiver Antonio Brown. NFL writer John Clayton put out a new 2019 NFL mock draft for the Washington Post and he looked at the Steelers’ pick as the wide receiver who will replace Brown With the No. 20 overall pick, Clayton has the Steelers taking North Carolina State wide receiver Kelvin Harmon. Here’s what Clayton has to say about the pick. It’s likely the Steelers could end up with two first-round picks this year as a result of trading away star wide receiver Antonio Brown. If that happens, they will be looking for defensive help at inside linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback. But a Brown trade would leave them in need of a wide receiver to pair with JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Harmon is the best available here. Harmon is an interesting pick for Pittsburgh. He’s got legitimate NFL size at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds and strong hands. He’s a strong receiver who is less about speed and more about solid technique and route running. He’s also an exceptional blocker which is another plus for Pittsburgh. Most look at the Steelers and assume defense will be the pick here. But no matter how badly Pittsburgh might need a cornerback or linebacker, If Brown leaves the team’s draft needs will have to change. Harmon isn’t the top wide receiver in the draft but with N’Keal Harry already off the board, Harmon might be the most impactful guy available.<doc-sep>A week ago, we all assumed Kyler Murray was going to play baseball. Then, last Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Murray was expected to declare for the 2019 NFL Draft. On Sunday, more reports emerged: The Oakland A's were trying to convince Murray to stick with baseball and a decision could be reached by Monday. If this was 2012, Murray wouldn't even consider declaring -- he was a top-10 pick of the Oakland A's and he'd be lucky to go in the third round of the NFL Draft. Which is exactly what happened to Russell Wilson. But Wilson's sustained success, and with what Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson accomplished as rookies, Murray is absolutely a first-round talent. And Murray's addition to this draft class could hasten a run on quarterbacks by teams desperate for them. It's why we have the Jaguars and Redskins trading up for one, and why four quarterbacks are off the board after 11 picks. In other mock-draft news, we have the Steelers drafting a wide receiver since is sounds like Antonio Brown has played his last game in black and gold. Alright, let's get to all the picks. 1. Arizona Cardinals Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State. On a team chock full of holes, edge rusher isn't at the top of the to-do list. That said, it's hard to pass on a talent like Bosa, who can take over games. There isn't an offensive linemen worth taking this high and the Cardinals find themselves in full-on rebuild mode less than a year after hiring Steve Wilks and drafting Josh Rosen in the first round. 2. Jacksonville Jaguars (mock trade with 49ers) Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State. The Jaguars get their franchise quarterback, which officially ends the Blake Bortles era in Jacksonville. The only question becomes how long before Haskins, who finally declared for the draft, assumes the starting job full-time. 3. New York Jets Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky. Is Josh Allen the best pass rusher in the draft? That will be decided in the coming weeks and months, but no one did more for their draft stock than Allen, who returned to Kentucky for his senior season and went off. After seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in 2017, Allen gained 10-15 pounds of muscle and put up 14 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss and was pretty much unblockable. 4. Oakland Raiders Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama. Williams might be the second-best player in this draft, which is why the Raiders are taking him here even though defensive tackle isn't an immediate need. Williams has been one of the most dominant players in college football, and this is after sitting behind Da'Ron Payne (a Redskins first-rounder last spring) in 2017. Oakland needs an edge rusher but Williams is a one-man pocket-collapser from the interior. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State. Burns is a long, lean, explosive pass rusher. At 235-240 pounds, the concern is whether he's strong enough to play the position at the next level, but Burns isn't just a speed rusher; he's also strong, and has the frame to get stronger. Jason Pierre-Paul had 12.5 sacks but he ranked 80th among all edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus. 6. New York Giants Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma. General manger Dave Gettleman sure sounds like he's content to bring Eli Manning back for another season but imagine the Giants offense with Murray under center, Saquon Barkley in the backfield, and Odell Beckham and Evan Engram running routes. Woo boy. 7. San Francisco 49ers (mock trade with Jaguars) Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson. Ferrell was one of the stars of the best defensive line in college football, and he finished his junior season with 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. There may be questions about Ferrell's flexibility compared to the other first-round pass rushers but there's no denying his Clemson production. In fact, on first downs during the 2018 season, Ferrell ranked among the top-10 players in the country in sacks (5), hurries (12), hits (10), knockdowns (5) and pressures (17). 8. Detroit Lions Byron Murphy, CB, Washington. When it's all said and done Murphy could be the first cornerback taken. He's an athletic playmaker with game-changing ability. Darius Slay had a good season for the Lions but coach Matt Patricia could use a top-flight cornerback on a defense that ranked 31st against the pass, according to Football Outsiders. 9. Buffalo Bills Ed Oliver, DT, Houston. Kyle Williams is retiring and Oliver, considered a top-5 pick during the college season, would be a steal here. There are questions about his size, and whether he can hold up over a 16-game season, but he's consistently disruptive in both the run and pass game. 10. Denver Broncos Daniel Jones, QB, Duke. Is Case Keenum the answer in 2019? New coach Vic Fangio said Keenum is the Broncos' quarterback "right now." Either way, we know general manager John Elway would love to upgrade the position. There's a reason he was closely watching Justin Herbert this season and now that he's returned to Oregon, Elway could turn his attention to other draft-eligible passers. After a good 2018 season, Jones could improve his stock with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. 11. Washington Redskins (mock trade with Bengals) Drew Lock, QB, Missouri. Alex Smith suffered a gruesome injury in November and it's unclear if the 34-year-old will be fully recovered by training camp. Lock has the best arm of this quarterback class -- he reminds us of Jay Cutler -- and he would answer at least one of the looming offseason questions for this franchise and its beleaguered fanbase. 