Our friends over at Draft Wire have given us the best Christmas gift of all. A new two-round mock draft. Let’s at a look at the picks for the Pittsburgh Steelers and see if they got a big fat lump of coal.
First round-OT Peter Skoronski, Nortwestern
Skornoski has tremendous film but he’s going to worry some teams with his lack of elite length. Pittsburgh rarely drafts offensive tackles in the first round but it is a top need.
Second round-DT Siaki Ika, Baylor
I continue to pound the table for Pittsburgh to draft a massive interior defensive lineman and there is none better than Siaki Ika.
Second round-WR Rashee Rice, SMU
No one would be shocked if the Steelers used a second-round pick on a sleeper receiver with elite potential. Rashee Rice might not have elite timed speed but he is a savvy route-runner who can always find ways to get separation and is deadly after the catch.
Breaking it all down
This feels very much like a Steelers draft. Safe, solid picks with good upside and minimal risk. With the other talent on the board, Skoronski feels like a reach for needs and a guy like Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson or Florida State edge Jared Verse would be much better value.
In the second round, getting Ika is a lock. Ika and Michigan’s Mazie Smith are the two big interior guys the steelers should target so no qualms with landing Ika here. As for Rice, he’s a great choice but if Pittsburgh passes on an offensive tackle with the top two picks, Oklahoma’s Anton Harris makes sense here.
