Steelers NFL Draft Big Board: Position-by-Position Rankings

With the 2015 NFL draft only days away, the Pittsburgh Steelers front office is probably putting the final touches on its big board. For the Steelers, this is a comprehensive list created over weeks and months with the help of the entirety of their scouting department.

The Steelers have some particular areas they can stand to upgrade on both sides of the football. In some cases, the Steelers are on the hunt for a player that can come in and contribute right away. Other positions are more about making good units better and bolstering depth.

Let’s break down the six highest priorities for the Steelers. In addition, we'll offer up five prospects that Pittsburgh could consider at each. However, this isn’t just about the five best players at each spot. Just as the Steelers front office recognizes that the draft is battle of attrition, we offer up players that run the gamut from first round to the end of the draft.

Two important notes. First, this board is far from comprehensive. It is simply intended to offer a cross section of prospects across the bulk of the draft. Second, I'm sure the Steelers have players at all positions listed on their big board. These are my five primary positions of need for the team, which is why they are included here. 

Outside Linebacker

With the sudden departure of Jason Worilds, outside linebacker has become a top need for this team. Worilds' departure and a lack of development by former first-round pick Jarvis Jones have created a dire situation at the position. Keep in mind, if the season started tomorrow, one starter would be 36-year-old James Harrison and the other would be converted 4-3 inside linebacker Arthur Moats.

In fact, the situation is so poor that the Steelers should seriously drafting not one, but two of these players to add some bite to what has become a toothless pass rush. In addition, with the potential of more hybrid fronts, there is a type that the Steelers must look at. The Steelers cannot take a shot on undersized pass-rush specialists. Jones has already illuminated the problems with that.

1. Vic Beasley, DE/LB Clemson

The gold ring on this NFL draft merry-go-round is Clemson's Vic Beasley. Beasley is the most explosive edge-rusher in this draft. At 6’3” and 246 pounds, Beasley has surprising power at the point of attack. Beasley can pop a tackle at the snap, and once he gets a tackle on his heels, can just blow past them. Beasley can offer the Steelers a presence they've been missing.

Pittsburgh hasn’t had an outside linebacker top 10 sacks since 2008. If that doesn’t scream for a guy like Beasley, nothing will. The downside to drafting Beasley is it would be expensive. As one of the top defensive players in the draft, he will probably come off the board well before pick No. 22. The Steelers would have to make a pretty drastic move to go up and get him.

2. Preston Smith, DE Mississippi State

If the Steelers are looking for more of a hybrid player, they should consider Mississippi State defensive end Preston Smith. Smith checks in at 271 pounds, making him a much stronger presence against the run than Beasley would be.

Smith is such a polished edge-rusher that even if he needed time to get up to speed as an outside linebacker in a 3-4, his ability to impact the defense in sub packages would make him an instant impact guy.

3. Frank Clark, DE Michigan

Moving to the middle of the draft, one of the players the Steelers could target is Michigan defensive end Frank Clark. How does a 6'3", 271-pound rush end with a 4.64 40-yard dash and a 38.5-inch vertical find himself as an early Day 3 pick?

By being something of a knucklehead. Off-field issues drove down Clark’s stock, but as Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller pointed out, he appears to be checking out with teams and that will help drive him into the fourth round. Clark is thick and powerful and will overwhelm blockers. With proper coaching, he could be an exceptional pass-rusher.

4. Xzavier Dickson, LB Alabama

Sliding a bit later into the draft, we find Alabama linebacker Xzavier Dickson. He has excellent size (6’3”, 260 pounds) and was incredibly productive during his time at Alabama. Dickson understands leverage and can coordinate his upper and lower body to dip and swim past offensive tackles.

His skills against the run are substandard (hence the lower ranking here), but in sub packages, Dickson could be an incredible value in the fifth or sixth round.

5. Shaquille Riddick, DE West Virginia

With the last player on this list, the Steelers find themselves checking in on West Virginia defensive end Shaquille Riddick. At 242 pounds with a long frame (6’6”) he looks a bit thin, but there’s nothing to say that he cannot add 15 quality pounds pretty easily.

Riddick was a five-technique end at West Virginia, but he looks more like a 3-4 outside linebacker with his ability to stay low and burst at the snap. Last in the draft, Riddick is a no risk/all reward type of project player.

Cornerback

If outside linebacker isn’t the top position of need for the Steelers, then cornerback is. This unit has far more questions than answers right now, so adding at least one player with nice size and athleticism is a must. This team already has enough hard-nosed, undersized guys. It's time to add length and playmaking.

