Pittsburgh Steelers: Final 7-round 2018 mock draft

There are three positions the Steelers figure to address during the first round: inside linebacker, safety or running back. While I planned on taking a linebacker at No. 28, I didn’t think the right players would be available when Pittsburgh is finally on the clock.

Leighton Vander Esch seems like the right guy for the job, but he’ll probably be gone. I’m not sold on Rashaan Evans as the replacement for Ryan Shazier, largely due to his subpar coverage skills. So instead of reaching or settling, the Steelers decide to go with a safety instead.

And what a player Pittsburgh would be getting in Stanford’s Justin Reid. Opinions seem to be all over the place in terms of where he’ll be drafted — some say the No. 15-25 range, while others think he could fall as far as the middle of the second round. In this situation, though, he falls right into the Steelers’ laps at No. 28.

Reid is a well-rounded safety who is capable of shining in coverage and when stepping up against the run. He’s smart, instinctive and is overflowing with athleticism. Although there are still kinks in his game, the former Cardinal has the talent to step in and start from Day 1.

The Steelers should be looking to create competition for the starting free safety spot. Sean Davis hasn’t quite lived up to the hype, which could open the door for Reid to steal the job and spend his rookie campaign playing across from Morgan Burnett.