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Pittsburgh Steelers 2017 Seven round mock draft

By Tyler Donaldson

Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on from the sidelines against the New England Patriots in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on from the sidelines against the New England Patriots in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 28, 2017; Mobile, AL, USA; South squad wide receiver Josh Reynolds of Texas A&M (81) fumbles the ball as he is tackled by North squad safety Lorenzo Jerome of Saint Francis (PA) (22) during the second quarter of the 2017 Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2017; Mobile, AL, USA; South squad wide receiver Josh Reynolds of Texas A&M (81) fumbles the ball as he is tackled by North squad safety Lorenzo Jerome of Saint Francis (PA) (22) during the second quarter of the 2017 Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports /

The Steelers play in the nickel package more and more each season so their need for depth in the secondary is urgent. There’s no doubt they will most likely take two secondary defenders but this is the late round pick that makes the most sense. 

A small school prospect with big upside potential is exactly the kind of safety Tomlin can use to develop into a contributor and in the meantime make big play on special teams.

Jerome excelled in his years at Saint Francis and a solid senior bowl started to create some buzz around his ability. The 5’10″ safety needs some time to adjust to NFL speed coming out of a smaller school but his ball skills are enough that this isn’t so much a gamble but a solid investment.

Despite a small frame, Jerome plays bigger than his size and his knack for making big plays will have him competing for playing time sooner than later.

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