2020 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers will need a keen eye if they hope to make the most of their limited 2020 NFL Draft picks. In this mock draft, the Steelers focus on depth pieces and players that can contribute in 2020.

The 2020 NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 23, which means we are less than a week away from the first major NFL event of the season. And while the Pittsburgh Steelers may have one of the best defenses in the AFC, they are going to need this year’s draft to go incredibly well if they hope to compete in 2020.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is coming back after sustaining a serious injury in Week 2 of the 2019 season. This year, Roethlisberger is entering the second to last year of his contract at 38-years-old. While he is under contract until 2022, Roethlisberger has contemplated retirement in the past and the 2020 season could very well be his last season in the NFL. If Roethlisberger were to get injured again this season, the likelihood of him retiring would only increase.

Roethlisberger is a future Hall of Fame quarterback and Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has indicated he believes Roethlisberger can deliver the franchise another Super Bowl before he retires. But to do that, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to overcome some serious obstacles.

The AFC North looks to be competitive once again, as the division has seen a reversal of fortunes during the last two seasons. Out of the 16 seasons that Roethlisberger has led the Steelers, they have won the AFC North seven times and been to the playoffs 10 times. Despite all that winning, the Steelers have missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

On top of that, the typical punching bags in the AFC North have started to cobble together impressive rosters over the past few seasons. The Baltimore Ravens are no longer the team that hopes they can compete for a Wild Card spot, instead choosing to run an unusual offense with Lamar Jackson to two back-to-back division titles.

The Cleveland Browns are looking competitive once again, with a roster full of talented players. And it is only a matter of time before the Cincinnati Bengals have a competent roster around their new Heisman-winning (presumptive) quarterback Joe Burrow.

That is not even considering other AFC teams that are building impressive rosters and look to dominate the conference now that Tom Brady has left the New England Patriots. The days of the AFC being a two-horse race between the Steelers and the Patriots are long gone. If the Steelers hope to bring another Lombardi Trophy back to Pittsburgh before Big Ben rides off into the sunset, 2020 may be their best chance.

With just six selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, Colbert and the Pittsburgh Steelers scouting department will have to swing for the fences with their selections. That means players who must contribute in the 2020 season. The Steelers are fortunate enough to have a defense that has a solid foundation of starters but could use depth pieces at critical positions. The offense is getting back their franchise quarterback this season but has several positions that need upgrading.

In this mock draft, we’ll explore the players likely available to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft, allowing the reader to see which players are likely on the team’s radar as they proceed through the draft.

We’ll discuss each hypothetical draft prospect’s college career, what skills they can bring to the Steelers roster and finally what role they can expect to find when joining the Steelers in 2020. Without a first-round pick, the Steelers will need to hit on a few late-round draft picks, which will require the Steelers to find talent off the beaten trail.

For more projections and analysis of the 2020 NFL Draft make sure to check back with NFL Mocks as we are constantly adding new content every day. We’ll be posting reactions and analysis during and after this year’s draft, so make sure to keep coming back.