1. Marcus Peters, CB Washington

In terms of overall skills, there aren’t many cornerbacks in this draft who can match what Washington’s Marcus Peters can do. Aside from measurables, Peters is a fluid coverage player with the ability to turn and mirror wide receivers, anticipating their every move.

Once the football is in the air, Peters does a great job of turning and locating it, often knocking it down. If Peters’ zone skills even approached his ability to play man coverage, he’d be a top-five pick.

2. Jalen Collins, CB LSU

While this cornerback class is deep, it’s not at all top-heavy. That means a player like LSU’s Jalen Collins will mostly likely be available in the second round, depending on the style of cornerback particular teams covet.

For Pittsburgh, getting a player with the potential of Collins in the second round would be a steal. He is a confident player with as much natural coverage ability as any cornerback in the draft. The potential downside to his game is that he only earned 10 starts during his college career, so he remains largely untested.

3. Alex Carter, CB Stanford

With so much made of character concerns and off-field issues, Pittsburgh needs to think about putting a high-character guy on their list as well. Stanford’s Alex Carter isn’t just a talented football player with tons of experience, but an intelligent young man and model citizen.

The strength of Carter’s game is his ability to locate and track the football in the air. So many cornerbacks never bother to get their heads around, so even the best coverage is wasted. Carter does a great job keeping throws from coming his way because quarterbacks know he’ll make a play.

4. P.J. Williams, CB FSU

If it weren’t for the fact that Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams gets far too aggressive at times, he would almost certainly be a first-round pick.

However, that quality along with questionable instincts in the run game suggest a late second-round pick is more likely. The Steelers would love his aggressive style, which would allow them to play less off coverage to account for the gross lack of athleticism in their secondary.

5. DeVante Bausby, CB Pittsburg State

Moving to the very end of the draft, the Steelers should take a long look at Pittsburg State cornerback DeVante Bausby. Just like in 2014 when the Gorillas sent speedy wide receiver John Brown to the NFL, it is Bausby’s speed that will draw attention.

At 6’2” and 180 pounds, Bausby is long and lean. And when you understand that he ran a hand-timed 4.22 40-yard dash, you just know that some team is going to take a shot.

Safety

There’s a changing of guard at the safety position in Pittsburgh. The retirement of safety Troy Polamalu has created a vacancy in the defensive backfield that no one can ever truly fill. However, this defense must move forward, and that means finding a replacement. If the goal is to move Mike Mitchell to strong safety, Pittsburgh needs to get a player in this draft that can play that deep middle in coverage.

1. Eric Rowe, S Utah

In terms of pure coverage skills, no player in this draft hits the target like Utah’s Eric Rowe. Technically speaking, Rowe is a college cornerback. But with his length and deep coverage skills, safety is his best bet to be great in the NFL. I have no doubt that Rowe will be on the Steelers radar in the first round.

2. Landon Collins, S Alabama

If Rowe is off the board, or Pittsburgh favors someone a bit more beefy, Alabama safety Landon Collins makes sense. At 228 pounds, Collins is built more like a linebacker than a safety, and he plays with a similar mentality.

Drafting Collins could mean Mitchell has to play free safety an extra year while Collins polishes up his coverage skills. However, until then, Collins could be an intimidating force moving downhill.

3. Adrian Amos, S Penn State

Next up on this list is a local star, Penn State’s Adrian Amos. He is an underrated athlete with a solid, thick build. For a player that looks as strong as Amos, you’d expect to see him perform better against the run, but this is by far his weakest area.

However, as a single-high safety, Amos displays exceptional range and route recognition. Pittsburgh could target Amos in the second round, because it’s unlikely he'll still be there in the third.

4. Jaquiski Tartt, S Samford

There appears to be a trend with these safeties. Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt, like Collins and Amos, is a big safety over 220 pounds with an aggressive nature and shocking speed.

The downside to adding Tartt is he is almost certain to be strictly a strong safety as he struggles with play recognition and doesn’t take good angles to the football. However, if the goal is to replace Polamalu, Pittsburgh could do worse than Tartt in the third round.

5. Erick Dargan, S Oregon

If there is a real sleeper safety in this draft, it might be Oregon’s Erick Dargan. After not getting invited to the combine, you knew he had an uphill climb moving forward. However, even without the exposure, Dargan has film that backs up the praise he gets.

