Pittsburgh Steelers full 2018 mock draft

Linebacker is a crucial need for Pittsburgh in this draft and in the second round, they land one of the more polarizing prospects in this class,  Texas’ Malik Jefferson.

Jefferson entered college football as one of the heralded defensive prospects in quite some time but was never able to match production to his otherworldly potential. The Longhorns program experienced plenty of turmoil during his time on campus, and Jefferson did have have by far his best season in 2017, but questions still remain.

With many of the top linebackers off the board by the time the Steelers go on the clock in the first round, they may turn to a high-risk, high-reward prospect like Jefferson in the second or third. There’s no denying his athletic prowess (4.52 40-yard dash, 125-inch broad jump), but Jefferson may lack the instincts and awareness to be an every-down linebacker in the NFL.

There’s plenty of athletic talent for Jefferson to work with and the Steelers may find it worth it to try and turn Jefferson into one of the bigger draft steals of day two. Other players to watch with this pick include South Florida defensive tackle Deadrin Senat and Penn State safety Marcus Allen.