2015 NFL Mock Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers Select Trae Waynes

Moving right along in the 2015 Daily Norseman Community Mock Draft, we come to the team that the Minnesota Vikings will open up the NFL pre-season against, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have the 22nd pick in the draft, and their GM in this process, Typically Lazy (that's his handle. . .I'm not saying the Steelers are typically lazy) has decided to start rebuilding an area that has seen quite a bit of change in recent weeks in the Steel City.

With the 22nd pick in the 2015 Daily Norseman Community Mock Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select. . .

Trae Waynes, cornerback, Michigan State University

Here's what Typically Lazy had to say about the Steelers' selection.

Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu have retired in the last couple weeks, leaving an already weak Steelers secondary. The pick here gives former Vikes DC Mike Tomlin a good piece to help fix that defense. The Steelers also a need have at OLB, after Jason Worilds retired, but I don't believe there is a OLB that matches value at pick 22 as well as Waynes.

My Thoughts

As Typically Lazy mentioned, the Steelers have lost Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor to retirement since the end of the regular season. Both of those guys were getting up in age a bit, but they were also very solid players for the Steelers' secondary for a very long time. The Steelers' depth in the secondary was a bit questionable before those guys left, and with their departure, the secondary is definitely a primary need for Mike Tomlin and company. Enter Waynes, who would likely immediately start at corner and provide the same aggressiveness that has been a hallmark of the Pittsburgh defense for a very long time. Given that Waynes is widely mocked to be a selection for the Vikings at #11, for the Steelers to get him at #22 represents a pretty big steal, in my opinion.

What do you think of this selection, folks?