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As the 2015 NFL Draft approaches, every expert with a computer is putting their two cents worth into who they think will be selected by which team. Mike Mayock of the NFL Network does a little bit of everything in regards to the upcoming draft, but one of his more sought after articles are his position rankings.
Mayock goes through each position ranking who he thinks is the top 5 at each position, as well as who has risen and fallen on the lists. Mayock's most recent release is his third set of his rankings, and some of the rankings make things interesting in terms of the key positions the Steelers will be gunning for with their 22nd overall pick in the first round.
At outside linebacker / edge pass rusher, Mayock has a slight change in scenery for two players the Steelers have met with in some way, shape or form. Mayock has Randy Gregory moving from the 4th position to the 2nd, while Shane Ray drops from the 2nd spot to the 5th on the list. Here is a look at Mayock's top 5 at the edge rusher position:
Edge rusher
1. Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida
2. Randy Gregory, Nebraska
3. Vic Beasley, Clemson
4. Bud Dupree, Kentucky
5. Shane Ray, Missouri
Rise: Gregory (4), Dupree (5)
Fall: Ray (2)
The next obvious position to bring to the attention of Steelers fans would be the position of cornerback. Not much has changed on Mayock's board as he has Trae Waynes as the clear No. 1 at the position, with Jalen Collins second and Marcus Peters third. The Steelers were in attendance to see Waynes in person, Mike Tomlin had diner with Collins and have shown plenty of interest in Peters. Take a look at Mayock's top 5 at the cornerback position:
Cornerback
1. Trae Waynes, Michigan State
2. Jalen Collins, LSU
3. Marcus Peters, Washington
4. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest
T-5. Eric Rowe, Utah
T-5. Byron Jones, Connecticut
Rise: Rowe (NR)
Fall: Williams (T-5)
There has been a growing sentiment among BTSC that the Steelers could target an interior defensive lineman with their first round draft pick. Mayock broke down this group by having Leonard Williams in the top spot, Arik Armstead in the second spot and Malcom Brown in the third spot. Check out Mayock's top 5 at the interior defensive lineman position:
Interior defensive linemen
1. Leonard Williams, USC
2. Arik Armstead, Oregon
3. Malcom Brown, Texas
4. Danny Shelton, Washington
T-5. Eddie Goldman, Florida State
T-5. Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
Rise: Armstead (4)
Fall: Shelton (2)
You can see the rest of Mayock's grades by position here, but when looking at the edge pass rusher rankings, when you see a name like Shane Ray drop on Mayock's board, you wonder if he isn't dropping on other NFL teams' boards as well. The Steelers are hoping a talent like Ray would fall to No. 22 to make their selection much easier; however, most experts see Ray gone well before the Steelers make their first round selection.
As the draft approaches, the Steelers - and every other NFL team - will be working night and day to try and ensure the selections they make don't just pan out, but pay huge dividends for their individual organizations.