J Ones'S MOCK DRAFT

March Draft 2

  • J Ones DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Kenneth Grant Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Kenneth Grant
DT Michigan
Cameron Williams Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (PIT)
Cameron Williams
OT Texas
Tai Felton Head Shot
PICK: 123 RND: 4 (PIT)
Tai Felton
WR Maryland
O'Donnell Fortune Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (PIT)
O'Donnell Fortune
CB South Carolina
Jay Higgins Head Shot
PICK: 185 RND: 6 (PIT)
Jay Higgins
LB Iowa
Brady Cook Head Shot
PICK: 229 RND: 7 (PIT)
Brady Cook
QB Missouri
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B
ValueB- NeedB+ TradesB- FutureB-
No fireworks, just a tidy B for the Steelers.

There is reaching, and then there is Brady Cook at slot 229. The Steelers jumped the board by 54 and dared it to prove them wrong. It does the job without flash, and the B reflects it.

Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Felton. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped safety, which is a strange place to end up.

They went 5 of 9 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for. Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.

A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant at Round 1, Pick 21 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick83 Rnd3 Cameron Williams
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Cameron Williams at pick 83. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Pick123 Rnd4 Tai Felton
Steal is underselling it; Tai Felton at the 123rd pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick156 Rnd5 O'Donnell Fortune
A reasonable price with a little left over, O'Donnell Fortune in the 156th overall pick. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick185 Rnd6 Jay Higgins
A premium they did not need to pay, Jay Higgins a notch or two before his time. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick229 Rnd7 Brady Cook
They talked themselves into Brady Cook at No. 229, and the board did not agree. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.