NFL mock draft: Pittsburgh Steelers go with Marcus Maye

In the first round of the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft, Behind the Steel Curtain executed one of the best picks in taking Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley at No. 30. He’s a player who could leapfrog average performers like William Gay and Ross Cockrell on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster.

That’s one of two big needs for Pittsburgh checked. The other is pass rusher, where opposite Bud Dupree the Steelers only have James Harrison. While Harrison thus far has shown himself to be immortal, his football days are winding down.

It stands to reason that the Steelers go with a pass rusher with this pick. They could, but Jeff Hartman and Nicholas Martin of BTSC decided to go in a different direction.

Hartman and Martin: Marcus Maye played multiple roles at the University of Florida. Whether he was playing as a single high safety, or being an enforcer in the box, he’s a interchangeable piece to any secondary. He shows the ability to match up on tight ends in man coverage occasionally, too. His ability to create fumbles sticks out to me, whether he’s making a hard hit, or using the famous Charles Tillman peanut punch, the guy is hazard when it comes to ball security. He’s has some lapses in coverage that caused him to give up some touchdowns and he did break his arm this past season; however, his athletic ability is a bit too enticing at this point of the draft, along with his scheme versatility.

The Steelers need to bolster their secondary, and even though they drafted Sean Davis in the second round of 2016, they are preparing for life without Mike Mitchell, all while getting a player who can help them in specific sub packages they run so often. Steelers fans won’t be happy with the back-to-back secondary picks with pass rusher still a strong need, but it is just the way the draft played out.

Analysis: This choice is a little puzzling. I understand the importance of having versatility in the secondary, but there are some good pass rushers available with this selection. Tim Williams of Alabama is a fit, and you could probably work Tarrell Basham into that role for Pittsburgh. In the end, I just don’t rate Maye as a top-64 player.

If you’ve been following the writers’ mock draft this long, you know by now that the final pick of the day will be here at 3 p.m. ET. It comes courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons and The Falcoholic.