Steelers' 2014 Draft Class Continues to Disappoint

The 2014 NFL draft was supposed to be the draft that helped the Pittsburgh Steelers turn the corner. Guys such as linebacker Ryan Shazier and running back Dri Archer were going to make this team faster and more dynamic on both sides of the football. Unfortunately, 12 games into the season, the return on investment for this Pittsburgh draft class hasn't come to fruition. 

Are we jumping the gun? I suppose that depends on who you ask. Having been a loyal fan of the Steelers for nearly four decades, I understand that if you stand fast to tradition, then, yes, you defend the case of giving rookies ample time to become acclimated to the Pittsburgh system before you have an impact. 

Unfortunately, this team is playing in 2014, and in 2014 the window is smaller for rookies, and expectations are higher. All you have to do is look across the league and see how many rookies are having significant impacts for their respective teams. And that doesn't just mean bad football teams.  

Let's take a quick look at the state of the Steelers' 2014 draft class.

 

First Round—Ryan Shazier, LB 

Shazier wowed everyone in offseason workouts and training camp. This piece, by The Associated Press' Will Graves, is just a singular example among many of the rave reviews Shazier's speed and athleticism drew.  

Unfortunately, since the season began, things have been all downhill for the young linebacker. Shazier has missed seven starts already this season with injury, which has left this team very much underwhelming at inside linebacker.  

Fellow inside linebackers Sean Spence and Vince Williams have done their best to fill in, but neither brings the athleticism that a healthy Shazier can, and it shows.

  

Second Round—Stephon Tuitt, DE 

Things might finally be coming around for rookie defensive end Stephon Tuitt. With veteran defensive end Brett Keisel headed to the IR with a torn triceps, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, there is a spot on that defensive line opposite Cameron Heyward up for grabs.

The lack of snaps Tuitt has gotten to this point has been frustrating, but David Todd of 970 ESPN Pittsburgh shared this from defensive line coach John Mitchell: 

"

#Steelers DLine coach John Mitchell told m he has to do better job getting Stephon Tuitt on the field, “that’s on me.” Tuitt played 4 snaps.

— David Todd (@DavidMTodd) November 18, 2014 "

Let's all hope that Mitchell along with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau recognize that when Tuitt is on the field, he makes plays and doesn't insist on trotting out mediocre veterans like Cam Thomas and Clifton Geathers in front of him.

 

Third Round—Dri Archer, RB 

There are times when it is perfectly acceptable for an NFL team to roll the dice on a player who might be more athlete than football player. The third round might not be that time. Archer was the hot new toy on the shelf after his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. And general manager Kevin Colbert was the petulant 10-year-old who had to have that new toy. Bleacher Report's Mike Batista questions Archer being in a "short-yardage situation":

"

Dri Archer in a short-yardage situation? Really? #Steelers

— Mike Batista (@Steel_Tweets) November 30, 2014"

Unfortunately, offensive coordinator Todd Haley didn't get the instruction book for Archer and has no idea what to do with him. So far this season Archer has a whopping nine carries for 41 yards and five receptions for a whole nine yards. It's like Haley wants to see Archer fail.

If there wasn't going to be a logical concerted effort to utilize Archer in ways he can be effective (screens, sweeps, reverses, etc.), then this pick looks wasteful in light of more pressing needs.

 

Fourth Round—Martavis Bryant, WR 

Are we finally getting to a player to get excited about? Sort of. Once the Steelers coaches pulled their heads out and decided to activate Bryant six weeks ago, Bryant came out with guns blazing. In his first four career games, Bryant caught six touchdowns. This was great news. 

And the bad news? The past two games, Bryant has been mired with lapses in concentration resulting on drops and only three catches, none of which have been touchdowns. Don't get me wrong, Bryant has a bright future. But if he has the yips like Chuck Knoblauch he will lose the confidence of the coaches and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and all that production will stall. 

Bryant's situation is made even more complicated in a year where rookie wide receivers have had unprecedented success. The bar has been set high, and after a quick start, Bryant has sputtered.

 

Sixth Round—Daniel McCullers, DT 

If you are going to roll the dice late in the draft, do it big. And it is hard to do anything much bigger than defensive tackle Daniel McCullers. The massive defensive tackle is one of the players on this list who has played well whenever he has been given the opportunity and is just being woefully underutilized. 

Regardless, McCullers is another player similar to Tuitt who might see a significant increase in reps due to the Keisel injury. If you have watched McCullers play, you hope he does get more time in the middle where his power jumps off the screen at you.

And the rest? Practice squad, injured reserve or the back of a milk carton, just take your pick. Is this sort of production good enough? Not really. Is this good enough for a team that was in dire need of defensive help? No way. Lack of return on investment is a troubling trend with the Steelers' recent drafts. 

If you care to delve into the draft history of this team, feel free here. I have to warn you, though, the results are more disturbing than those Kim Kardashian pictures. You might want to avert your eyes.

 

Player info and stats courtesy of NFL.com.