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The Pittsburgh Steelers have options when it comes to their first round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Not only when it comes to prospects, but also in regarding position. With the free agency moves they have made, the Steelers could take an inside linebacker if one of their prized prospects remains, a safety or even another position which they feel the Best Player Available (BPA) strategy would leave them no other choice but to select a prospect not many are suggesting.
You know, like if the Steelers were to take a quarterback or wide receiver in the first round while everyone thinks defense first will be their priority.
Nonetheless, with the draft just under two weeks away, the online mock drafters are feverishly typing away with mock draft after mock draft in hopes of not just garnering clicks, but predicting how the chips will fall on draft day.
It is near impossible to keep tabs on all of the mock drafts out there, so SB Nation has taken the mock drafts and compiled them into a database (hello 2018 Mock Draft Database) which shows fans exactly who the experts who pen these mock drafts truly believe will be the Steelers’ top pick.
Here is how the data shakes out currently for the black-and-gold:
22% — LB Leighton Vander Esch - Boise State
19% — LB Rashaan Evans - Alabama
11% — CB Josh Jackson - Iowa
11% — CB Mike Hughes - UCF
36% — Other
Clearly, the numbers are pretty close between Evans and Vander Esch, but what most people might overlook is the ‘Other’ category. The fact 36-percent of the people posting mock drafts are not in agreement as to who the Steelers will pick in the upcoming draft should tell fans a lot about the team’s overall approach to the process.
Anything can happen.
Sure, tab a player you think will go to the Steelers in Round 1, but the truth is anything can happen when the proverbial bullets start flying on draft night. So, stay tuned and get your popcorn ready. This could be one to remember...