1. Harrison Smith, S, 6' 2" 215, Notre Dame. Troy is entering his 10th season and Clark his 11th season. Ryan Mundy just does not look like a starter to me, a competent backup sure, but not somebody who is an heir apparent to either Troy or Clark. Will Allen is going to be cut/released to help get under the cap. We have a need here and Mike Mayock likes him and he appears to be able to play either position.

2. Demario Davis, ILB, 6'3" 230, Arkansas St. He is thought of as an ILB/OLB 4-3 prospect but what was James Farrior back in the day? He was a 4-3 OLB and he came to Pittsburgh and thrived as a 3-4 ILB. Davis can play the run, stack and shed, disengage, has violent hands but also can drop into coverage and make plays. I think he will have a great combine and move up into the 2nd-3rd round range.

3. Kelvin Beachum, G, 6'3" 306, SMU. Played left tackle but too short to stay there in the NFL. Was very good at getting to the second level and making blocks. Is athletic to pull and lead the way on runs but also has a good anchor. I think he has as much upside as any G we could reach for in round 1.

4. Chigbo Anunoby, NT, 6'4" 324, Morehouse. I like him and Damon Harrison from William Penn as possible replacements for Hampton. Both will probably go higher due to the mediocrity of the DT class but they have talent.

5. Asa Jackson, CB/RS, 5'10" 190, Cal Poly. Yes, we have Taylor, Curtis Brown, Cortez Allen and Keenan Lewis but we usually keep 6 CBs and either McFadden or Gay will leave. What I envision for Jackson is a CB who will play great special teams and be a return man as he learns the ropes. We don't want to risk Antonio Brown or Sanders on the return units anymore than we have to and Jackson would add great value.

6. John Cullen, RT/LT, 6'5" 305, Utah. He is a developmental tackle prospect who needs to add weight and strength obviously but he is a pretty good athlete and has natural talent and the tools to mold into something. I am sick of us drafting these O-Lineman that have no potential. Tony Hills was a pumped up former TE who was never going to get any bigger, he was maxed out. Doug Legursky was maxed out from day one. Cullen has talent and potential to add weight and get better.

7. G. J. Kinne, QB, 6'2" 235, Tulsa. Getting better and was a 63% passer his last year. The more I read of him the more I see people compare him to a Bruce Gradkowski. Is gritty and will improvise and buy time with his feet. Batch and Lefty are about done, Dixon will be moving on, Troy Smith never had accuracy, so I still feel the Steelers need to draft a developmental QB to be Ben's understudy. And why not get a QB who is more in line with Ben? Someone who can improvise, has played a little as a gunslinger but has also shown the ability to be a traditional QB. Perfect 7th round pick if he last this long.

7. Carson Wiggs, K, 6'1" 222, Purdue. Shiusham needs competiton. The reason I have the Steelers drafting a PK with a 7th round pick is because I don't think they would fare well in the bidding wars after the draft. Dude kicked a 67 yard FG in a spring game and he was very good at kickoffs (Purdue led the BigTen in kickoff coverage). Accuracy is not really that distinguishable from any other kicker (15 of 19, 5-6 from 40+ yards) but what is important to me is having a strong leg first, then worry about accuracy second. We had Tomlin scared to let our kicker try from 45 yards, that is pathetic and has to change.

scunge?

you're not suggesting that we use a 1st rounder on Harrison Smith, are you? There isn't a single guy in your mock that will go in the top 2 rounds

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Ah....

Well.....

I think Scrunge was drunk when he did this.

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I love you guys too!

Listen, every year we go through this. People make their mocks and others ridicule it. This player will never go this high, that player will never go that high. Whatever. The combine and pro days have ways of elevating players.

I find it amusing that every year we have people in their mocks predict players will be available in the 4th or 5th round or the 7th and then they blow up at the combine and are picked in rounds 2 or 3.

Remember the Miami Dolphins DE Kendall Langford? Many posters on this board lusted after him and thought he would make a perfect Steeler and that we could land him in round 4 or 5, he went to the Dolphins at the very beginning of round 3. Ditto DT Linval Joseph of the Giants. Many here thought he would be a great pick in the 4th round and the Giants picked him in the second round. I remember many thinking that Tampa Bay's DT Roy Miller would make a nice backup NT to Hampton and were predicting him going in rounds 5 or 6 and Tampa picked him in the 3rd round.

Happens every year. We all make mocks and those players all end up going way higher. So, make fun of my mock if you will, we will see come April.

yeah, but it seems like you made every single pick in your mock based on the idea that any guy you like will go two rounds earlier than predicted and that guys who played for teams in bcs conferences should be avoided at all costs...

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This post consists solely of the opinions of the author, and should in no way, shape or form be interpreted as an assertion of fact.

Scunge, what did players from BCS Conference schools ever do to you?

I do like Asa Jackson though.

Nicely done scrunge you've addressed every need with one draft. I like it.

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Honor the Fallen. http://www.militarytimes.com/valor/

I'd be astonished if they avoided the BCS conferences completely. It'd be fascinating, for a team, like.... I don't know, Denver? But, I don't want us to.

Big-school, athletic types at skill positions, big-school producers have been the norm for a while. This would NEVER happen with Colbert at GM, unless you were talking about a well-touted MAC conference franchise QB prospect that falls to, say, the eleventh pick.

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"In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws,
and mine are long and sharp, my lord,
as long and sharp as yours."
-George R.R. Martin

It ain't working for mid/late round OL talent, that's for sure.

Actually, they haven't exactly drafted athletic types on the OLine after round 2.

Let us remember that many of the all time greats of this franchise were small school guys no one ever heard of, and its two best QBs both came from lesser competition.

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"Joe Flacco is the best QB in football."-- Ray Rice