2018 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock
By Conor Dorney
Safety Mike Mitchell could wind up as a cap casualty this offseason and if that happens, expect Pittsburgh to look for an upgrade at safety within the first three rounds.
West Virginia standout Kyzir White (brother of former Bears’ first-round pick Kevin White) is an extremely athletic safety with great size for the position. White excels at playing downhill and loves to punish ball carriers in the middle of the field, especially when playing in the box. In addition to his play on the field, White is also a leader in the locker room, serving as the Mountaineers’ team captain during his senior season.
White probably isn’t as athletically gifted from a numbers standpoint as his brother Kevin and doesn’t have the range as a center fielder that you may desire in a free safety. Because he’s such a big hitter, he can also tend to get sloppy in his tackling technique and fail to wrap up, but his size and lower leg drive tend to make up for that in most situations.
Even if the Steelers decide to keep Mitchell for 2018, both he and backup safety JJ Wilcox will be unrestricted free agents after next season. The team will count on the continued development of Sean Davis in his third season and adding a player like Kyzir White in the third round will undoubtedly give them one of the best young safety tandems in the NFL.