ESPN's latest mock draft throws a curveball with Steelers first pick
Mel Kiper Jr. has released his latest mock draft, updated with all the big moves of free agency. Some believe this is when mock draft season should officially start, thanks to team needs being evident, post-free agency. Many have mocked a corner at 17 when it comes to Pittsburgh's first pick in the 2023 NFL […]
Mel Kiper Jr. has released his latest mock draft, updated with all the big moves of free agency.
Some believe this is when mock draft season should officially start, thanks to team needs being evident, post-free agency.
Many have mocked a corner at 17 when it comes to Pittsburgh's first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. But the popular name (for good reason) is usually Joey Porter Jr. Well, Mel takes a different route here.
Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Banks is the type of corner that you want leading your DB room. He plays with an alpha mentality, wanting to get into the head of the receiver by dominating him at the line of scrimmage.
But Banks is more than just an imposing presence, he has quality athleticism, and passes any test of movement skill with flying colors.
When speaking on why he mocked Banks to the Steelers at 17, Kiper said the following:
"Cameron Sutton is out, veteran Patrick Peterson is in, but Pittsburgh's biggest need hasn't changed. It has to get younger — and faster — at cornerback. Banks matched Forbes' 40-yard dash time (4.35) at the combine, and he did it 31 pounds heavier (though he measured 6-foot, two inches shorter than he was listed in college). His 2022 tape is one of the best I've seen in this class in terms of man coverage. He can shut down an entire side of the field. He's a fit for Mike Tomlin's defense."
Banks has gained popularity as the pre-draft process carries on, with the aforementioned combine performance springboarding him into the top 20 conversation.
It's feasible to imagine Banks is gone before the Steelers pick at 17, but the front office has to hope that the Devon Witherspoon's and Christian Gonzalez's of the world keep the other teams busy.
The only questions about his game stem from his ability to recognize offensive tendencies when playing zone coverage.
That's something that comes with time on the field and in the film room, making him a lock as a first-round pick.
Pittsburgh hasn't taken a corner in the first round since the infamous Artie Burn's miss in the 2016 draft.
Selecting Banks in the first round come April would soothe the blindspot that Pittsburgh has when it comes to drafting corners, potentially adding a franchise cornerstone for years to come.
