Every year there is a player or two who falls in the first round of the NFL draft that is unexpected. At times it is warranted but other times the team that takes a chance looks brilliant. In the new ESPN mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a shot at taking that chance but pass.
In a new mock draft by NFL analyst Mike Tannenbaum, the Steelers land Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with the No. 17 overall pick. This is a solid pick but it is easily the second most important part of this mock draft from a Steelers point of view.
Tannenbaum has former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter falling and going right past the Steelers, landing with the Detroit Lions and the 18th pick. Tannenbaum justifies the choice of Witherspoon based on the Steelers yards allowed per attempt. But I’d flip it the other way, noting that the Steelers having their worst season rushing the passer in half a decade played a much more significant role in those stats than the play at cornerback itself. Getting a player like Carter would go a long way toward fixing those issues without drafting a cornerback in the first round.
Let us know in the comments if you would want to see the Steelers draft Carter in this mock draft.
