Trade Back Mock 2.0

Steelers resign/tag Hampton, Clark, Reed, Eason. Steelers RFA Colon, Gay, Sepulveda, Spaeth, and Stapleton.

Steelers receive two 5th and one 7th round compensation picks.

Steelers pick 18th. They trade down with Green Bay and get picks 23 and 86. They then trade down again with New Orleans and get picks 32 and 95. Steelers then trade down with their 2nd round pick with Arizona to get picks 57 and 125.

1. FS Chad Jones, LSU
Jones is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. Jones has great size at 6'3" 230lbs. Not only do I love his size, he can run a 4.48 40. Jones hits like a truck. Also, Chad Jones can cover. He was routinely put one-on-one with receivers and has the speed to run with most of them. Jones is one the few prospects that I think could go in the 1st round. He is also a special teams demon: he has blocked punts and returned them in his career.

2. ILB Brandon Spikes, Florida
I am not concerned with his 40 time. I know this kid is the real deal. He has started on a BCS Championship caliber team the last four years in the tough SEC. He was the unquestioned leader of the Gator defense that routinely was one of the top defenses in the country. He is a very good tackler and can hit like a truck. He is also underrated in coverage. What I love most about him though is strength against the run and ability to take on interior offensive linemen. He will be a steal this late.

3. NT Cam Thomas, North Carolina
Thomas is rare specimen. He has a wide and massive frame at 6'4" 331lbs. He has a good bull rush and rip move, can collapse the pocket, and looks like he could be a potential replacement for Hampton in the near future. Thomas is also surprisingly fit and athletic......he could be a 3 down NT, which is hard to find.

3. FS Major Wright, Florida
Wright is one of the many safeties I like in this year's draft class. Wright is very instinctive. A few times in the Sugar Bowl he hit a player right as they were catching the ball. Wright is very good in coverage, has excellent timed and closing speed, and has very good hands. He can also deliver the knockout punch like Ryan Clark has done for us. He should also have good Combine numbers.

3. NT/DE Linval Joseph, East Carolina
Jospeh is an incredible athlete that could probably play either position for the Steelers. He played NT for the Pirates at 6'6" 322lbs. He has room to gain weight and not lose his quickness. Joseph is great against run, can help collapse the pocket, and is athletic enough to be a 3 down NT. He is also powerful and quick enough to play DE. A friend of mine said that Joseph could be a poor man's version of Haloti Ngata, playing every position across the DL.

4. OLB Austen Lane, Murray State
Lane had a sold Senior Bowl week. The concerns about level of competition are flawed. However, the biggest concern about him is that he is a DE/OLB hybrid. He is a great pass rusher and is good against the run, but people question whether he can stand up in play. He looked okay in coverage at the Senior Bowl when he asked to drop back. This should put him around here.

4. G/T John Jerry, Ole Miss
Believe me. Rooney wants to run the football. Jerry should be one hell of RG and a solid starting RT. He is quick off the line, has great size(6'6" 335lbs), and is extremely powerful. He is the ultimate mauler, while is also surprisingly good in pass protection. His first three seasons he played at guard, and was very impressive. He started this last season at RT, and earned All Second Team SEC honors. He has definitely impressed me enough. He would present excellent value here.

5. OT J'Marcus Webb, West Texas
Webb has impressed a good deal of people at the Texas vs. The Nation practices not only with his football game, but also his intelligence. He has showed the mobility to get out on screen passes. More importantly, he showed that he is very good in pass protection and is a stout run blocker. He also has room to max out his frame. It looks as if he could gain some more lower body strength to make his game even better.

5c. TE Colin Peek, Alabama
I have been promoting Peek from the get go. However, no one seems to realize how good of a TE he can be. He is the perfect TE for the Steelers. He is an excellent blocker. He runs excellent routes and has sure hands. He is the PERFECT TE for the Steelers. I will be pissed if pass on Peek in this draft, considering how Arians loves TEs and like to run out of a 2 TE single-back set.

5c. CB Rafael Priest, TCU
Priest unfortunately was injured for his bowl game against Boise State. However, Priest is a very talented CB. He has excellent timed and closing speed. He has very good hands. He is more than willing to help out against the run. QBs simply stopped throwing the ball his way because he is so good in coverage.

6. OLB Arthur Moats, James Madison
An athletic freak of nature. His coaches rave how much of a complete player he has become: he terrorizes the QB, he is stout against the run, and he can drop into coverage. Sounds like our late round developmental OLB project to me. The Steelers scouts at the Texas vs. The Nation practices have also raved about his great quickness and speed, calling him the next James Harrison.

7. RB Curtis Steele, Memphis
Steele has made his presence known during the Texas vs. The Nation week. He is a complete back, is super quick and elusive, and can churn out yards in the middle. I think he will be a very nice complement to Mendenhall down the road. Also, his name is "Steele". It is only one letter short of "Steeler".

7c. WR Marcus Easley, Connecticut
You know this guy is going to work hard - he was a walk-on and had just five receptions entering the year. As a senior, he logged 48 catches for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. This sounds like the classic Steelers type of player.

UDFAs
ILB Micah Johnson, Kentucky
S Kendrick Lewis, Ole Miss
OLB George Johnson, Rutgers
OLB Christian Anthony, Grambling
OT Tyler Eastman, Maine
OL Nick Howell, USC
TE Jeff Cottam, Tennessee
CB R.J. Stanford, Utah
DL Sean Liessemore, William & Mary
S Austin Thomas, Indiana
WR Stephen Williams, Toledo