Apr 22, 2016 4 min read

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With less than a week now remaining before the start of the NFL Draft, I thought it might be fun to try something a little different – the ideal draft for the Steelers.

I took part as an analyst for the Steelers Nation Unite mock on Wednesday and it’s obvious Steelers fans have been doing their research on defensive backs. By the time the Steelers picked in that draft, Pittsburgh, picking at No. 25, would have had to reach for a defensive back. That’s not going to happen, but neither is the draft going to go the way it did Wednesday.

Everyone likes to focus on the top pick, but there will be a number of others brought in after that who will be expected to make an impact.

Here’s the haul I think the Steelers would be quite happy coming away with next week:

Round 1 (Pick 25): Andrew Billings, NT, Baylor. I think the corner who will likely still be on the board, Mackensie Alexander, doesn’t intercept the ball and there are rumors that he is a tough guy to deal with off the field. And I don’t see a safety who stands out enough to be the pick here, either. So I’ll go with Billings. Yes, he’ll only play 30-35 percent of the snaps – Dan McCullers will get some in a veteran nod – but he could make an impact. Alexander, Keanu Neal and Vernon Butler also are possibilities.

Round 2 (Pick 58): Artie Burns, CB, Miami. Burns is still developing as a football player. But he’s already pretty darn good. He could go a little earlier than this, but I think he lasts. If not, CB Kendall Fuller or S Darian Thompson could be nice fallback options. If Karl Joseph is available, it could be a tough pick between he and Burns.

Round 3 (Pick 89): Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame. I know Smith won’t help this year, but if he had been healthy, he’d have been a first-round pick. This is pure value. And the Steelers can afford to allow him to sit – like Senquez Golson did last year – and learn. Jihad Ward or Carl Nassib would help completely stock the defensive line, while Javon Hargrave would be a nice fallback option here if Billings is gone in the first and they have to go DB. Boston College FS Justin Simmons would also be a possibility.

Round 4 (Pick 123): Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron. The Steelers lost some key members of their special teams units in the offseason. At worst, Brown and his 4.4 speed replaces those. At 5-11, 227. he’s bascially the same size Sean Spence was when he joined the Steelers. But he’s much faster. Could he convert to safety? Maybe. Either way, he’s a football player. Jerald Hawkins might also be of interest as a swing tackle. Cardale Jones should go somewhere in this area, as well. The team also could double down at CB with a player such as Jonathan Jones. Finally, RB Tyler Ervin is everything the Steelers have been searching for in a scatback type, only he won’t go down on first contact.

Round 6 (Pick 220): Tavon Young, CB, Temple. It might be a stretch for Young to last this long. The Steelers might have to move up to get him. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them move their seventh-round pick to do so. To me, he’s a William Gay clone. And that’s not bad. Dadi Lhomme Nicolas out of Virginia Tech also would be a nice fit if the Steelers don’t get an outside linebacker earlier.

Round 7 (Pick 229): Deon Bush, S, Miami. Bush would be a nice value pick here. Was banged up his senior season, but was considered a big-time prospect before that. Jayron Kearse also would be an option here, as would Demontrae Elston.

Round 7 (Pick 246): Keenan Reynolds, RB/WR. Navy: Why not? He’s a special player with the ball in his hands and perhaps he also develops into a return man. He’s got that kind of ability. And the Steelers have always liked guys who have versatility. If not Reynolds, Baylor’s Jay Lee could be the guy.