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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Curt Popejoy

Breaking down the Steelers picks in latest Draft Wire mock draft

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Our friends over at Draft Wire have given us the best Christmas gift of all. A new two-round mock draft. Let’s at a look at the picks for the Pittsburgh Steelers and see if they got a big fat lump of coal.

First round-OT Peter Skoronski, Nortwestern

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Skornoski has tremendous film but he’s going to worry some teams with his lack of elite length. Pittsburgh rarely drafts offensive tackles in the first round but it is a top need.

Second round-DT Siaki Ika, Baylor

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

I continue to pound the table for Pittsburgh to draft a massive interior defensive lineman and there is none better than Siaki Ika.

Second round-WR Rashee Rice, SMU

Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

No one would be shocked if the Steelers used a second-round pick on a sleeper receiver with elite potential. Rashee Rice might not have elite timed speed but he is a savvy route-runner who can always find ways to get separation and is deadly after the catch.

 

Breaking it all down

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

This feels very much like a Steelers draft. Safe, solid picks with good upside and minimal risk. With the other talent on the board, Skoronski feels like a reach for needs and a guy like Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson or Florida State edge Jared Verse would be much better value.

In the second round, getting Ika is a lock. Ika and Michigan’s Mazie Smith are the two big interior guys the steelers should target so no qualms with landing Ika here. As for Rice, he’s a great choice but if Pittsburgh passes on an offensive tackle with the top two picks, Oklahoma’s Anton Harris makes sense here.

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