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The NFL Draft is only six days away, ladies and gentlemen! With much shifting in the world of draft rumors, it is time for mock draft 4.0!
I am not going to belabor the mock with a flowery introduction, but I do want to give you an update on the scheduled draft content for the upcoming week. The final two positional big boards (linebacker and defensive line) will come out early in the week, as will my ideal Steelers 7-round mock draft. Our final top 250 big board, along with our all new big board site, will be coming as well, likely either Wednesday or early Thursday morning of next week. All of this will lead up to my annual 7-round NFL mock draft 5.0, which will give my prediction for all 259 picks in the draft. This final mock draft will be released the Thursday morning of the draft.
Now, getting back to the mock, the rules have not changed. For those that are new, let me explain how my mock drafts work. Each draft cycle, I have five NFL mock drafts, with the final 5.0 mock draft being a full, seven-round projection. Most importantly, these mocks are a projection based off what I am hearing and think makes the most sense. They are not based on what I want to happen or what I would do if I was the general manager for each team.
With all this in mind, let’s dive into the mock!
Round 1
1. Panthers- Bryce Young | QB | Alabama
2. Texans- C.J. Stroud | QB | Ohio State
***TRADE***
Cardinals receive Colts 1st and 2nd round picks and 2024 3rd round picks
3. *Colts- Anthony Richardson | QB | Florida
4. *Cardinals- Will Anderson | EDGE | Alabama
5. Seahawks- Jalen Carter | DT | Georgia
6. Lions- Devon Witherspoon | CB | Illinois
7. Raiders- Peter Skoronski | OL | Northwestern
8. Falcons- Tyree Wilson | DE | Texas Tech
9. Bears- Paris Johnson, Jr. | OT | Ohio State
10. Eagles- Bijan Robinson | RB | Texas
11. Titans- Will Levis | QB | Kentucky
12. Texans- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | Ohio State
13. Jets- Darnell Wright | OT | Tennessee
14. Patriots- Christian Gonzalez | CB | Oregon
15. Packers- Nolan Smith | EDGE | Georgia
16. Commanders- Broderick Jones | OT | Georgia
17. Steelers- Lukas Van Ness | EDGE | Iowa
It may seem a little unorthodox to draft a number-three EDGE rusher when there are much more pressing needs across the board, but we know how much Mike Tomlin loves athletic pass rushers. Van Ness is better suited for a 4-3 unit, but the Steelers have shown significant interest in him, making him a viable option at 17 if available. This is not what I would do, but based on what the Steelers value, it makes sense. T.J. Watt has had his share of injuries, and Alex Highsmith has not yet signed an extension. This is definitely an area worth investing in at some point, but doing it with a first-round pick would get quite the reaction from the fan base.
18. Lions- Michael Mayer | TE | Notre Dame
19. Buccaneers- Hendon Hooker | QB | Tennessee
20. Seahawks- John Michael Schmitz | C | Minnesota
21. Chargers- Dalton Kincaid | TE | Utah
22. Ravens- Joey Porter, Jr. | CB | Penn State
23. Vikings- Zay Flowers | WR | Boston College
24. Jaguars- Mazi Smith | DT | Michigan
25. Giants- Steve Avila | G/C | TCU
26. Cowboys- Quentin Johnston | WR | TCU
***TRADE***
Bills receive Rams 2nd and 3rd (77) round picks
27. *Rams- Anton Harrison | OT | Oklahoma
28. Bengals- Tyrique Stevenson | CB | Miami
29. Saints- Myles Murphy | EDGE | Clemson
30. Eagles- Adetomiwa Adebawore | DL | Northwestern
31. Chiefs- Jordan Addison | WR | Pittsburgh
Round 2
32. Steelers- Dawand Jones | OT | Ohio State
For having not valued offensive tackles in the past, the Steelers have shown quite a bit of interest in this year’s group of tackles, one of them being Dawand Jones. Jones does not have the lateral quickness and footwork to play left tackle in the NFL, but his combination of power and insane length would make for a high-upside right tackle. If Pittsburgh cannot get the left tackle they want in the first round, they could explore right tackles on Day 2 and move Chukwuma Okorafor to the left side.
