Steelers take 'super freak' CB in latest mock draft

The Steelers have been searching for a lockdown cornerback for some time and they may just land one in Pro Football Focus' latest mock draft.

PFF has Pittsburgh selecting Maryland CB Deonte Banks at pick No. 17 in the 2023 NFL Draft. "In a class full of super freaks at corner, Banks may have been the most impressive," PFF writes.

Banks certainly improved his draft stock at the NFL Combine last week after posting a 4.35 second 40-yard dash, 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-4 broad jump. He received an athleticism score of 98, the top score among cornerbacks at the combine.

The Maryland product had a career-high 38 tackles, one interception and eight passes defensed in 2022 as well.

Head coach Mike Tomlin hasn't been shy in favoring Terrapins either. His son, Dino Tomlin, plays for Maryland, so scouting likely comes secondhand when attending games.

Steelers fans may be a little wary of selecting a cornerback in the first round as the team has struggled to draft the position. It's understandable as Artie Burns was the last cornerback Pittsburgh selected in the first round, but Banks could help the team redeem itself.

Banks' draft stock continues to rise as he ranks as PFF's No. 18 overall prospect. If he's available when Pittsburgh makes its first pick, he might just turn out to be the lockdown cornerback it has been looking for.