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Todd McShay has Steelers taking cornerback in second mock draft

ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay has the Pittsburgh Steelers finally using a first-round pick on a cornerback.

But the player he has the Steelers selecting in his second mock draftInsider may surprise some Steelers fans.

McShay has the Steelers taking Marcus Peters No. 22 overall even though Peters clashed enough with a new coaching staff at the University of Washington last season that he was dismissed from the team.

McShay had the Steelers selecting Texas defensive tackle Malcolm Brown with their first pick in his initial mock draft.

Peters is an undeniable talent and may be the most gifted cornerback in this year’s draft. But the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder will have some explaining to do at the NFL scouting combine later this month.

Interviews are a vital component of the combine and Peters will have to convince teams that he can accept coaching among other things.

The Oakland, California, native could be a classic boom-or-bust pick, which may cause teams such as the Steelers to shy away from him in the first round. But if Peters interviews well -- and passes the extensive background checks that are part of the pre-draft process -- he could be too tempting for a cornerback-needy team such as the Steelers to pass on.

The Steelers have not drafted a cornerback in the first round since Chad Scott in 1997.

Cornerback, safety and outside linebacker are their three biggest needs with the draft a little less than three months away, though that could change depending on what the Steelers do in free agency.