Farabaugh: Seven-Round Steelers Mock 2022 NFL Draft

Draft day is finally upon us and the Steelers are still one of the teams that will intrigue the most. As such, trying to predict who they will pick is no easy task, however, they have dropped subtle hints over their process by how they have traveled the country for pro days. So, just who will they get? Here is Steelers Now‘s seven-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Round 1, Pick 12: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

Steelers trade the 20th overall pick, 84th overall pick, and a 2023 2nd Round Pick to the Minnesota Vikings for the 12th overall pick.

So, does it make much sense for the Steelers to trade up? Maybe in the top 10, the price is a little too steep. Granted, if they think a quarterback is the guy, they may do it anyway. However, it becomes even more likely once they get past the 10th overall pick. At that point, they will not have to give up a future 1st, and things will be less hard to swallow.

Hence, the trade with the Vikings makes a lot of sense. With Derek Stingley off the board and the Vikings feeling like they are in no man’s land, they decide to trade out of the 20th overall pick, knowing that one of the top cornerbacks will still be there at that pick. The Steelers, wanting to jump in front of the Saints and any other team that may be tempted to move up, decide to go up and get their guy.

Malik Willis has always been the guy. They had shown a ton of interest in him at the Senior Bowl, they met at the Combine, they sent the house to his pro day and had a pro day dinner with him, and he came in for a top-30 visit. The interest is there. This is the ultimate swing to the fences by Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin, but if Willis pans out, he’s going to be one of the best in the NFL. The raw tools draw them to Willis, and he becomes a Steeler here as a result. It may not be all that popular, but he is the diamond of the class in Pittsburgh’s eyes.

Round 2, Pick 52: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

The Steelers need a third wide receiver badly. If they trade one of their day two picks, it almost feels like the next pick has to be a wide receiver. Well, keeping the second-round pick that they have will help them land someone worthy of filling that void. George Pickens is a fun player who fits a lot of what the Steelers need and do. He can play really anywhere on the field and has that flexibility factor that Tomlin and Colbert love.

However, Pickens’ ability to win downfield is what will really draw the Steelers to him. He has solid speed and elite body control. His ball tracking and understanding of how to stack cornerbacks are at an expert level. Drafting Pickens allows the Steelers to move Chase Claypool around a little bit and gives them another option at X-receiver if Diontae Johnson gets injured.

There are some injury concerns here and his play strength will have to improve for Pickens to become a top-tier receiver, but he has all the potential in the world to outplay this draft slot.

Round 4, Pick 138: Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State

This one feels like a bit of a sleeper pick, but the interest tracks yet again. Colbert attended NC State pro day, which is where Joshua Williams just so happened to be working out. Williams feels like a Steelers cornerback in a lot of ways. He is long, explosive, and is a ballhawk. There are three traits to fit with the Steelers on the outside, and those three might be the biggest traits of all.

Williams fits into the mold here nicely because he is a bit more polished than one might think. Coming from HBCU Fayetteville State, Williams was a standout and flashed everything needed to be a starting NFL cornerback in the pre-draft process. He is always a sure-tackler and plays with a brand of physicality the Steelers demand from their starting cornerbacks. He can fit right into the defense as a guy who sits for one year and can potentially compete for a starting job the next.

Round 6, Pick 208: Andrew Stueber, OT, Michigan

The Steleers do need an offensive tackle at some point in this draft. It could certainly be earlier than this, but filling that fourth spot on the roster at tackle is going to be a battle during training camp. Enter Andrew Stueber, who is powerful, has strong hands, and plays with good flexibility. Stueber could likely kick inside to guard at the next level, but he has the footwork to try and stick it out at tackle first.

Still, Stueber went through the process playing at tackle, guard, and center. That will allow teams to see how many hats he can truly wear, and in this late portion of the draft, it makes sense for the Steelers to swing on a guy who can have a true utilityman future in the NFL.

Round 7, Pick 225: Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU

It does feel like at some point in this class that the Steelers will add some running back depth behind Najee Harris. They may add two running backs, as it does not feel like there is anyone to push Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland in that unit right now. Spending a pick this late on a running back makes sense from a depth perspective and Tyrion Davis-Price is a Steelers type of running back.

He is a big-bodied guy at 6 foot, 219 pounds. Davis-Price is an efficient and smart runner that the Steelers will like. While he fits their mold, he also has just enough burst to win at the edge and enough speed in the open field to rip off chunk plays. This is the type of guy the Steelers were wishing Snell could be. Davis-Price has more athletic upside, even if he is not an elite creator. At the very least, he can be a quality rotational back and step in should Harris get injured.

Round 7, Pick 241: Joey Blount, S, Virginia

The Steelers sure do love themselves some athletic safeties. That is what the Steelers value at safety. It is all about taking athletic traits and turning them into something more. In fact, none of the safeties currently on the Steelers’ roster have anything less than high upside athleticism.

Joey Blount is a guy with athleticism for days. He is raw, but he plays with his hair on fire and that is something that will attract coaches to him. Blount needs to become more cerebral and dial that play style back a little bit, but teams would rather turn it down than shut it off. He is more of an upside bet on athletic traits at this portion in the draft, and with the Steelers’ situation at safety, it makes sense to swing on the upside.

If the Steelers do not trade up, here’s is what a potential draft could look like

Round 1, Pick 20: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

Round 2, Pick 52: Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan

Round 3, Pick 84: Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati

Round 4, Pick 138: Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Alabama

Round 6, Pick 198: Tyler Allegier, RB, BYU

Round 7, Pick 225: Joshua Ross, LB, Michigan

Round 7, Pick 241: Ja’Tyre Carter, OT, Soutern