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NFL Mock Draft 9.0: Quarterbacks push defensive prospects down board

By Jacob Camenker

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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3ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 01: Derrius Guice #5 of the LSU Tigers reacts after a two-yard reception for touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the fourth quarter of the Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. Notre Dame won 21-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
3ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 01: Derrius Guice #5 of the LSU Tigers reacts after a two-yard reception for touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the fourth quarter of the Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. Notre Dame won 21-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

55. . Running Back. LSU. Derrius Guice. 28. player

I went back and forth between Derrius Guice and a receiver here, but I opted to go with Guice. While it may not make sense on the surface for the Steelers to add a receiver, they could use one to replace Martvais Bryant, who had one foot out the door at times during the 2017 season. However, they don’t need to add a first round receiver because of the presence of JuJu Smith-Schuster.

That said, running back is more of a pressing need. Le’Veon Bell is arguably the best running back in the NFL, but he was slapped with the franchise tag this offseason, and the team may not want to pay him big bucks to stay on board as the team’s lead back. If he leaves in 2018, the Steelers need to have a replacement ready. While James Conner has some solid ability, the team can’t pass on the opportunity to add a high-quality back in the loaded 2018 draft.

Guice has gotten a lot of buzz this draft season, and it’s easy to see why. On tape, Guice is a great runner with good functional strength, a solid frame, and some elusive and explosive ability that will allow him to make men miss at the next level. He could be a great lead back, but he is still just a late-first round option.

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The problem with Guice is that his value has gotten a bit inflated over the course of the draft process. Some have talked about him going to the Redskins with the No. 13 pick, and that would be a mistake. Guice is a talented player, but there are comparable players who will be available in Round 2 of the draft. He fits best in the 25-40 pick range, and he will probably be the second back off the board, though I still have Sony Michel ranked slightly higher than him.

But, I digress. Guice is going to be a lead back at the NFL level, and he has drawn comparisons to Ray Rice from WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell. At his peak, Rice was one of the best three-down backs in the NFL and having a guy like that around would make it a lot easier for the Steelers to move on from Bell. So, this would be a sensible option.

If the Steelers don’t want Guice, they should probably consider trading down with a team who might want to move up for a falling prospect. There aren’t a lot of players on the board the fits what the Steelers need, but Guice would probably represent the best option.

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