The Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted three Georgia players the last two years, including rookie right tackle Broderick Jones. According to Pro Football Network’s Cam Mellor, he won’t be the last.
In his new mock draft released on January 13, Mellor predicted the Steelers to select center Sedrick Van Pran in the first round.
“It’s rare to see a center in the first round, but Sedrick Van Pran is a rare breed of athlete,” Mellor wrote. “He’ll move forward with precision and strength and keeps his head on a swivel in pass protection better than any center since Tyler Linderbaum.
“Van Pran has strength for days and a mean attitude when he’s on the move on the ground. Steelers fans haven’t seen a talent like this at center since Maurkice Pouncey.”
Similar to what Mellor projected for Van Pran, Pouncey was a center from an SEC championship and national champion team that the Steelers drafted in the first round. Pittsburgh selected Pouncey at No. 18 overall in the 2010 NFL draft.
Same as Jones, who the Steelers picked in the first round last year, Van Pran started for Georgia during the team’s back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022.