33. Texans- Bryan Bresee | DL | Clemson
34. Cardinals- Calijah Kancey | DL | Pittsburgh
35. *Cardinals- Deonte Banks | CB | Maryland
36. *Bills- Jack Campbell | ILB | Iowa
37. Seahawks- Emmanuel Forbes | CB | Mississippi State
38. Raiders- Brian Branch | DB | Alabama
39. Panthers- Jalin Hyatt | WR | Tennessee
40. Saints- Keeanu Benton | DT | Wisconsin
41. Titans- Will McDonald IV | EDGE | Iowa State
42. Jets- Joe Tippmann | C | Wisconsin
43. Jets- Darnell Washington | TE | Georgia
44. Falcons- Jahmyr Gibbs | RB | Falcons
45. Packers- Luke Musgrave | TE | Oregon State
46. Patriots- Matthew Bergeron | OL | Syracuse
47. Commanders- Cam Smith | CB | South Carolina
48. Lions- Trenton Simpson | ILB | Clemson
49. Steelers- Kelee Ringo | CB | Georgia
I am not a fan of Ringo at all, but if the Steelers have not addressed cornerback and he is on the board at 49, I do not see the Steelers passing on him. Although incredibly raw and unpolished, Ringo possesses incredible physical traits and the upside of a number one corner. He is at least a year or two away from becoming a dependable starter at corner, but if he can develop, the potential is through the roof.
50. Buccaneers- B.J. Ojulari | EDGE | LSU
51. Dolphins- Devon Achane | RB | Texas A&M
52. Seahawks- Josh Downs | WR | North Carolina
53. Bears- Gervon Dexter | DT | Florida
54. Chargers- O’Cyrus Torrence | G | Florida
55. Lions- Felix Anudike-Uzomah | EDGE | Kansas State
56. Jaguars- Darius Rush | CB | South Carolina
57. Giants- DJ Turner | CB | Michigan
58. Cowboys- Sam LaPorta | TE | Iowa
59. Bills- Israel Abanikanda | RB | Pittsburgh
60. Bengals- Antonio Johnson | S | Texas A&M
61. Bears- Luke Wypler | C | Ohio State
62. Eagles- Keion White | EDGE | Georgia Tech
63. Chiefs- Blake Freeland | OT | BYU
Round 3
64. Bears- Zach Charbonnet | RB | UCLA
65. Texans- Drew Sanders | LB/EDGE | Arkansas
66. Cardinals- Jartavius Martin | DB | Illinois
67. Broncos- Derick Hall | EDGE | Auburn
68. Broncos- Juice Scruggs | C | Penn State
69. Rams- Marvin Mims | WR | Oklahoma
70. Raiders- Brenton Strange | TE | Penn State
71. Saints- Cedric Tillman | WR | Tennessee
72. Titans- Jonathan Mingo | WR | Ole Miss
73. Texans- Cody Mauch | OL | North Dakota State
74. Browns- Daiyan Henley | ILB | Washington State
75. Falcons- Tyler Scott | WR | Tennessee
76. Patriots- K.J. Henry | EDGE | Clemson
77. *Bengals- DeWayne McBride | RB | UAB
78. Packers- Sydney Brown | S | Illinois
79. Colts- Kyu Blu Kelley | CB | Stanford
80. Steelers- Zacch Pickens | DT | South Carolina
Linebacker and safety still have yet to be addressed, but with only minor additions along the defensive line, there is a gaping hole at nose tackle. Pickens is not a true nose tackle, but his fantastic length and athleticism gives him the ability to put on more weight and play anywhere along the interior.
81. Lions- Siaki Ika | NT | Baylor
82. Buccaneers- Tyler Steen | OT | Alabama
83. Seahawks- Dorian Thompson-Robinson | QB | UCLA
84. Dolphins- Chandler Zavala | G | North Carolina State
85. Chargers- Tyjae Spears | RB | Tulane
86. Ravens- Isaiah Foskey | EDGE | Notre Dame
87. Vikings- Eli Ricks | CB | Alabama
88. Jaguars- Chase Brown | RB | Illinois
89. Giants- A.T. Perry | WR | Wake Forest
90. Cowboys- DeMarvion Overshown | ILB | Texas
91. Bills- Andrei Iosivas | WR | Princeton
92. Bengals- Zach Harrison | EDGE | Ohio State
93. Packers- Jayden Reed | WR | Michigan State
94. Eagles- Wanya Morris | OT | Oklahoma
95. Chiefs- Andre Carter | EDGE | Army
96. Cardinals- Aidan O’Connell | QB | Purdue
97. Commanders- Henry To’oTo’o | ILB | Alabama
98. Browns- Kendre Miller | RB | TCU
99. 49ers- Tuli Tuipolutu | DL | USC
100. Raiders- Jaquelin Roy | DT | LSU
101. 49ers- Rashee Rice | WR | SMU
102- 49ers- Roschon Johnson | RB | Texas
What are your thoughts on this mock? Do you think the Steelers got a reasonable haul? Let us know in the comment section below.
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