Perfect Picks 2023: Pittsburgh Steelers

By Joshua Edwards

With the NFL Draft approaching we will be looking at each team and evaluating where they need to improve. In this particular series we will run a seven round mock using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator and find the ‘Perfect Picks’ for each franchise.

We will highlight four players that could help each team. This will feature picks 1 and 2, a mid round gem and a late round sleeper. 

Round 1 - Darnell Wright (Offesive Tackle, Tennessee)

With a talent like Najee Haris at running back, and second year QB Kenny Pickett under center, the play of your two tackles needs to be good. Last year, Dan Moore Jr. and Chuks Okorafor, the bookends of the Steelers offensive line, were not good. Moore Jr. allowed 7 sacks and had 10 penalties, and Okorafor had just a 61.2 overall grade per PFF. 

Darnell Wright, out of Tennessee, is a consensus top 3 prospect at the position this year. A four-year starter, Wright has all the physical tools at 6’6” and 335lbs, with a good balance of power and hands. There are questions as to whether he is best suited to left or right tackle, having flip-flopped between both positions at Tennessee, but given Pittsburgh isn’t particularly set at either spot, Wright could be a clever selection at 17 should he fall.

Wright shone against Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., allowing only one pressure in that game, and just eight in total for the season.

Round 2 - Nolan Smith (Edge Rusher, Georgia)

The Steelers defense had 40 sacks last season, which is middle of the pack, but struggled hugely when TJ Watt went on injured reserve. It might raise some eyebrows, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Pittsburgh look to edge rusher earlier than expected to beef up the position.

Nolan Smith, out of Georgia, is seen as more of a run stuffing defensive end than he is a pressure machine, but he projects nicely at the pro level due to a solid combination of relentless pursuit and physicality. A leader on and off the field in a defense full of NFL level talent, Smith is a positive locker room influence with tremendous upside as an every down defender. 

Smith’s most evident traits on film are the violence with which he plays the position and his speed off the ball. He may well go higher than 32, but if other teams decide he is too much of a tweener to take too high, the Steelers might end up with a steal.

Mid Round Gem - Zacch Pickens (Defensive Tackle, South Carolina)

Once considered an afterthought, defensive tackle is becoming a premium position. Inside pressure is high on the agenda for defensive co-ordinators who are trying to counteract the quick passing game which has developed into a hallmark of the majority of pass-happy offensive schemes.

The Steelers re-signed Larry Ogunjobi, a great complement to Cam Heyward, but there is always room for a value pick at this spot later in the draft, and I think Zacch Pickens out of South Carolina could make a lot of sense. Pickens, a former 5 star recruit out of high school, is versatile, and lines up all across the defensive interior, equally comfortable in 0-tech and 3-tech. He is physical and athletic and though he lacks some of the more complex pass rush moves inside, he consistently sheds different types of blocks and can therefore be extremely disruptive in the run game at NFL level.

Late Round Sleeper - Anthony Bradford (Offensive Guard, LSU)

Photo Credit: Hilary Scheinuk, The Advocate

Another mauler to bolster the Steelers ailing offensive line, Anthony Bradford has only started a couple of seasons for the Tigers, and is as raw as they come, but could prove a genuine sleeper and developmental guard for Pittsburgh. A huge guy (6’5” and 345lbs), Bradford has started at LT, LG and RG in those two years in Baton Rouge.

He uses that power well in the run game, which is perhaps his biggest strength, but is also relatively adept at anchoring in pass protection. He naturally has a lot to clean up at the pro level, especially in terms of footwork and lateral agility (speed rushers cause him problems on the interior) but there’s promise there. If Pittsburgh can be patient and develop his strengths while mitigating some weaknesses early on, they could get a competent starter or solid backup late in this draft.

Draft In Full:

Round 1 – Darnell Wright (Offensive Tackle, Tennessee)

Round 2 – Nolan Smith (Edge, Georgia)

Round 2 – Drew Sanders (Linebacker, Arkansas)

Round 3 – Brandon Joseph (Safety, Notre Dame)

Round 4 – Zacch Pickens (Defensive Tackle, South Carolina)

Round 7 – Anthony Bradford (Offensive Guard, LSU)

Round 7 – Cam Jones (Linebacker, Indiana)

JOSHUA EDWARDS

NFC EAST & COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST

JOSH IS AN NFC EAST SPECIALIST AND LONG SUFFERING COMMANDERS FAN BASED IN LONDON. CHECK OUT HIS ARTICLES HERE AND FOLLOW HIM @JOSHWA_1990 ON TWITTER FOR SOME WRY CYNICISM