The Pittsburgh Steelers have picked three Georgia players the last two years, including rookie right tackle Broderick Jones. He won’t be the last, says Cam Mellor of Pro Football Network.
Mellor projected the Steelers will pick center Sedrick Van Pran in the first round of the draft in his most recent mock draft, which was made public on January 13.
“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 advance with strength and accuracy, and in pass protection, he rotates his head more than any center since Tyler Linderbaum.”
“Van Pran has a mean attitude when he’s moving on the ground and strength for days.” Since Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers supporters have not witnessed a center with such potential.
Pouncey was a center that the Steelers drafted in the first round out of an SEC championship and national champion team, much like what Mellor forecasted for Van Pran. In the 2010 NFL Draft, Pouncey was chosen by Pittsburgh with the 18th overall pick.
Like Jones, who the Steelers selected in the first round of the previous draft, Van Pran was a starter for Georgia during their 2021–2022 back-to-back national titles.
