Three Potential Players Steelers Would Love to Fall at Pick 49

With the 2020 NFL Draft now under ten days away, we take a look at three players the Steelers would love to fall to their pick in the second-round.

The NFL Draft carries many traditions from year-to-year. Whether it be Roger Goodell bombarded with jeers as he approaches the podium, players dressed in the finest of suits on the red carpet or those very players sitting in the green room for longer than they thought, the annual gathering of prospects and executives alike possesses staples in what has become one of television's best reality shows. 

Due to COVID-19, the draft will look a little different this year. No boo's for Goodell as he'll announce the picks via computer in his basement, no studio of your network of choice with the infamous stage in the background or any of the draft aesthetics we've grown to enjoy. 

However, some traditions still press on for the sake of normalcy in a time where American's strongly crave it: Fans pounding the table for their team to select (insert player) due to them falling.

It's as old as the draft itself, and with the ever-emerging social media presence and access, fans and analysts are able to tell the world exactly who would like great in their colors. 

Pittsburgh is no outlier, and neither are opinions surrounding the 2020 NFL Draft. 

Much like every other year, there's no telling where the Steelers may direct their first selection of the draft. With a wide array of possibilities, numerous names have been circled with the Steelers as potential matches with the 49th pick. 

While the middle of the second-round can still contain valuable assets, it's obvious top-tier talents will have been long gone by time the Steelers hit the podium. 

However, talent always finds a way to trickle down the draft board. 

So when Pittsburgh officially is on the clock, what players could be considered "must-draft" if they fell down the boards further than most experts originally thought? Of course, opinions will vary on what exactly the Steelers "need" vs what players can be slapped with the "must-draft" label. 

Three players that could potentially slip to Pittsburgh at pick 49:

Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma

If you've followed anything we (Mostly myself, but Noah has put his two cents in on this as well), you'll know I'm the leader of the Neville Gallimore hype train. The truth is, I'm not sure Gallimore escapes the early second although Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has Gallimore dropping to pick no. 78 (third-round). Gallimore's mix of athleticism and power has heralded comparisons to... you guessed it: Javon Hargrave. 

Hargrave is gone. Yes, the Steelers traded for Chris Wormley. Yes, the Steelers have Tyson Alualu and Isaiah Buggs. No, none of the aforementioned players are fit to replace Hargrave's role. 

Enter Gallimore, the draft's best defensive tackle behind first-rounders Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw. 

I'm not entirely sure if Pittsburgh is under-appreciating the work Hargrave did in the trenches during his stay with the team, or over-estimating playing defensive ends at nose tackle and expecting them to adequately handle those duties. 

At the end of the day, the defense is vital in carrying this team to a deep playoff run. Gallimore has the potential to come in from day one and help fill some of the (literal) gaps left by Hargrave's absence. 

Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma

Yeah, we're doing this again. 

I said earlier in January that should Jalen Hurts fall to day two of the draft, the Steelers shouldn't think twice about drafting him. 

Fast-forward months later to present day, and loads of information has changed. Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said the team is "comfortable" with the current quarterback depth, and Hurts' draft stock has somewhat elevated him to fringe early second-round talk. 

However, the buzz for Hurts landing in Pittsburgh has gathered steam.

Hurts falling to 49 would do a few things for the team. First and foremost, it would present a difficult decision to the front office in evaluating the team's future after Ben Roethlisberger steps away. Let's remember that lip service doesn't always come to fruition when push comes to shove. Should the Steelers want to further invest in the future of the most valuable position for a football team, Hurts would be a perfect fit to slide in and at very minimum, push Mason Rudolph down the line in competition. 

However, if the team is focused on adding talent that would contribute right away, having Hurts fall to them may also present doors of opportunity to trade down and gather more draft capital, given Pittsburgh has a mere six picks as it currently stands. 

Whichever way the team wants to play their hand, Hurts falling to pick no. 49 would only be beneficial for the Steelers. 

Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

It appears the question is not "if" the Steelers select an offensive weapon on day two, but rather "who". There's a wealth of potential wideouts the team could see wearing black and gold, with the likes of Michael Pittman, K.J. Hamler and Brandon Aiyuk being three of a few names that are garnering second-round hype. 

Jalen Reagor's draft stock has soared through the draft process, with some analysts thinking Reagor may slide into the first round. 

Reagor's speed, route-running and ability to create separation would bode well in a Steelers receiving corps that includes JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson and James Washington among others. With his skill set, Reagor would be able to come in immediately and contribute. 

Adding Reagor may also help the Steelers down the road as well, as Smith-Schuster enters the last season of his contract. Should Pittsburgh not be able to come to an agreement with Smith-Schuster, the team's depth at wide-out would still hold steady despite the loss. 

If we're being realistic, the Steelers will likely have to settle for another receiver if that's their intent. However, should Reagor fall to the 49th pick, there's a very strong chance he doesn't slide to 50.