Halicke's Mock Draft 1.0: Another obvious pick aligns in the first round

The Steelers have a great opportunity to improve their roster with a strong NFL Draft this April, thanks to three selections in the top 50 picks.

And further to their benefit, this particular draft lines up well for Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin to draft the figurative best player available while also addressing actual roster needs.

How might this actually shake out? 

Well, it's only February and we haven't even traveled to the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis yet. That's later this month, and we'll have a much clearer picture after that, after college pro days and other events. But the Senior Bowl alone taught us enough that there are plenty of ways for the Steelers to shift course depending on how the draft plays out. 

Footnote before we get going: Compensatory picks will be added after the Super Bowl, so exact positions beyond the third round are not yet finalized. Also, this is just the first of multiple mock drafts we'll do in preparation for the draft, so these selections will likely change quite a bit.

Now, a very early mock:

FIRST ROUND, NO. 17:
JOEY PORTER JR., CB, PENN STATE

With all of the emphasis on offensive line play at the Senior Bowl, it's possible the Steelers choose one here. However, it's not quite that simple. Teams such as the Raiders, Titans and Jets could realistically take the top three tackles off the board. Instead of reaching for another tackle such as Oklahoma's Anton Harrison, the Steelers could adapt and address another pressing need at cornerback.

Porter is being mocked quite a bit to the Steelers. And, to be fair, it does feel obvious. His father, Joey Porter, has a long history with the Steelers, and he and Tomlin have been close on and off the field for many years. What's more, if last year's draft process taught us anything, sometimes the obvious pick is the way to go.

Porter Jr.'s ability in press coverage fits the Steelers' defensive scheme perfectly, plus he's physical and a good tackler. We knew this already, but in his conversation with reporters during Senior Bowl practices, secondary coach Grady Brown stressed once again how important it is for cornerbacks to be able to tackle.

Now, there is a chance Porter is taken before the Steelers pick 17th. Only Illinois' Devon Witherspoon and Oregon's Christian Gonzalez are thought to be ranked ahead of Porter Jr. at the cornerback position, perhaps Georgia's Kelee Ringo ranked ahead as well. But, if all three cornerbacks are gone, this could be a situation where the Steelers could have Georgia's Broderick Jones fall to them.

SECOND ROUND, NO. 32: 
DAWAND JONES, OT, OHIO STATE

Prior to the Senior Bowl, Jones likely wouldn't have been thought to go any earlier than the third round. But, all Jones needed was one day of practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium to show he's much more than a 6-8, 375-pound gargantuan with an 89.5-inch wingspan.

Jones really displayed good technique and strength during the run blocking portion of 1-on-1s at the Senior Bowl, and Tomlin had a front row seat to it.

The truth is, while there are several options at tackle in the second and third rounds, there aren't too many great tackles in this draft. There's a chance the Steelers could have one fall to them in the first round. But, the most likely scenario at this point is to take one in the second round. Khan and Tomlin will have a whole day to think about what direction to go with the first pick of the second round.

As a junior, Jones allowed seven quarterback hurries, one quarterback hit and three sacks in 13 games. However, he raised his game to another level during his senior year, allowing only four quarterback hurries, no quarterback hits, and no sacks in 11 games. The only issue for the Steelers is he played mostly right tackle at Ohio State. But, due to his size and underrated footwork, Jones could possibly move over to left tackle. Though, he has established himself as a stout run-blocker on the right side, which could really benefit the Steelers' new dedication to the running game.

An injury during the first day of practice at the Senior Bowl limited Jones from elevating his stock even more. But, he is one of eight Buckeyes invited to the Combine in Indianapolis, so everyone will get another chance to further evaluate just how much teams like him. By the time the draft comes around, Jones may have done enough to even be considered for Day 1 of the draft. But, at this point, we'll have the Steelers solidifying their needs at tackle with Jones as a Day 2 selection.

SECOND ROUND, NO. 49: 
KEEANU BENTON, DT, WISCONSIN

After taking care of needs in the secondary and the offensive line, I have the Steelers addressing another hole on the other side of the trenches.

