2018 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock
By Conor Dorney
5th round
The long-term future of Ben Roethlisberger will be discussed quite a bit over the next several months and all of that discussion will have an impact on whether or not they select a quarterback in 2018. Even if Big Ben sees a contract extension, Landry Jones will be an unrestricted free agent following next season, so it stands to reason that the Steelers could look for a late-round developmental quarterback.
After taking over for former first-rounder Paxton Lynch, Memphis’ Riley Ferguson (6-foot-2, 196 pounds) established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the American Athletic Conference. With fellow draft prospect Anthony Miller serving as his top target, Ferguson passed for 70 total touchdowns and just 19 interceptions over the past two seasons as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.
Ferguson’s durability due to a lanky build may be a concern and his disappointing weigh-in at the Shrine Game (he was listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds) certainly didn’t do him any favors. He’s got enough arm strength but has an extremely long release that will have to be corrected for him to have a chance at a future starting gig in the NFL.
He’s going to be a project but with Big Ben and Landry Jones in place for the time being, the Steelers can afford to take a flyer on a prospect like Ferguson in the hopes he turns into a late-round gem.
You can never have enough cornerback depth and I would expect Pittsburgh to explore the possibility of adding a corner late in this draft if the opportunity presents itself.
Wallace weighs in at just 176 pounds but possesses outstanding length with 33 3/8-inch arms. He turned himself into a valuable member of a loaded Crimson Tide secondary, logging three interceptions in 2017, including one that went for a pick-six against Ole Miss.
The aforementioned hire of Karl Dunbar gives the Steelers a nice intel pipeline into the Alabama profile and could pounce on the opportunity to draft a player from the Tide defense at some point during this draft.
7th round
The Steelers have scouted big wide receivers fairly aggressive during this draft cycle and with Martvais Bryant scheduled to hit free agency after next season, it’s highly likely that they use another pick on the position in the later rounds.
Georgia’s Javon Wims (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) has excellent size for the position and does a great job at leaping and high-pointing the football. He racked up 720 yards and seven touchdowns this season for the Bulldogs and should be an interesting name to watch at the Combine, where I expect him to post some impressive numbers, particularly in the vertical jump.
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If Wims gets snatched up earlier than expected, the Steelers could also take a look at players like New Mexico State’s Jaleel Scott, Penn’s Justin Watson and Houston’s Steven Dunbar.