5 Prospects Pittsburgh Steelers Should Target in 2015 NFL Draft
Over the past few seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have undergone a slow transition. No longer do the veterans from the Super Bowl teams dominate their roster. Instead, a young and talented core of players has taken over and will carry the team into the future.
Unlike some teams that make their splashes in free agency, the Steelers build through the draft. Players such as David DeCastro, Le’Veon Bell, Stephon Tuitt and Martavis Bryant were acquired through the draft. Now they represent the base foundation of the team.
The transition was not an easy one, with two missed playoff appearances, but an 11-win season and a division championship gives hope for the future. The next generation of Steelers is still four months away from arriving in Pittsburgh, but it is never too early to examine some of the best draft prospects.
With plenty of needs—particularly on the defensive side of the ball—Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and the scouting staff will do their homework as they look to continue to add young talent to the roster. Here is a look—by position—at five prospects that the Steelers should consider in the 2015 draft.
Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
1 of 5
Heath Miller cannot play forever, and it is about time that the Pittsburgh Steelers begin to groom his replacement. In typical fashion, the Steelers will not draft a tight end who is more like a receiver, but rather one who can also stay in and block.
This year’s top prospect at the position and potential second-round target for the Steelers is Maxx Williams. At 6’4” and 250 pounds, the redshirt sophomore was one of the top tight ends in Minnesota history. In two years, he had produced 54 receptions for 888 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Williams has also drawn a lofty comparison from Dane Brugler of NFL Draft Scout and CBS Sports, via Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press: “I see the [Jason] Witten-[Kyle] Rudolph similarities because of the natural body control and receiving instincts. Williams looks the part with his size-build-athleticism mix and plays the part as well to make impressive catches with his large catching radius.”
With only 24 games played—including 17 starts—Williams will need to continue to develop as a blocker and route runner. Given that Miller has a year or two left of productive play, the Steelers will have ample time to groom Williams as the future starter.
While many will not see a tight end as a significant need for the Steelers, having a second big option to roam the middle of the field will only help. More importantly, they will have a future starter in waiting for when Miller’s career in Pittsburgh is over.
Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
2 of 5
As everyone watched the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive front dominate Pittsburgh’s offensive line, it was a reminder of how important a dominant defensive line can be for a team.
The Steelers have two tough, physical defensive ends in Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt who are the foundation for the line. While Steve McLendon and Daniel McCullers make for a solid duo at nose tackle, neither is the rock that Casey Hampton was for this defense.
Although the Steelers do not have an immediate need at nose tackle, the temptation to solidify the defensive line with one of the best defensive tackles in the draft is worth exploring. The 6’2” and 339-pound Danny Shelton can do much more than just stuff the ground game.
Shelton was named All-Pac-12 First Team after he led the nation with five fumble recoveries. He also had 16.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks this year in 13 starts. Adding a disruptive force to the center of the defensive line would further ease the pressure of finding dominant outside pass rushers.
One NFL scout told Adam Jude of the Seattle Times that he believes that Shelton can be an immovable object and much more for an NFL defense: “He’s a massive dude. And he’s not just a square, can’t-move dude. He can run and he’s physical and he can move. It’s mind-blowing how easy it looks for him. He was just toying with people at times.”
Nose tackle may be at the top of the list of needs for the Steelers, but the draft is about adding talented players who can help improve a team. Shelton may not play cornerback or outside linebacker, but he would help a defense in need of talented players.
Alvin “Bud” Dupree, OLB, Kentucky
3 of 5
Edge defenders are a priority for teams in the NFL, but despite their importance, they are very difficult to find. Of the 18 players who had 10 sacks or more last season, only 10 of them were linebackers.
Pittsburgh found itself stuck at the position this past season and had to reach out to James Harrison to come out of retirement. While he finished with 5.5 sacks, the Steelers cannot continue to depend on their aging veterans.
That may not be a problem in 2015, as Jarvis Jones is the only outside linebacker currently under contract. Once again, outside linebacker will be a priority for the Steelers and they will likely look to the draft to fill this need.
As much as they would like to draft Shane Ray, he will likely be gone well before they select in the first round. Instead, they can look at Matt Miller’s 11th-ranked player in the draft, Alvin “Bud” Dupree.
