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Mel Kiper sounds off on Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have several new faces within the organization. Take a look at all of the news players that the Steelers brought in: 

And according to analyst Mel Kiper, their overall haul was good enough to earn them a grade of B+. Take a look at his reasoning below: 

“With three picks in the top 50, the Steelers entered the draft with a real chance to come away with multiple new rookie starters. They need help on both sides of the ball. And I’m a fan of what they did on the first two days of the draft. They traded a fourth-round pick to move up three spots in Round 1 to grab Broderick Jones (14), who will start at one of the tackle spots. He had an elite 2022 season.”

“Pittsburgh had just three picks in the last four rounds, with Nick Herbig (132) the most notable. He is my No. 7 inside linebacker. The light Day 3 keeps this class under an A — teams that have more picks obviously have greater chances to find those diamonds in the rough — but there are some instant-impact players here.”

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Mel Kiper: Cowboys to take TE in 2023 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys have the 26th overall selection in the upcoming National Football League Draft that officially kicks off later this month from Kansas City. 

And if this report from NFL analyst Mel Kiper is any indication, Cowboys fans had better be preparing themselves to see their team select a tight end with their 1st round pick. According to Kiper, the Cowboys will be taking Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer with the 26th selection in order to provide further insulation for quarterback Dak Prescott. 

Take a look at his reasoning in his recently released mock draft: 

Dalton Schultz left in free agency, and the Cowboys never replaced him. Let’s get Dak Prescott a talented safety valve here. Mayer is the best all-around tight end in this class; he’s not afraid to latch on to defenders and block. Don’t discount his receiving upside, either. He had 180 catches for 2,099 yards and 18 scores in three college seasons. He can be an outlet on crossers and hooks, and he’ll pick up first downs after the catch. Dallas also has scouted the class’ best wide receivers, so keep an eye out if one of the top guys drops.”

Meanwhile, moving on to the 2nd round, Kiper has predicted that the Cowboys will be taking help at the wide receiver position by selecting Jonathan Mingo of Ole Miss: 

“I thought about a replacement for Ezekiel Elliott here, but Mingo would make an impact on the Dallas depth chart. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound receiver has a great mix of size and speed. He averaged 16.9 yards per reception last season, and he was mostly running short routes. He can break tackles once he gets the ball. He has experience playing both outside and in the slot. This makes two pass-catchers for the Cowboys, and you know Dak Prescott would be thrilled.”

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Mel Kiper: Steelers may draft wide receiver

The Pittsburgh Steelers hold the No. 17 overall selection in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, and according to one notable NFL analyst, they’ll be looking to supplement the offense in order to give sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett an additional weapon for his arsenal. 

According to Mel Kiper, the Steelers will be snagging Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers with the 17th overall pick. Take a look at his reasoning below: 

“This is around where we could see a run on receivers. 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,” Kiper wrote.

In four seasons, Flowers hauled in 200 receptions for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns, while also posting 78 receptions for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. 

The Draft will be held later this month from Kansas City, Missouri, starting on April 27 through 29.