2012 Pittsburgh Steelers' Mock Draft: 1st Round Picks to Heal Steelers Cuts

The Pittsburgh Steelers' scramble to alleviate their precarious salary cap position has led to the release of such stalwarts as wide receiver Hines Ward, defensive end Aaron Smith and linebacker Farrior, cuts that have caused many Steelers fans to wipe tears from their eyes with their Terrible Towels and could have a huge impact on Pittsburgh's strategy in this April's NFL Draft.

The release of these players was an unfortunate combination of the diminishing skills of aging veterans and the cruel financial realities of today's National Football League, but the decision wasn't an easy one according to the official statements made by the team on its website.

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Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998, and we will forever be grateful for what he has helped us achieve. He has meant so much to this organization, both on and off the field, and we appreciate his efforts over the past 14 years. Hines’ accomplishments are numerous, and he will always be thought of as one of the all-time great Steelers.

Aaron has been a staple on our defense since he became a starter in 2000 and has helped us rank among the league’s top defenses ever since. He has done so much for the Steelers on and off the field, and he has been one of our veteran leaders in our locker room. We appreciate everything that he has done for our team and the Pittsburgh community.

James was named one of our captains each of the past eight years, and that speaks volumes to what he has meant to so many great defenses. He has been a leader for our defense on the field and an ambassador for the Steelers in the community. We appreciate everything James has done and truly wish him nothing but the best.

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Not only have these cuts struck at the core of the foundation of a team that made three Super Bowl appearances over the past seven seasons, but it also leaves three sizable holes in the Steelers roster. Luckily for Pittsburgh, however, there should be players available in the first round of April's draft who could not only plug one of those holes, but would also fit into the Steelers "best player available" mantra.

Farrior's departure may well create more of a leadership vacuum than an athletic one, as reserve Larry Foote is a capable veteran replacement, but the team could use an infusion of talent at inside linebacker, and Alabama's Dont'a Hightower would fit the bill quite well there.

The 6'2", 265-pound All-American struggled a bit in drills at the combine, but there's plenty of game tape to back up Hightower's experience in the 3-4 and his ability to wreak havoc on opposing offenses, and as Ken Laird of Trib Live recently pointed out Hightower's not shy at all about laying the lumber.

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One thing that isn’t questioned is Dont’a Hightower’s run-stopping ability from his college days, nor is his willingness to lay a bit hit on opposing ball-carriers. Hightower is a consensus elite prospect in terms of forward-moving linebackers in the 2012 Draft, and he combines that with a very high pedigree of experience as well as comfort in aligning and calling defenses.

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Should the Steelers instead look to address the departure of Aaron Smith, whose numbers on the stat sheet were always far outweighed by his impact on the football field, then the team might turn to 2011 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Devon Still of Penn State, who at 6'5" and 303 pounds possesses the size and speed required for 3-4 defensive ends at the point of attack and has been a lifelong Steelers fan according to his recent interview with PFT.

Finally, the departure of Ward isn't as potentially significant for the Steelers (in that if the team re-signs wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery he can function as a viable slot option) as the possible loss of wideout Mike Wallace, whose restricted free agency was one of the causal factors of this salary purge to begin with.

If Wallace leaves the Steel City, that would leave Pittsburgh sorely lacking in the deep-threat department, and although Baylor speedster Kendall Wright will probably be off the board even after a poor showing at the combine, the team could consider reaching a bit for Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill, whose explosion in the 40-yard dash and vertical leap at the combine has him shooting up draft boards, including that of Peter Schrager of Fox Sports.

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Here’s your real combine "winner." Hill was expected to be a second- or third-round selection prior to this week’s activities in Indianapolis. He may have “played” himself into the first round with a tremendous week at the Underwear Olympics.

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While the departure of players who have become the fixtures of a successful team is always a tough pill to swallow for fans, supporters of the Pittsburgh Steelers can at least take solace in the fact that there are potential avenues for replacing them, and at least Steelers fans have the luxury of rooting for a team with a history of reloading as opposed to rebuilding.