Pittsburgh Steelers' Midseason Draft Wish List

It might seem like November is still too early to start thinking about the 2015 NFL draft, but really it is never too soon.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and every other franchise have been sending out scouts weekend after weekend to gain insight on the top prospects who can best help their teams.

Pittsburgh understands that as of right now, this team has so very distinct positions that must be addressed via either free agency or the NFL draft. I don’t profess to be a salary-cap expert, so potential free agents are a separate subject.

This wish list is all about the top six draft prospects the Steelers should be keeping a close eye on as the regular season draws to a close.

Which positions should the Steelers target? Primarily, cornerback and pass-rushing outside linebacker are at the top of the list. For this list, I give you three of each, in no particular order. I have first-round grades on all of these players, and each are going to be impact players for whichever team drafts them.

All player stats and info courtesy of the college football section of Sports-Reference.com.

Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

When we talk about prospects, it is more than just talent and also about how a player fits within the scheme of which a particular team employs.

If you play for the Steelers and you play cornerback, you can be expected to play a great deal of off-man coverage, but a nice dose of press is mixed in. That requires a specific body type and set of skills.

When Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reported that Washington head coach Chris Petersen had dismissed starting cornerback Marcus Peters from the team, one had to wonder how it would impact his draft stock.

However, when you put on the tape, you can see that Peters is a future NFL star. He’s got NFL size (6’0”, 190 lbs), but it’s his game that jumps off the screen. Peters is a physical coverage player who is strong enough to jam larger wide receivers and tight ends at the line of scrimmage, but he's still fast enough to turn and run.

Peters’ physical play also manifests itself in run support. Peters is not shy about sticking his nose into a run play and making a tackle. However, there's one thing he does that stands out and sets him apart: Peters is tremendous with his recognition skills.

Too often, cornerbacks never turn back and find the football, which leads to either a penalty or a catch. Peters is fearless and will turn and look for the football, never fearing to make a play on the ball.

Randy Gregory, DE/LB, Nebraska

There are distinct responsibilities for a pass-rushing outside linebacker with the Steelers. There is a level of diversity that must exist in their game. Yes, getting after the quarterback might be the flashiest of roles these players will need to take, but it is only a part of the picture.

For the Steelers, the best fit could be Nebraska’s Randy Gregory. Gregory has an incredible burst off the line of scrimmage and is really emerging in terms of his leverage and variety of pass-rushing moves.

However, what really stands out for Gregory is his length and how he utilizes it. At 6’6”, Gregory has a longer frame than Steelers fans have seen from their pass-rushing outside linebackers. Nevertheless, Gregory has exceptional upper-body strength and violent hands.

Gregory extends quickly and with a burst that will jolt an offensive lineman backward, giving him a momentary advantage. He is also a star on special teams, using all that length to block kicks. Translate that back to defense, and you see batted-down passes and forced turnovers.

P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State

If the Steelers cannot snag Peters, Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. Williams has been a bit inconsistent this season, but some of that can be forgiven.

The Seminoles lost a tremendous amount of talent at the end of last season, and he is still working to catch up to that.

However, Williams brings a long frame, aggressive stance and exceptional field speed. However, what I love most about Williams’ game as it translates to Pittsburgh is his fluidity in coverage. Rarely does Williams get turned around, and he can drop and flip his hips with no loss of speed.

Williams is the most natural coverage player in this group, and if he works out well, he should be in the mix to be the top cornerback off the board.

If the Steelers can keep playing well, Williams toward the end of the first round would be a nice value. The Florida State star would be able to work his way into the cornerback rotation quickly with his talent.

Vic Beasley, DE/LB, Clemson

If the goal is to have the most explosive edge player in the draft, drafting Clemson's Vic Beasley might just fit the bill. Beasley is significantly smaller than Gregory at 6’2”, but what he lacks in length he more than makes up for in other areas.

Beasley is a much more polished pass-rushing specialist who can beat tackles around the edge or with a powerful bull rush. From a Steelers standpoint, Beasley has the look of a Steelers linebacker more so than Gregory. He's a little squatty and plays with a low center of gravity.

Another area of Beasley’s game that makes him enticing to Pittsburgh is his ability to diagnose and react to a play quickly. Beasley has great speed and has no problems chasing down running backs and finishing with authority.

Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

Moving on down the list of potential starting cornerbacks the Steelers could choose from in the 2015 draft, we find Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes.

Waynes is somewhat unique among the three on this list in that his strength is in press-man coverage. Both Peters and Williams have shown better off-man and zone skills. Waynes has been much more limited.

On the other side, Waynes might be the best all-around athlete of the trio, and with that comes tremendous upside. If the Steelers coaches believe they can cultivate Waynes’ coverage skills to include more off-man and zone, he could easily be the best of these three cornerbacks down the line.

Another aspect of Waynes’ game that he will need to work on at the next level is his frame. Whereas Peters weighs 198 pounds and Williams 196, Waynes comes in at 183 pounds. This makes him fast, but it also gives a lanky appearance, and you have to wonder how that would influence him in coverage and run support.

Shane Ray, DE/LB, Missouri

The final edge player on this list is Missouri’s Shane Ray. To compare to Gregory and Beasley, Ray falls somewhere in between.

His size (6’3”, 245 lbs) is comparable to Beasley, but without the strength. His leverage and all-around game are close to that of Gregory, but without the length and violent hands.

Ray has been coming on strong all season, but for a 3-4 team, he could be looked at as a bit raw and not ready to contribute right away. Like Beasley, Ray is more of a situational player early in his career, so his value is somewhat diminished.

However, you only have to see the tenacity and aggression that Ray plays with, and you need him on your team. To use a comparison Steelers fans will be well aware of, he is a lot like linebacker Jarvis Jones, with much greater athletic ability.

There will be no 4.9 40-yard dash out of Ray. He’s active like Jones and never gives up on the play, but he has much greater athleticism to finish plays Jones cannot.