12. Green Bay Packers Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida. Polite, who had a breakout season at Florida, has an explosive first step and off-the-chart physical abilities. His knack for getting in the backfield was unrivaled at times this fall. And while Kyler Fackrell has had a breakout season in Green Bay, Clay Matthews is 32 and in the final year of his contract. 13. Miami Dolphins Greedy Williams, CB, LSU. With four quarterbacks already off the board, the Dolphins bolster their secondary. Williams may not be the most polished cornerback in this draft class but he is insanely athletic and has all the tools to become a great player. 14. Atlanta Falcons Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson. Grady Jarrett was a beast this season but he could use some help along the defensive line. And Lawrence could end up being the best player to come from this dominant Clemson defensive line. 15. Cincinnati Bengals (mock trade with Redskins) Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama. The Bengals' offensive line ranked 22nd in the league, according to Football Outsiders and the team can move on from Cordy Glenn without incurring any dead salary-cap charges. Williams has consistently been a top-10 pick in our mock drafts but Kyler Murray has thrown the top half of the board into upheaval. Meanwhile, Cincy gets a player who they can pencil in at left tackle for the next decade. 16. Carolina Panthers Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama. Eric Reid was signed a month into the season but he quickly became one of the Panthers' best defensive backs. His contract is up, which is the case for safety Mike Adams, who will turn 38 in March. Thompson is the best safety in the class (he's expected to officially declare for the draft on Monday), and he can be a game-changer in centerfield. On a unit lacking depth in the secondary, Thompson would be a solid choice. 17. Cleveland Browns D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss. Metcalf is the best wide receiver in this draft and he'd give Baker Mayfield another downfield playmaker alongside Antonio Callaway. And this offense -- with Jarvis Landry, David Njoku and Nick Chubb -- would immediately be considered one of the AFC's best. 18. Minnesota Vikings Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas St. Is it too early for the Vikings to look for a quarterback? That was rhetorical, mostly because Kirk Cousins is one year into a three-year, $84 million -- all guaranteed -- deal. And since Cousins isn't going anywhere, Minnesota has to do a better job of protecting him.<doc-sep>
With the 2018 season all but over barring a Super Bowl between a team that should not be there and a team no one wanted to be there, attention is already starting to move towards the NFL draft. Mock draft boards are starting to emerge from some of the more well-known names in the field and although the most notable name in the business is now in charge of the Oakland Raiders, there are still plenty of other “expert” opinions on offer. Each and every Wednesday for the next 13 weeks, we will bring you a selection of the latest mock draft projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers from around the NFL draft community. Expecting most of these offerings will be ultimately prove to be somewhat off the mark, they should at least unearth a number of players worthy of further evaluation. Starting with a selection of 12 mock drafts, there is already a level of consensus among our experts, with all of them perhaps unsurprising predicting the Steelers will take either an inside linebacker, a cornerback or wide receiver. Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network - LB, Devin Bush, Michigan “Bush has outstanding play speed and he fills a need for the Steelers’ defense.” Bucky Brooks, NFL Network - CB, Byron Murphy, Washington “He is a terrific player and I know some people say, “he hasn't played that long,” but when you've seen him on tape, he does everything that you look for. He’s physical, he has great ball skills and he can play with a variety of techniques. For a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers that are transitioning in the back end, he is the ideal selection at 20.” Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports - WR, A.J. Brown, Ole Miss “The Steelers snag another receiver whose last name is Brown. A little awkwardly coincidental. Whatever. Anyway, Brown is a muscular, yards-after-the-catch specialist with deceptive long speed.” Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports - CB, Deandre Baker, Georgia “Baker may not be the athlete that Greedy Williams or Byron Murphy is, but he put up better college numbers. He shows good long speed, smooth hips, and the ability to change direction. He was rarely targeted during his senior season in part because his mirroring technique was superb. The Steelers missed on 2016 first-rounder Artie Burns and desperately need to upgrade the secondary.” Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN - LB, Devin Bush, Michigan “A complete player for today’s NFL. He made the calls. He was the quarterback of this defense. He’s a great kid. His father was a first round pick coming out of Florida State. Think about with Devin Bush, we talk about it with Devin White, the two Devin’s. Fly to the ball, great range, sideline to sideline speed. Devin Bush for the Steelers, he just looks like a Steeler, he does everything the Steelers want. Committed, focused on the game of football, loves the game of football, passionate and productive and consistent and reliable. For me, if he’s there, he’s one of the better picks of Round 1.” Dan Kadar SB Nation - LB, Devin White, LSU “Because Ryan Shazier’s future is still unknown, the Steelers could turn to the draft to get a linebacker. White isn’t quite the player Roquan Smith was in last year’s draft, but he’s close. White excels at finding the ball carrier and making strong tackles.” John Clayton, Washington Post - WR, Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State “It’s likely the Steelers could end up with two first-round picks this year as a result of trading away star receiver Antonio Brown. If that happens, they will be looking for defensive help at inside linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback. But a Brown trade would leave then in need of a wide receiver to pair with JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Harmon is the best available here.” Matt Miller, Bleacher Report - LB, Tre Lamar, Clemon “The middle of the defense needs work in Pittsburgh—especially if they’re going to be chasing Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson four times a season. Enter Tre Lamar, the heart and soul of the Clemson linebacker corps. Lamar will need to prove to scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine that he has the speed to handle sideline-to-sideline duty, but his tape is very impressive as he shows the instincts and football IQ to shut down offenses between the tackles.