2020 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock draft

Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall came into the 2019 college season as one of the best prospects at his position, looking to put the finishing touches on his college resume. Hall looked primed to be a first-round cornerback heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.

That is until an ankle injury last October sidelined him for the remainder of the season. With COVID-19 making team physicals difficult, draft models have Hall falling into the third round, as teams are unsure what shape he will be in. While he is now medically cleared and ready to go, a strong cornerback class in this year’s draft will likely lower his value.

The Steelers said goodbye to cornerback Artie Burns this offseason. The 2016 first-round pick for the Steelers, Burns failed to live up to his potential during his four seasons with the team. And while the Steelers secondary performed fantastically in 2019 (ranked third in yards allowed, according to NFL.com), they could always use more help deep down the field.

This season the Steelers will start Joe Haden and Steven Nelson at both cornerback positions, which is an above-average duo. But beyond those two, the depth pieces at the cornerback position are pretty pedestrian for the Steelers defense. Drafting Hall is less about roster needs and more about drafting for value. The Steelers have a long history of drafting “the best player on the board” and with the 102 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Hall is that player.

Plus, the Pittsburgh Steelers will eventually have to lower their roster costs after 2020, as they entered this offseason in one of the worst cap situations in the entire NFL. Haden is 31-years old and has an $11 million annual salary, while Nelson costs $8.5 million a year, according to Spotrac.

The Steelers will owe Minkah Fitzpatrick a new contract soo, who is making just over $4 million a year and will likely be looking for a raise after the 2020 season. And with the best cornerbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft gone by this point, the Steelers would be addressing an important position a year early, getting a valuable cornerback later than he should be drafted.

Hall is one of those players that would have made himself a lot of money, had he declared for the 2019 Draft. He was recognized after the 2018 season as being one of the best cornerbacks in college football, making the coaches All-ACC first team. He finished that season with 22 pass breakups, best in the entire FBS, per NFL.com.

Hall has everything an NFL general manager is looking for at the cornerback position. The Harrisburg, PA native is listed as 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, which is the ideal size for an NFL cornerback. On film he is disruptive at the line of scrimmage, knocking receivers off their assigned routes. He has a large wingspan and is disruptive at the catch point, something his 22 pass breakups in 2018 can attest to.

While not an interception machine, Hall is the type of player who you can put on an island and know his receiver will be neutralized for large segments of the game. Coming off a serious ankle injury will sour many general managers on Hall. But at this point in the draft, snagging Hall would be a steal and would help bolster a position that helped carry the Steelers defense in 2019.

With all the vertical passing offenses in the AFC, shutting down the secondary will be a key part of any AFC contenders defense. Drafting Hall here is too good of a deal to pass up.