Steelers mock draft
Steelers Mock Draft 2023
Bobby Lehman, your neighborhood Steelers fan
Round 1: Pick 17
Darnell Wright – Left Tackle – Tennessee
Adding Wright addresses a monumental need early. The fact that he was still on the board at 17 was shocking. At 6’ 5” 333lb he still has the quickness to compete with any NFL edge rusher and can be the guy to protect Kenny Pickett for a long time if he stays healthy. Paris Johnson Jr (OSU) and Peter Skoronski (Northwestern) are viable options if available as well, they were not in most of my mocks. All three are extremely talented in their own respects so if they are on the board and your team is in need, look their way.
Round 2: Pick 32
Trenton Simpson – Linebacker/Edge – Clemson
T.J Watt needs some help and Trenton Simpson is just the guy. He can play every position on the defensive side of the ball, except corner. The Steelers are in need of a dominant presence in the linebacker room and I think Trenton fits well with the now hybrid 3-4 scheme the steelers run.
Round 2: Pick 49
DJ Turner – Cornerback – Michigan
DJ Turner has a lot to offer NFL teams and I would like it to be the Steelers. At 5’ 11” and 180lbs with 4.26 speed, it makes him a huge problem for NFL Offenses. He does a great job with zone coverage and the Steelers run quite a bit of that. This should allow him to be successful early. The goal of this draft was to increase the prowess of the defense and with these last two picks we have made great progress.
Round 3: Pick 80
Jonathan Mingo – Wide Receiver – Ole Miss
I believe we are looking at the next A.J Brown with this pick. Ole Miss has produced great talent at the WR position in recent years including Brown and DK Metcalf. The Steelers got away with one last year getting George Pickens late in the second round and I believe that Mingo can have that type of impact in his first year. At 6’ 2” 220, this kid is an optimal target for a young quarterback in an offense that just keeps getting younger.
Round 4: Pick 120
K.J. Henry – Edge – Clemson
At this point in the draft, I have covered all my immediate needs for the Steelers but K.J Henry at this point is a bargain. Top tier talent falling this late in the fourth round is a blessing for this defense. Adding Henry will create a dynamic we haven’t really seen in the NFL yet. Watt, Simpson, and Henry all have the ability to play multiple positions, can drop in coverage when needed, and just create nightmares for NFL offensive coordinators.
Round 7: Pick 241
Josh Whyle – Tight End – Cincinnati
Heath Miller 2.0. A huge frame, sure hands, and a great pass blocker. What else can you ask for in a tight end outside of drafting the next Travis Kelce?
Round 7: Pick 251
Chris Murray – Center – Oklahoma
Not sure if this is the best selection with almost MR. Irrelevant but here we go. Chris Murray is an extremely athletic prospect. His largest flaw according to his scouting report is that he gets caught using his hands which could lead to an enormous amount of penalties. But that is an easy fix with the right coaching and mentorship. Outside of a few small things that first year lineman will struggle with, this kid has a super high ceiling and hopefully can be a steady member of the o-line for years to come.
