Ghostex'S MOCK DRAFT
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  • Ghostex DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Emeka Egbuka Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Emeka Egbuka
WR Ohio State
Tate Ratledge Head Shot
PICK: 52 RND: 2 (PIT)
Tate Ratledge
OG Georgia
Chris Paul Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 101 RND: 3 (PIT)
Chris Paul Jr.
LB Ole Miss
Jared Wilson Head Shot
PICK: 122 RND: 4 (PIT)
Jared Wilson
C Georgia
Dont'e Thornton Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 163 RND: 5 (PIT)
Dont'e Thornton Jr.
WR Tennessee
R.J. Mickens Head Shot
PICK: 225 RND: 7 (PIT)
R.J. Mickens
S Clemson
Akili Arnold Head Shot
PICK: 231 RND: 7 (PIT)
Akili Arnold
S USC
Kevin Jennings Head Shot
PICK: 247 RND: 7 (PIT)
Kevin Jennings
QB SMU
Draft Picks Received
Chris Paul Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 101 RND: 3 (DET)
Chris Paul Jr.
LB Ole Miss
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (DET)
NEXT YEAR (2026)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Jake Majors Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (DET)
Jake Majors
C Texas
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB TradesC+ FutureB
The Steelers let Arnold fall and pounced. Final grade: B-.

The value of the weekend has a name and a slot: Akili Arnold, the Round 7 slot, roughly 27 picks past where he belonged. More right than wrong, and a B- to match.

Spending an early pick on offensive lineman with interior defensive lineman, edge rusher and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. Leaving interior defensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Ratledge has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced.

Good work on the whole, with interior defensive lineman the one box left unchecked.

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Emeka Egbuka
In the Round 1 slot they get a weapon on the perimeter. A real need, handled.
Pick52 Rnd2 Tate Ratledge
Tate Ratledge at the 52nd pick jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Pick101 Rnd3 Chris Paul Jr.
They let Chris Paul Jr. come to them and pounced at No. 101. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick122 Rnd4 Jared Wilson
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending the 122nd overall pick on Jared Wilson with interior defensive lineman, edge rusher and other spots unsolved.
Pick163 Rnd5 Dont'e Thornton Jr.
Dont'e Thornton Jr. in Round 5, Pick 24 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick225 Rnd7 R.J. Mickens
You do not let a safety like R.J. Mickens reach pick No. 225 and blink. They did not. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick231 Rnd7 Akili Arnold
Akili Arnold at pick 231 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick247 Rnd7 Kevin Jennings
A premium they did not need to pay, Kevin Jennings a notch or two before his time. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.