Mark Kaboly | Tribune-Review
Sure, the NFL Draft isn’t for another three months, but since the Jan. 15 deadline for underclassmen to declare for draft has passed, mock drafts are popping up everywhere, including on NFL.com
The site put out its first mock draft with a panel of six of their experts — Bucky Brooks, Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, Gil Brandt, Albert Breer and Josh Norris — with all having the Steelers taking a defensive player with the 17th overall pick.
However, none of the NFL.com experts think the Steelers will select Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te’o even though five of the six experts have him still available when the Steelers pick.
Only Davis has Te’o going before the Steelers pick while the majority of the experts have Te’o being selected by the Bears with the 20th overall pick.
Here is who the NFL.com experts have the Steelers taking:
Brooks: Florida safety Matt Elam
Jeremiah: Mississippi State cornerback Johnthan Banks
Davis: Georgia defensive tackle John Jenkins
Brandt: Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson
Breer: Texas strong safety Kenny Vaccaro
Norris: Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones
Now, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers would take a defensive tackle like Davis and Brandt suggests, but every other player mentioned would surely fit a need.
However, you have to realize that there is a long way to go from now until the draft and things tend to change a whole bunch following the Combine, which is scheduled for Feb. 20-26 in Indianapolis.