It’s incredible how productive a player Dargan was in college, considering he lacks elite speed. As a box strong safety, his deep speed won’t be an issue and he will excel.

Tight End

If we all accept that tight end Heath Miller cannot play forever, 2015 isn’t a bad year to try and find a long-term replacement. This tight end class isn’t great by any means, but there are some interesting players that fit well with what Pittsburgh likes to do.

1. Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota

If there is a consensus in this draft at any position, it is that Minnesota's Maxx Williams is this year's top tight end.

How good is he? It's unlikely that he’s first-round good, but there is definitely lots of untapped potential coming from a run-heavy Minnesota program. In many ways, Williams is a more athletic version of Miller with his ability to get down the seams in a hurry. He also has strong hands to reel the ball in under duress.

2. Jeff Heuerman, TE Ohio State 

You have to go back to 2013 to get a clean look, but make no mistake, Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman is a great NFL prospect. In 2014, Heuerman was relegated to blocking and decoy duty in the Ohio State offense, but in 2013, he showed that he could be a potent target in the middle of the field. His length allows him to overpower safeties, and his on-field speed lets him run away from linebackers.

3. Blake Bell, TE Oklahoma 

The closest thing to a Heath Miller clone in this draft might be Oklahoma tight end Blake Bell. Bell is a former quarterback (like Miller) who plays with strength and power over raw athleticism. Bell has played all over the field and is still learning the position. This means Bell will slide to around the fifth round, but as a developmental prospect, he would make for a solid pick.

4. Wes Saxton, TE South Alabama

Speaking of enticing developmental prospects, the Steelers need to take a long look at South Alabama tight end Wes Saxton. His game is built more around his raw athleticism and athletic potential, but perhaps a weapon like this is just what the Steelers offense needs.

5. C.J. Uzomah, TE Auburn

I’m not sure what kind of pro Auburn tight end C.J. Uzomah is going to be, but I’d like to find out with him on the Steelers roster. At 6’5” and 264 pounds, he is a massive target who plays with the mentality of a wide receiver. His blocking is far from ideal for a Steelers tight end, but split wide is a matchup nightmare.

Running Back

The last priority target on this board is running back. The signing of veteran running back DeAngelo Williams was nothing more than a one-season filler as the Steelers prepared for the eventual suspension of star running back Le’Veon Bell. The reality is that Williams will be gone at the end of the year, and after Bell, there is very little to get excited about.

1. T.J. Yeldon, RB Alabama

I won’t be at all shocked if the Steelers opt for a running back earlier than many pundits admit. After drafting Bell in the second round, there is no doubting the value that the Steelers place upon the position.

If Pittsburgh looks to a running back on the second day, Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon would be a great fit. Everyone touted Bell as the next Jerome Bettis, but Yeldon is probably a closer comparison. You can see Yeldon’s frame carry considerably more quality weight without losing any of his quickness and deceptive speed.

2. David Cobb, RB Minnesota

Another option for the Steelers in the third round is Minnesota’s David Cobb. His compact and powerful running style makes him a real challenge to bring down. And once he gets a head of steam up, he can get nice yards after contact.

He doesn’t have the overall skills to play every down, but his ability to get positive yards on every play and be on the field on third down means he will pair up well with a feature back like Bell.

3. Javorius Allen, RB USC

If the Steelers pass on Yeldon but want a near-clone of him, USC running back Javorius Allen would be a nice fit. Allen is a 221-pound athlete with surprising agility and quickness. Allen is a high-cut runner who needs to improve his vision in order to find better running lanes. However, once Allen gets in the open, he is able to use a little shake and some quicks to pick up big chunks of yards.

4. Karlos Williams, RB FSU

If Pittsburgh wants to wait until later on in the draft, a player to consider is FSU running back Karlos Williams. There’s no denying his skills, but it was clear that in 2014 he lost more than a step. First he lost carries to Dalvin Cook, but Williams looked heavy and slow even on the field.

The hope is that once Williams gets into the league, he can recapture some of the flash he had in 2013, when he played around 220 pounds and could deliver a blow and fight hard for extra yards.

5. John Crockett, RB North Dakota State

Should Pittsburgh opt to delve into the undrafted free-agency pool to fill their running back vacancy, North Dakota State running back John Crockett would be an excellent pick.

It’s unfortunate that Crockett played at North Dakota State, because if he started at a school like LSU, he would be talked about among the more productive backs in all of college football. He’s got a pro-style pedigree, exceptional all-around game and the potential to be a three-down running back.