Todd McShay of ESPN.com is the latest major media draftnik to release a post-combine mock draft and he now has the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting LSU cornerback Jalen Collins with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
McShay writes:
Three of the Steelers’ outside linebackers (James Harrison, Arthur Moats and Jason Worilds) are free agents, so that could quickly become a need area for them this offseason. For now, we’ll have them address their secondary (both corner and safety are an issue) with Collins. He lacks ideal starting experience and still needs to refine his technique, but he’s a long cornerback (an increasingly valuable commodity in today’s NFL) with excellent movement skills and speed. He is also very good in run support.
Collins, who measured in at the combine last week at 6014 and weighed 202 pounds, posted a 4.48 second 40 yard-dash time in addition to a 1.50 second 10-yard split while in Indianapolis.
While Collins certainly has great measurables, he only started 10 games at LSU. Last season he was credited with 17 pass breakups and one interception in the 13 games that he played in.
McShay has Collins as his third cornerback being selected in the first round behind Trae Waynes of Michigan State and Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest.
In McShay’s last mock draft he had the Steelers selecting Washington cornerback Marcus Peters with the 22nd overall pick. In his latest mock, he has Peters being drafted 26th overall by the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers haven’t drafted a cornerback in the first round since they selected Chad Scott in 1997 with the 24th overall selection.
