Will Anderson Jr. joins T.J. Watt to form a deadly pass rushing duo in this very early Pittsburgh Steelers 7-Round 2023 NFL Mock Draft.
Seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1-4 is extremely strange. After nearly two decades of strong play, it feels like this will be the first “rebuilding” year under head coach Mike Tomlin, and the first under .500 season of his coaching career. It doesn’t mean the seat is warm for him, but it’s important to get a ton of evaluation, especially with offensive coordinator Matt Canada and the offensive line.
Kenny Pickett has already looked like a clear upgrade over Mitch Trubisky, and it’ll be fun to track his progress throughout the season. There is plenty of skill position talent in place. T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are the cornerstones on defense.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 Mock Draft: OL and Defense Upgrades
Still, it’s a team that won’t contend without upgrades along the offensive line and on the defense as a whole. That’s where potentially picking in the top five of the 2023 NFL Draft comes in. Let’s take a look at how the Pittsburgh Steelers could reload the cupboard with this 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft.
Round 1, 3rd Overall: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
One thing has been clear with this Pittsburgh Steelers. The pass rush hasn’t been able to generate enough with Watt out. While most of that issue comes from the interior, and Alex Highsmith has been playing well, looking to edge rusher rather than defensive tackle is the premium position move to make in the first round.
With Will Anderson available, it makes things easy. Anderson had a whopping 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss last season, while leading college football in pressures on third down. He’s not quite at the same pace this year (five sacks, 10 TFLs through six games) but another productive year is what NFL teams want to see. As a pass rusher, he wins with a lot of power for such a light edge defender. Still, that explosion to power conversion is effective, as is his impressive hand usage at the contact point. He could become one of the top pass rushers in the NFL very quickly and form a scary duo with Watt.
Round 2, 33rd Overall: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
**Reminder: Dolphins forfeiting their pick moves overall picks up one spot.
So, yeah, the offensive line for the Pittsburgh Steelers needs to be upgraded. Dan Moore has shown flashes, and Chukwuma Okorafor has played better this season, but to keep Pickett upright in the short and long-term, tackle must get better.
It’s a muddied group at the top of the tackle class in the 2023 NFL Draft. Several Big Ten names are often being mocked in the first round, but Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison could join them soon. Harrison is a fantastic pass blocker (just four pressures allowed this season), displaying the quick feet needed to keep defenders stymied and active hands to fight for and establish leverage. He’s a good athlete as a space blocker as well. Harrison could take over at left tackle and ignite the availability of the deep passing game.
Round 3, 64th Overall: Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M
It’s been great to see Cam Sutton be an important cog in the secondary, but the corner room as a whole needs an upgrade. Jaylon Jones has the elite size for the position (6’2″ and 205 pounds) and is comfortable aligning in press coverage. He’s very quick transitionally and plays the ball well at the catch point. The stats don’t look gaudy this year, but it’s worth noting that Alabama basically refused to throw to his side of the field last weekend. He’s a rising star in the SEC.
Round 4, 100th Overall: Colby Wooden, DL, Auburn
So we briefly discussed that the Pittsburgh Steelers needed more help rushing the passer, and that interior help was needed in addition to pairing Anderson with Watt. Enter Colby Wooden, who basically wreaks havoc as a one-gapper for Auburn. Wooden’s easy explosiveness off the ball is impressive, and he has the length to keep offensive linemen away from his frame. He also has the versatility to move around the defensive line, making him a strong value pick here.
Round 6, 162nd Overall: SirVocea Dennis, LB, Pittsburgh
Another draft, and another Pitt Panther not having to go very far. Currently, Myles Jack and Mark Robinson are the only two linebackers set to be on the roster in 2023. The Devin Bush re-sign question is interesting, but let’s assume that doesn’t happen. SirVocea Dennis is all over the field at linebacker for the Panthers. He plays with his hair on fire coming downhill, and has a whopping five sacks and 23 stops (tackles for negative plays) on the season. He’s an average player in coverage, but the impact plays he makes would be welcomed.
Round 7, 193rd Overall: Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
It wouldn’t be a Pittsburgh Steelers mock draft without getting another offensive lineman to finish this out. If Mason Cole sticks around and the belief is there, then guard may be the position to target. For now, the Steelers get a center in Olusegun Oluwatimi that has only allowed three pressures in pass protection this season in 153 opportunities. Improved pass pro with Harrison and Oluwatimi would be huge for the Steelers.