Steelers Projected to Make Shocking NFL Draft Decision

The Pittsburgh Steelers make a wild decision in recent draft projections.

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker sacks Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers in the second quarter at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Janner/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Jay Janner/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The NFL trade deadline has passed leaving speculation on future acquisitions left in free agency and the NFL Draft. The half-way point of the season is when bad teams with little hope of making the playoffs fire up the mock draft machine and see what next season could have in store. But the NFL moves fast and even good, competitive teams still have to pay attention.

It's impossible to know how the draft order will shake out at season's end, but using playoff projections, the Steelers are picking No. 21 -- their lowest first round pick since the Steelers selected running back Najee Harris 24th overall in 2021. In a recent mock draft published by Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic, the Steelers are making a surprising selection with that pick.

The Steelers are projected to select outside linebacker/edge rusher Jalon Walker out of Georgia.

"One of my favorite defenders in this class, Walker has stack and edge ability and simply makes plays all over the field," Baumgardner writes. "It’s easy to imagine a team in the teens falling in love with everything Walker can bring to a defensive culture."

Walker came out of high school as the third highest ranked linebacker in the nation with scholarship offers from several big-name SEC schools. In his first-year, Walker only appeared in five games. Last season, Walker appeared in 10 games and recorded 10 sacks, including two in the SEC Championship against Alabama.

This season, Walker has appeared in all eight games and has 4.5 sacks. Walker must be a big-game player considering what he did in the SEC Championship and his three-sack performance against No. one Texas. Two of those sacks were inflicted on projected first-round quarterback Quinn Ewers on third-and-long and the third was on first-year quarterback Arch Manning. The next play, Walker recovered a forced-fumble. Georgia went on to win 30-15.

The Steelers must respect what Georgia has built in recent years as the black and gold continue to draft their best players. In 2023, the Steelers used their first and third round picks on Bulldogs in offensive tackle Broderick Jones and tight end Darnell Washington. In 2022, the Steelers used their second round pick on wide receiver George Pickens. The Steelers aren't alone in their admiration for Georgia as the 2022 Bulldogs sent the most players to the NFL in a single draft from a single school with 15.

Even if Georgia players are often NFL caliber and the Steelers have selected three in the last three drafts, an outside linebacker/edge rusher is an odd projection. The Steelers' linebacker room is arguably the highest quality unit on the roster.

T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith have been rostered for years and continue to produce at an elite level. The Steelers gave Patrick Queen a large contract in the offseasn and drafted Payton Wilson in the third round of the most recent draft -- two players who are a large part to the Steelers' defensive success this season. The Steelers just traded a seventh round pick for Preston Smith at the trade deadline to add to quality depth pieces in Elandon Roberts and Nick Herbig.

Even if Walker is a quality player, another linebacker may not be the biggest need for the Steelers especially in the first round. Many draft analysts preach for teams to select the best player available, though, and Walker may certainly fit the bill at pick No. 21.

Other mock drafts have the Steelers selecting a quarterback like Miami's Cam Ward, a wide receiver like Texas's Isaiah Bond or an offensive tackle like Ohio State's Josh Simmons. The Steelers just had their bye-week and there is still football to play. Maybe more glaring, wider holes will appear as the season goes on.

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