Another high-riser from the Senior Bowl, Benton is a true nose tackle at 6-3, 312 pounds. Those come at a premium in today's NFL, which already raises his positional value. And, of course, Benton's calling card with the Badgers was his effectiveness in run defense. As a pass rusher, he tallied 11 quarterback hurries, 11 quarterback hits and six sacks over 12 games during his senior year.

However, Benton raised his stock to an earlier Day 2 prospect when he flashed some serious signs during Senior Bowl practices that he has the tools to become a capable NFL pass rusher in addition to being a polished run defender. Most notable, Benton displayed eye-popping quickness for a man of his size.

That's given teams more confidence in believing he can play 3-technique at the NFL level, which fits the Steelers perfectly. Whether it's a base 3-4 or a sub-package with two down linemen, Benton could fit if the Steelers are one of the teams that believe Benton could play 3-technique.

Benton confirmed during the Senior Bowl that he's on the Steelers' radar, so it wouldn't surprise me if he shows well during the Combine and his pro day that his stock rises all the way to the second round.

THIRD ROUND, NO. 80:
DEMARVION OVERSHOWN, LB, TEXAS

Overshown displays two things that make it worth breaking up an all-Big-10 draft for Pittsburgh: Athleticism and physicality. In fact, he might be the most physical off-ball linebacker in this class.

While he doesn't have the same lightning speed as one of his former Texas linebacker predecessors, Malik Jefferson, who was a third-round selection in 2018, Overshown makes up for the lack of speed with great instincts. That increases his range as a pass rusher and in zone coverage. He's also considered to be a good tackler, though at 220 pounds, the 6-4 Overshown can be a bit undersized.

That's one of the concerns at this point in the draft process, along with the fact that he's a fifth-year senior and his numbers in pass coverage regressed from his junior year two seasons ago. Even so, if he's available at this point in the third round, he's intriguing enough to upgrade the linebacker room, regardless of what happens with free agency.

FOURTH ROUND:
TREY PALMER, WR, NEBRASKA

Receiver isn't a huge need for the Steelers, but this is what this team does -- they draft receivers. And, after shoring up higher priority positions, this might be a good time to add another dynamic to the receiver room.

As a senior, Palmer hauled in 71 catches for 1,043 yards -- an average of 14.7 yards per catch -- with nine touchdowns in 12 games. In addition, he had an impressive 103.7 passer rating when targeted. Though it won't be official until the Combine, he's one of the fastest receivers in this class. And, one thing that stands out about him is his ability to attack the ball in the air.

But, out of all the ways Palmer impressed at the Senior Bowl, his ability to accelerate to get to that elite speed could be a huge difference maker.

The concern with Palmer is consistency with catching the football. For a fan base that has many of its members complaining about Diontae Johnson's drops, that could make Palmer very unpopular if those inconsistencies carried over into the NFL.

SEVENTH ROUND:
DEMARCCO HELLAMS, S, ALABAMA

The Steelers' locker room is predominantly occupied by Big 10 and SEC alums, and it would be a very odd draft to have seven selections without one from the latter.

Hellams certainly isn't the surefire first-round pick Brian Branch (his partner in crime at Alabama) will be on Day 1 of the draft. However, Hellams has the capability and skill set that can give the Steelers a potential replacement for Terrell Edmunds should he ever leave Pittsburgh. Not only is Hellams a true strong safety, he's a good blitzer and tackler. At 6-1, 213 pounds, he's got good size for the position, and he embracing physicality.

The largest area of concern with Hellams is in man coverage, which could pose a serious problem given the number of high-level tight ends within the division and the rest of the conference, for that matter. And, there will be a learning curve at the NFL level with how physical he plays the positions. In other words, he'll need time to find the balance between playing physical in coverage and not draw penalties.

SEVENTH ROUND: 
PAYNE DURHAM, TE PURDUE

The Steelers could draft a tight end earlier. It's not a position of need, but if Zach Gentry signs elsewhere in free agency, the draft could be a great place to add depth behind Pat Freiermuth and Connor Heyward.

As a starter over the past two seasons, Durham compiled 101 catches for 1,027 yards and 14 touchdowns. He put on a good performance at the Senior Bowl, especially as a receiver. That's the best thing he could have done in front of NFL scouts as he is already a good run blocker. And, at 6-5 and 258 pounds, he's got all the size needed to play tight end in the NFL.