Pittsburgh Steelers Mock Draft: 4 Possible Picks For The First Round In 2017

With free agency already three weeks old, the Pittsburgh Steelers have their eyes set on the 2017 NFL Draft. After reaching the AFC Championship Game, the team is looking to add a piece that can help them get over the hump and back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2011.

Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett is expected to be the first overall selection, but there are a lot of potential scenarios after the Cleveland Browns use their pick. That means the Steelers will be prepared for multiple possibilities when they make their first-round pick at No.30, and various mock drafts have Pittsburgh looking at several different players.

There does seem to be one consistent theme when it comes to Pittsburgh and the draft. The Steelers are likely to draft a pass rusher, one that could eventually replace the aging James Harrison. Pittsburgh has one of the league’s most explosive offenses with Le’Veon Bell at running back and Antonio Brown at wide receiver, and they should focus on the defensive side of the ball when looking to upgrade the roster.

When looking at the first round, a few names stand out as potential draft picks for the Steelers at No.30.

DE Takkarist McKinley, UCLA

This might be the most likely pick for Pittsburgh. Most mock drafts don’t have McKinley going in the top half of the first round, but he probably won’t still be on the board after Day No.1. The defensive end was a top pass rusher as a senior with the Bruins, recording 10 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss in 11 games. McKinley could do big things as an outside linebacker in the NFL, though offseason shoulder surgery makes it difficult to project where he will be taken.

LB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin

Most mock drafts have Watt going in towards the end of the first round, and the linebacker could get scooped up by the Steelers at No.30 overall. The brother of J.J. Watt had 15.5 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks in 14 games as a junior, and he has a chance to immediately impact the Steelers’ pass rush. The biggest threat to Watt landing in Pittsburgh might be the Green Bay Packers, who could be eyeing the linebacker with the No.29 selection.

LB Tyus Bowser, Houston

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Steelers taking Bowser in his latest mock draft, so the linebacker has to be viewed as a serious candidate to go to Pittsburgh. Bowser played all four years at Houston, and he was incredibly productive during his time on the field as a senior. He only played eight games because he suffered an orbital fracture during a fight with a teammate, but his 12 tackles for a loss and eight sacks indicate he’ll be a good NFL player.

CB Gareon Conley, Ohio State

If the Steelers don’t draft a pass rusher, their focus could be on landing a cornerback. Conley might be gone by the time Pittsburgh makes their first selection, and some mock drafts have him going as high as No.10 overall to the Buffalo Bills. But some draft experts believe Conley will be available late in the first round, and the Steelers might not pass up the chance to grab him and improve a secondary that needs some help. He proved to have plenty of speed at the NFL Scouting Combine and picked off four passes in 2016.