SteelersWire - 2024 NFL draft: Steelers 7-round postseason mock draft update

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/l...vLGSL9v84ZXIroSUmcv_v2kR6FHGDsAZqrzDyY9DvENNQ

First round - CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
Arnold proved to be a shutdown corner in 2023 and should prove to be an excellent pairing with Joey Porter Jr. for a long time.

Second round - C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Powers-Johnson is the best center in the draft. He’s powerful, physical and smart and the perfect replacement for Mason Cole.

Third round - WR Johnny Wilson, Florida State
Wilson is a huge target and could be a devastating red-zone target to replace Allen Robinson.

Fourth round - LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
Rangy linebacker who can line up inside or outside and has an excellent nose for the football as a strong run defender.

Fourth round - DT Jordan Jefferson, LSU
Jefferson is a massive interior defensive tackle who eats up blockers in the middle of the field.

Sixth round - S Josh Proctor, Ohio State
Highly productive, smart safety with elite size. Proctor excels in run defense and has a load of experience against high-level competition.

Seventh round - OT Christian Jones, Texas
Highly underrated offensive tackle who was a consistent player all season. I love his potential as a developmental tackle.

 

I have no problem with this draft, although I think It's highly unlikely three of the first four picks will be there. Arnold will most likely be the first CB off the board, so we're probably talking McKinestry, DeJean, or Wiggins in the first if we go CB.
Powers-Johnson will be the first interior lineman off the board. Some pundits have him going late first. A center at 51 would probably be Van Pran or Zach Frazier. There will be a lot of good tackles available at this spot, and there is always Drake Nugent in the forth.
Going to skip Wilson, because I don't think receiver is a necessity.
Ford is going to go late 2nd, early 3rd. He'll be the second ILB off the board. He's not going to be there in the 4th.
We need a d lineman who'll be able to start by next year. I don't believe a forth rounder will do it. In the third, there are massive DTs like McKinley Jackson, Byron Murphy, Maason Smith or T'Vondre Sweat, all of whom eat up massive space in the middle.
Josh Proctor in the 6th just ain't going to happen. Late 3rd, early 4th.
If we don't take Tory Taylor, P, Iowa with our 7th round pick, someone needs to be fired. We don't need another developmental tackle. We had one starting at LT last year.

 

I like this draft a lot. Doubt several of those guys would drop to us however.

 

Good read.

 

I would love first two picks in reverse. If that guy is best center available I'm not sure he'll be there round two.

 

R1: agree on the corners. I'm hesitant on DeJean as a bit of a tweener, great playmaker though. Almost have to wonder if he could fill a Polamalu-esque SS role at the pro level.

R2: agree as well on Powers-johnson, though depending on where Barton is plugged in the pros he may technically be the second iOL off the board. His current top-second draft position begs for the annual call some will bring to trade down in the first and gain an extra pick. Van Pran would seem the target in the second if they stick at 1.20 and go CB/OT.

R3: WR may not be a necessity, but it's a relatively thin group if Robinson's salary takes him out of the picture, which it near-certainly will. They could acquire another mid-level vet to plug this hole - and given the maturity issues with Johnson/Pickens it may be the better move (Mike Evans would be intriguing) - but many early mocks have the Steelers taking another WR in the first three rounds. I don't hate the idea, especially considering Johnson is entering the final year of his contract, but they also have needs at DL, ILB, and, here, whichever of CB/OT they didn't address in the first. (I currently lean toward Wiggins/McKinstry in the first and then a Blake Fisher in the third.)

I've seen Wilson mocked to the Steelers, and can't say he excites me too much. His selling point is size and athleticism, but seems limited to the outside with his lack of burst and twitch. Unless they plan on moving Johnson to the slot I don't see much use for him in the short term, and don't see a tandem of Pickens/Wilson being a viable 1/2 should they let Johnson hit the market after 2024.

I think one of the DTs you mention could slide into the 4th, and is where I'd target one. At this stage I haven't gotten into much beyond that.

 

I’ve watched Wilson a ton as a Nole fan. He can catch the ball anywhere on the field, but prone to drops.

 

I know we can't fill every hole with this one draft, but I would consider this a failure if we wait until rd 7 to address the OT spot

 

So he’s prone to dropping the ball anywhere on the field

 

What the Steelers will do is predictable

They will not sign any big name over priced FA particularly in the first few days

They will sign adequate FAs to fill any major holes they perceive so they don’t need to reach in the draft

Then they will take the biggest perceived impact player available to them when it is their turn to draft in each round

 

BPA every round.

 

They are currently 30 million over the cap.

 

Sort of

By round five there really isn’t so much of a BPA they are all lumped together

Then take a project or a pig in a poke

 

Not my area of expertise but where did you get this

I saw $15.7 on one web site

And that can be cleaned up quickly with room to spare

 

He won't be, unless they trade up

 

Over the cap has at $15.6 over. That’s Chuks and Robinson with $3 million left to play with.

 

Yes

Although it’s $15.661486

Which rounds to $15.7

 

https://steelersnow.com/pittsburgh-...UzxxBeVym54bQXxVyKTJ3cfAUqV_hc2E2iSsOXH5o3VKw

"While the Steelers would only need to clear a little over $15 million to get compliant in the offseason, they will need to clear over $34 million between now and the start of the 2024 season. That’s because things like their rookie draft pool, the end of the rule of 51, their practice squad, players that might be on the injured reserve list, and a buffer to make in-season moves aren’t counted in the offseason figure."

 

Chuks- pre-June 1 cut- $8.75 million
Robinson- pre-June 1- $10 million
Peterson- pre-June 1- $6.85 million
Trubisky- post June 1- $5.25 million
4 cuts of people who will not benefit the team at all in 2024- $30.85 million

 

Your powers of deduction. . .

 

Centers tend to drop in the draft, no need to draft one in the first round, Creed Humphrey lasted until near the end of the second round.

 

New England's starting RT is a free agent. We should get him and skip Tackle in the draft.

Corner
Center
DT
LB
Safety
Punter

That's how I'd try to go

 

this one wasn't too bad. i wouldn't draft a punter, and maybe a couple of tweeks later in it but not bad.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...S&cvid=089f990fde384c9d857849d42aad92bc&ei=16

 

Hell, this is what the Chiefs, Lions and Bills (lesser extent) have been doing and look at the success they have. Every time the Steelers do it though?! Often met with negative Fanfare.


Granted, the past three or so FA Classes have been more misses than hits. Even so, seldom does overspending work.