Mel Kiper Jr. has the Steelers taking ... ummm ... an interesting pick in the first round of his latest two-round mock draft for ESPN.
While most analysts have the Steelers picking a cornerback or offensive tackle with the 17th overall pick, Kiper went a different direction.
He has the team taking Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers with that first-round pick.
That's a bit of a reach at 17 for Flowers, a 5-foot-9, 182-pound slot receiver who's projected to go in the 20s in many mock drafts and is the 26th-ranked player at NFL Mock Draft Database.
Flowers had a productive career at Boston College, catching 200 passes for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns over four seasons. His senior season was by far his best, as he caught 78 passes for 1,077 yards and 12 TDs.
"This is around where we could see a run on receivers," Kiper wrote about. "Flowers is actually my top-ranked wideout. I love his explosion and ability after the catch. Pittsburgh’s wideouts had just five touchdown receptions last season, which ranked last in the league.
"The 5-foot-9 Flowers is a dynamo out of the slot, but he had plenty of grabs lined up outside too. He could be a nice fit with Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Quarterback Kenny Pickett had a special connection with former Pitt teammate Jordan Addison, but I think Flowers would be the better pick for the Steelers."
Whether any of that makes Flowers a realistic pick at 17, however, remains to be seen. He was rated as the sixth-best wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash with a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and 10-7 broad jump.
Kiper has the Steelers addressing their offensive tackle and cornerback needs in the second round, where they pick 32nd and 49th.
Kiper has the team picking Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison at No. 32. That's pretty spot on for Harrison (6-4 1/2, 309), who is rated the 33rd-best draft prospect. He already has met with the team on a top 30 visit.
'This would be great value for Harrison, a smooth pass protector who started 24 games at left tackle in college," Kiper wrote. "Dan Moore Jr. started there for the Steelers last season, and he ranked 34th among all tackles in pass block win rate. Harrison could compete with Moore from Day 1, but he also could beat out Chukwuma Okorafor on the right side."
For their final pick of the second round, Kiper has the Steelers taking Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents at No. 49. Brents is the No. 59 overall prospect and has met with the Steelers on a top 30 visit.
"I filled Pittsburgh’s hole at wideout in Round 1, which means it should focus on the secondary here," Kiper wrote. "The 6-foot-3 Brents could learn the ropes from veteran Patrick Peterson in Pittsburgh. Brents has stellar length and will wrap up in the run game. He tested extremely well at the combine."
BEAL MAKES VISIT
Georgia edge rusher Robert Beal Jr. met with the Steelers on a top 30 visit Tuesday. He's viewed more as a fourth or fifth-round draft pick at best and was rated the 35th-best edge rusher at the combine.
The 6-4, 247-pounder ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at the combine, the kind of number that surely turned a lot of heads. He also had a 30-inch vertical jump and 10-3 broad jump.
Beal had a decent career at Georgia but was never really a standout. He played in all 15 games, starting eight, this past season as the Bulldogs won the national title. He had three tackles and a sack in the championship game victory over TCU.
Beal played in 54 games over five seasons at Georgia, finishing with 72 tackles (36 solo), 10 1/2 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. None of his college numbers are eye popping, which is why he's considered more of a later-round pick. But his athleticism is intriguing to teams.
Here's a breakdown of all the players who have visited the Steelers so far:
• March: Ole Miss WR Jonathan Mingo, Minnesota OC John Michael-Schmitz, Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr., North Dakota State OL Cody Mauch, Purdue WR Charlie Jones.
• April: Wisconsin DL Keeanu Benton, USC DE Tuli Tuipulotu, Kansas State CB Julius Brents, NC State OG Chandler Zavala, Maryland CB Deonte Banks, NC State S Tanner Ingle, Oklahoma OT Anton Harrison, Florida OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Baylor DT Siaki Ika, Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson, Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez, South Carolina CB Darius Rush, TCU G Steve Avila, Georgia Tech DT Keion White.
