I can always appreciate when a mock draft doesn’t just stick to the script for the Pittsburgh Steelers picks. Our friends over at Touchdown Wire have a new three-round mock draft out and went quite a little rogue in all the best ways. Let’s take a look at the picks.
First round-WR Jordan Addison, USC
Second round-OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
Second round-CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
Third round-RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss
Breaking down the picks
This is a great mock draft for the Steelers. It doesn’t stick to the formula so many other mock drafts do and gets the Steelers some impact players. Addison and Torrence are on the field Week One and Addison’s history with quarterback Kenny Pickett makes this pick a smart one for the Steelers. Torrence can replace Kevin Dotson and really add punch to the run game while righting the wrongs of the Dotson and Kendrick Green picks.
Banks in the middle of the second round is a bargain. Unless Cameron Sutton leaves there is no need to spend the top pick on a cornerback. Banks would fit into the rotation perfectly with his length and athleticism.
Now, if none of those first three picks got under your skin, Evans in the third will. Most fans will look at using a pick this high on a running back as bad business and they might be right.
I can see fans lashing out against this one bigtime, especially given Pittsburgh didn’t take an offensive tackle, linebacker or edge rusher in those first three picks. There are a handful of guys who were taken after Evans who could help the Steelers much sooner. Alabama S Jordan Battle, defensive Keeanu Benton, linebacker Jack Campbell and offensive tackle Blake Freeland are just some of the names we see go after Evans that make far more sense. Nevertheless, we applaud TD Wire for thinking outside the box.
