As regular readers here know, when I do a mock draft, I don't just look at rankings -- even my own -- and try to guess who will be available in each round. I'll be releasing my own rankings for the upcoming draft later this week.
Rather, I run mock draft simulators to see who will be available in a given draft.
And often times, there are surprises.
My latest mock draft is certainly that. You see, I have Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins as my top running back available this year. So, imagine my surprise when Dobbins was available to me at pick No. 49.
I didn't sprint to the podium or anything like that. But I also didn't hesitate to make the pick.
This is my fifth mock draft this year. I'll have two remaining after this, one next week when we're two weeks out and another that will be released the April 23. As a reminder, the Steelers took running back Zack Moss in the first, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the second, wide receiver Tee Higgins in the third and running back Jonathan Taylor in the fourth.
Yes, I feel the value will be there at running back, as this mock draft again shows.
So, without any further ado, here is my latest Steelers' mock draft now three weeks to the day from the start of this year's NFL Draft.
Round 2, pick 49 -- J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State (previous pick, Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin): The Steelers might catch a break because Dobbins chose not to work out at the NFL Scouting Combine and then had his pro day canceled. He's fast. He catches the ball well. He runs inside and out. He's a dynamic runner. This was the first time I did an official mock in which he was still available when pick No. 49 came around. And even at that, he was ranked as the 32nd-best player available in the entire draft. So it's dicey it will happen. But if he's available, the Steelers would be pleased.
Round 3, pick 102 -- Alex Taylor, OT, South Carolina State (previous pick, Ashtyn Davis, S, California): Davis was actually available once again, even though he was ranked as the 72nd-best overall prospect. So I was very tempted to take him again. But Taylor is one of the wildcards in this draft. He's a 6-8, 308-pound former college basketball player who has long arms and plenty of athleticism. But he needs seasoning. With NFL teams having two extra roster spots available to them this season, the Steelers can afford to redshirt Taylor, who has the skillset to become a future star if he continues to develop.
Round 4, pick 124 -- Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas (previous pick, Darrell Taylor, Tennessee): People will look at Duvernay and see a pure speed player. He does have that attribute, as his 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine shows. But he also led the nation with 106 receptions for the Longhorns last season. He needs time to work on his routes, but he can be an immediate deep threat while that develops. Duvernay has excellent hands and is a threat anytime he has the ball in his hands.
Round 4, pick 135 -- Willie Gay Jr., LB, Mississippi State (previous pick, Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU): Gay is an athletic linebacker who can play inside or out. And there's some definite value in that. He ran a 4.46 40 at the Combine at 6-1, 243 pounds and he plays fast -- though his instincts remind me of a young Bud Dupree. But, like Dupree, if the instincts catch up to the athleticism, he could be a pretty good player. At the very least, he's a depth player who should be a good special teams player.
Round 6, pick 198 -- K'von Wallace, S, Clemson (previous pick, Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Mississippi): Wallace has the speed to run with tight ends and the size to be a big nickel back. That's valuable and would allow the Steelers to potentially play some three safety looks if he picks things up quickly enough. He's good in the run game, as well. Wallace led the Tigers with 10 pass breakups last season while also intercepting a couple of passes. He should be an immediate impact player on special teams, as well.
Round 7, pick 232 -- Bravvion Roy, NT, Baylor (previous pick, Evan Weaver, LB, California): Roy is a classic, 6-1, 330-pound run-stuffing nose tackle. If he were playing 20 years ago, he might not have lasted until the third round. But in today's NFL, big run pluggers aren't as valuable. At the very least, Roy is competition -- once again -- for Daniel McCullers.
To continue reading, log into your account:
