In the first half of this mock draft, I said the Pittsburgh Steelers would take, in order, Mackensie Alexander, Karl Joseph, D.J. Reader and Dak Prescott.
However, the Steelers still have plenty more picks. So, knowing how hard it is to predict the notoriously unpredictable later rounds, here are my predictions for who the Steelers will take with their last three draft picks (the team’s fifth-round pick was traded to the Eagles last season for Brandon Boykin.)
SIXTH ROUND (220th Overall Pick): D.J. Foster, wide receiver—Arizona State University
The Steelers can re-sign Darrius Heyward-Bey all they want, but it’s still obvious the team needs another wide receiver. The Steelers have lost Martavis Bryant for the entire year due to a drug-related suspension, and while Foster doesn’t have Bryant’s 6-foot-4 height (Foster is only 5 foot 11), he does have Bryant’s speed.
In many ways, Foster is like Markus Wheaton, who is also 5 foot 11 and is a quick receiver. Just like Wheaton, Foster is more of a slot receiver, so he can learn a lot from Wheaton. And the incredibly talented Antonio Brown is also available as a mentor to teach the young Foster how to be a powerful NFL wide receiver.
In his career at Arizona State University, Foster appeared in all 53 games. He both received and rushed for over 2,000 yards, making him only one of five players in NCAA Division I history to do so. He also found his way into the Pac-12 history books by recording at least one reception in all 53 games, the longest streak in Pac-12 history.
Foster’s numbers at the NFL Combine were impressive, but his Pro Day results were better. His 40-yard dash time at the Combine was 4.57 seconds, which improved to 4.47 seconds at his Pro Day. Foster was a top performer at the Combine in the 3-cone drill (6.75 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.07 seconds) and 60-yard shuttle (11.12 seconds).
Foster would be a good selection at wide receiver because of his leadership. In his senior year at Arizona State — where he had 59 receptions for 584 yards and three touchdowns — he was awarded the Danny White Offensive MVP Award.
Even though he doesn’t have Bryant’s size, Foster seems to know how to stay out of trouble off the field and has a strong work ethic.
SEVENTH ROUND (229th Overall Pick): Daryl Worley, cornerback—West Virginia University
I firmly believe that, in this NFL Draft, the Steelers will draft two cornerbacks. The team obviously wants to grab one off the board quickly in the first or second round, but Pittsburgh should also look to take one in the later rounds; the team should look closely at Daryl Worley.
Worley is 6 foot 2, and having him on the Steelers — if Pittsburgh does draft Karl Joseph like I predicted — means Worley will be playing with a teammate. The junior played in 22 games for the West Virginia Mountaineers and started 16 of them. Last season, he recorded 49 total tackles, 12 pass breakups and six interceptions in six different games.
Worley is known as a quick cornerback, both in terms of his feet and his reaction times. He also has the ability to work the press and win a man-on-man matchup. When it comes to his zone coverage skills, Worley could use some work, but he’d be getting a pretty good mentor in William Gay.
SEVENTH ROUND (246th Overall Pick): Storm Barrs-Woods, running back—Oregon State University
While the Steelers should really stick with drafting on defense this year, they probably won’t — they never really do. General manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin seem to focus on really filling out the team and drafting the best player available in the later rounds.
When it comes to the running back position, the Steelers appear to be set with both Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams. However, if Steelers fans learned anything last season, it’s that depth is never a bad thing. Now is a good time to draft Oregon State’s Storm Barrs-Woods.
With the Beavers, Barrs-Woods started 39 career games; in seven of those games, he rushed for over 100 yards. In his career at Oregon State, he finished with 2,674 total rushing yards, putting him fifth all-time on the Beavers’ rushing list. Barrs-Woods also has a strong receiving game, as he finished his career with 123 receptions, the third most all-time by an Oregon State running back.
If the Steelers do select Barrs-Woods, he’ll likely compete with Fitzgerald Toussaint for the third-string role.
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