The 6’4” and 264-pound Dupree finished his Wildcats career with 37 tackles for a loss and 23.5 sacks, including 7.5 in 2014. However, like most outside linebackers, he will need time to develop as he transitions to the NFL. As we have seen with Jarvis Jones, teams cannot always count on an instant impact from a rookie pass rusher.
Rob Rang of CBS Sports believes that Dupree has the potential to develop and have a long career as he compared him with Kamerion Wimbley: “Like Wimbley, Dupree has the blend of length and burst to enjoy a long, productive career as an NFL edge rusher. To achieve his full potential, however, he'll need to get stronger in run support.”
Given that Dupree will need time to develop, the Steelers will need to sign a veteran stopgap to hold down the position until he is ready to go. However, with so many teams looking to draft talented outside linebackers, the Steelers may once again have to find one in the first round.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
4 of 5
Unlike outside linebacker, the Steelers should have depth at cornerback in 2015. William Gay will be back. So will Cortez Allen, well, probably. Expect them to re-sign Brice McCain and Antwon Blake as well.
This isn’t the most talented defensive backfield, but it is one that can compete on a weekly basis. That doesn’t mean that they will not look for an upgrade early and often in the draft. After passing up on one Michigan State cornerback last season, the Steelers may not do the same this year.
Trae Waynes has excellent size at 6’1” and 182 pounds and projects as a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL. In his second season as a starter, he earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors and was a Thorpe Award semifinalist.
Over his 35-game career, Waynes had 98 tackles, six interceptions and 12 passes defended. He is a willing tackler and that is necessary to play in Pittsburgh’s defense. Dan Hope of Bleacher Report believes that he can develop into a starter, but is not without his concerns:
"A 6’1”, 182-pound defensive back, Waynes has good length and athleticism for the position and is skilled in contesting receivers in man coverage. His play has been somewhat inconsistent and he needs to add bulk to his frame, but his ball skills and instincts give him the potential to develop into a very good starting outside cornerback in the NFL.
"
The Steelers have not done a good job drafting cornerbacks in recent years and that trend must stop if they want to see an improvement with the secondary. Since there is a lack of development with late-round cornerbacks, it may be time to select a cornerback in the first round for the first time since Chad Scott in 1997.
Gerod Holliman, S, Louisville
5 of 5
Last year, the Steelers signed Mike Mitchell, and they have Shamarko Thomas waiting in the wings, but the safety position is far from set.
Mitchell struggled in his first year in Pittsburgh, and Thomas only played three defensive snaps all season, per Football Outsiders. With Will Allen a free agent and Troy Polamalu’s cloudy future, there is a need at safety.
Gerod Holliman is the top free safety on Matt Miller’s draft board and he would bring a much-needed playmaking ability to Pittsburgh’s secondary. What he lacks as a big hitter, Holliman makes up for by getting the ball in his hands. He had 14 interceptions last season.
Despite the impressive numbers, there are mixed reviews of Holliman. One NFL scout told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he is not impressed:
“He needs to go back to school," said one scout. "He's horrible. He can't make a tackle to save his life. He's got pretty good instincts but he's not that athletic."
Not exactly a ringing endorsement. In fact, the inability to make tackles and a lack of athleticism are two major red flags. But not all reviews were negative. Bucky Brooks of NFL.com had a much more positive outlook on Holliman’s pro potential:
"That's why I believe veteran scouts will see a young Ed Reed in Holliman's play when they take a closer look. When I evaluated Reed during his final season at Miami, I was blown away by his instincts, awareness and ball skills as a deep defender in the Hurricanes' scheme. He had a knack for being around the ball, and his ability to make the play was unrivaled in the college game. As a result, Reed snagged 21 interceptions during his four seasons at Miami, including 17 during his junior and senior seasons. With those traits also fueling Reed's production as a pro (64 career interceptions in 12 seasons), it is possible that Holliman could develop into a game-changing defender at the next level.
"
Any team can give up a little in the physical department if they get that type of ball hawk in the secondary. Just ask the Ravens if they would have traded Reed for any other safety in the league. My guess is a resounding “no.”
Holliman will be one of the most scrutinized players when it comes time for workouts and film review. As long as he tests well, he will be one of the most sought-after defenders in this draft. Having this type of game-changer in the secondary would be a novel concept for the Steelers, but a welcomed one.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com , all draft rankings are courtesy of Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, all salary information is courtesy of Spotrac.com and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
