ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. pegs Georgia CB Deandre Baker to Steelers in 1st round of NFL Draft

Cornerback is a position the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to address early in the NFL Draft, and ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. thinks he has the perfect prospect for the organization.

In his second mock draft of the offseason, Kiper has Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker going to the Steelers with the No. 20 overall pick.

Here is what Kiper wrote about his prediction:

“Artie Burns, a first-round pick in 2016, had a poor 2018 season, and corner is a clear need in Pittsburgh this offseason. I suspect the Steelers would love to get their hands on the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Baker, my second-ranked corner. Inside linebacker is another position to watch, as the team hasn’t been able to adequately replace Ryan Shazier. Could a sneaky need be wide receiver if the Steelers trade Antonio Brown?”

In 2018, Baker was named the Jim Thorpe winner, an award that is given annually to college football’s top defensive back. He had 40 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups for the Bulldogs. He also forced a fumble and had a fumble recovery.

The Steelers would like to add a cornerback, either in free agency or the draft, to pair with veteran Joe Haden. Burns lost his starting job early in the season to Coty Sensabaugh and never regained it. Burns is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and Sensabaugh is a free agent.

In Kiper’s first mock draft, he had Michigan linebacker Devin Bush going to the Steelers in the first round.