NFL Mock Draft 2020: Way-too-early look at projected first round

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

It was an ugly 2018 season for Louisville, and things aren’t likely to get better overnight for new head coach Scott Satterfield, but he’s got a nice piece to build his offense around with mammoth left tackle Mekhi Becton.

While last season was certainly frustrating, Becton was rock-solid on the blind side and started all 12 games for the Cardinals. He’s got excellent size at 6-foot-7 and 355 pounds. He’d likely transition to right tackle in the NFL, but he would be excellent value at this stage of the draft.

Pittsburgh mostly neglected its offensive line in the 2019 draft, not selecting a lineman until the seventh round. That will have to change next season as three of the Steelers starters up front – Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, and Maurkice Pouncey – will all be over 30 by the time the 2019 season begins. David DeCastro will turn 30 next January.

Becton could come in an immediately plug a hole at right tackle while potentially serving as Villanueva’s eventual replacement at left tackle.

Pittsburgh just recently signed Ben Roethlisberger to a contract extension, but he’ll turn 38 after next season so it is time to begin looking at the future of the quarterback position before it’s too late and the Steelers find themselves in a bad spot. It’s possible that they are comfortable with grooming Joshua Dobbs or Mason Rudolph to eventually replace Big Ben, but if not they might look at moving up for a shot at a player like Jacob Eason.