In continuing with this 32 article series, here's a look at the top needs for the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as a seven-round mock draft we ran through the FanSpeak mock draft simulator. We manually picked for Pittsburgh while the picks for all other 31 teams were selected by the simulator.

1. Cornerback 

Usually among the best pass defenses in the NFL, Pittsburgh actually finished 30th in this category last season. The primary issue here was boundary coverage in the secondary. While Cortez Allen has proven himself to be more than a capable starter, it's the rest of this unit that leaves a ton of questions.

William Gay is no longer a starter in this league. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh lost Brandon Boykin in free agency. That leaves Gay and a couple unproven youngster, Senquez Golson and Ross Cockrell, vying for big-time play. Needless to say, the Steelers must address this position early in the draft. 

2. Left Tackle

The addition of veteran Ryan Harris makes this a lesser need for Pittsburgh than cornerback, but the long-term issues in terms of protecting Ben Roethlisberger's blindside is still there. Harris might be able to hold down the fort of a season, but there's no one behind him prepared to step up should he regress or get injured. 

Picking in the 20's, Pittsburgh will likely miss out on both Laremy Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley. This leaves Jack Conklin and Taylor Decker as two likely first-round options. Outside of that, Pittsburgh might be best served waiting until Day 2 or Day 3 in order to try to find a gem. 

3. Outside Linebacker

Pittsburgh has two first-round picks starting at EDGE positions in Bud Dupree and Jarvis Jones. Unfortunately, neither one has stepped up early in their careers. The two combined for just six sacks a season ago. 

The heart and soul of Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense is pass rush from the outside linebacker position. Getting production here will directly impact the team's pass defense. In this, the Steelers might be forced to go with an EDGE player in the first round once again. 

4. Free Safety

Mike Mitchell is a bit long in the tooth and has never really been considered an elite-level cover safety. With Shamarko Thomas etched in stone at strong safety, there's definitely a need for him to get a running partner moving forward. That will likely come on Day 2 with a lack of upper-echelon free safety prospects. 

5. Defensive End

Cameron Heyward is among the best 3-4 defensive ends in the entire NFL. Former second-round pick Stephon Tuitt is progressing into a darn good player opposite his veteran teammate. It's, however, the depth that's an issue here. Simply put, Pittsburgh doesn't have another rotational option on its roster behind these two. That needs to be addressed come draft time.