2019 NFL mock draft: Pittsburgh Steelers select D.K. Metcalf

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had one of the quietest offseasons of anyone in the NFL. No drama, no losing two of their biggest players, no nothing. Just humming along like the NFL dynasty they’ve established themselves as for the past few decades.

*does the Jon Stewart earpiece bit*

Oh, I’m being told that is not correct.

Anyways, it’s the Steelers’ time to step to the podium in our Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft and general manager ncbur10 is ready to make his pick. With the 20th pick in the POD Community Mock, the Steelers are taking wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Here’s ncbur10’s explanation:

“If you like the NFL, and you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t, you know that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been the center of drama since the end of the regular season. I don’t want to revisit all of that but safe to say the Steelers are in a precarious position within their division. The Browns have gotten better, at least on paper, and the Ravens are the defending divisional champions. Point blank, the Steelers need to add some playmakers just to keep pace or face a situation where they are trying to rebuild with an aging Ben Roethlisberger and his rapidly-closing Super Bowl window.

This year the Steelers draft needs are similar to years past: An athletic linebacker, a long-term solution at cornerback, a sure-handed tight end, and an edge-rushing monster. The difference is that this offseason their most prolific offensive weapon—and head case—has taken his talents to the West Coast. This adds yet another layer to the draft puzzle that faces the Steelers.

The Steelers need to find a way to make up some of the lost production by Antonio Brown’s departure. They have JuJu Smith-Schuster and they drafted James Washington in the second round last year, but he struggled to get open all season. They brought in Donte Moncrief from Jacksonville, but his career production isn’t anything to get excited about. The Steelers need a productive deep threat that can take the top off the defense and open up the running game and underneath passing lanes.

D.K. Metcalf gives them just that and more. Metcalf is an athletic freak that ran a 4.33 40 at the NFL Combine. While he is still raw, his rare physical skill set was on display in the SEC. He has some drop issues, and his agility skills don’t show a player that can break off his routes cleanly, but he wasn’t asked to do a lot of that in college. His game reminds me a lot of Randy Moss coming out of college, a physical specimen with great vertical threat capabilities, some drop issues, but over time developed a more prolific underneath game.

Metcalf’s production might not match that of Brown, but what it will do is take pressure off of JuJu to assume that role. Metcalf’s role will be complementary at first and give the Steelers a bonafide deep threat and red zone target. Big Ben’s accuracy on the deep pass will play right into the skill set Metcalf brings to the Steelers. Metcalf is a slight risk but his upside is through the roof and if anyone can get the most out of his talents it’s the Steelers.”

Catch up on all of the picks with our Community Mock Draft Tracker