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Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan found himself in a slight legal predicament recently, having been charged with three counts of assault - one count of aggravated assault and two counts of assault or assault and battery - stemming from an incident in Ann Arbor, Mich., hours after Ohio State's win over the Wolverines Nov. 30.
Lewan claims he was breaking up a fight, in which two Ohio State fans were allegedly involved, and maintains his innocence.
CBS Sports' Dane Brugler is willing to overlook the incident as far as the Steelers' draft board goes. His most recent mock draft has the Steelers selecting Lewan at No. 15 overall.
Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan: I fully expect this pick to be a defensive player, either a nose tackle like Louis Nix or cornerback like Darqueze Dennard. But if a talented offensive tackle like Taylor Lewan is still available, it would be tough to pass him up, giving them a cornerstone on the line - the Steelers aren't one player away from the Super Bowl.
He fully expects the pick to be a defensive player, yet, he selects an offensive tackle. His Rope-a-Dope strategy carries with it some reason, however. Lewan could be a force in a zone-running scheme, and all alleged assault charges aside, he's a big, nasty dude out on the edge. The Steelers won't find a tackle with his ceiling in the second round, but they have a better chance of gaining more overall by looking at another player in the first round and taking the athletic tackle in the second or third round.
It doesn't mean it's impossible, either. While Lewan isn't expected to be on the board when the Steelers pick, he'd be an attractive option if he was - provided he won't be in jail at or around the start of minicamp.