5 Players the Steelers Should Avoid in the 2015 NFL Draft's First Round

With the 2015 NFL only three months away, every front office is busy getting their big boards in order. The Pittsburgh Steelers front office is surely focusing on getting the team's defensive roster back to prominence. Aging veterans like cornerback Ike Taylor and linebacker Jason Worilds might not return.

On top of that, out is Dick LeBeau and in is Keith Butler as the new Steelers defensive coordinator. Butler is a veteran of the coaching staff and has the confidence of the team. All of this adds up to what could look like a drastically different defense in 2015.

Fortunately, this draft class is pretty heavy at several key spots the Steelers will likely focus on. The downside is there are some top prospects Pittsburgh must avoid if at all possible. None of the guys on this list are bad; they have the potential to be very good NFL starters. However, finding a great player is as much about fitting the scheme as about raw talent.

Read on and find out which five prospects the Steelers should avoid in the first round.

Unless specified, all player data courtesy of the college football section of Sports Reference.

Vic Beasley, DE/LB, Clemson

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It pains me to include Clemson defensive end/linebacker Vic Beasley on this list. There weren't many college players who generated the excitement Beasley did. He was one of the most explosive edge players in college and was nearly impossible to block at times.

So, why shouldn't the Steelers draft this guy?

He seems like he’s tailor-made to be a pass-rushing outside linebacker, right? Not so fast. Beasley’s official bio on Clemson's website has him listed at 6’3” and 235 pounds. Not terrible, but a little undersized. 

By comparison, Steelers outside linebacker Jarvis Jones is only 6’2” but weighs 245 pounds. Even at 245 pounds, Jones gets pushed around far too often. So, 235 pounds is worrisome.

The fact that Beasley looks much smaller than that is even more disconcerting. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said he thinks Beasley weighs 220 pounds.

If Beasley is that small, his draft stock is going to plummet. Regardless of his anticipation and burst, that’s just too small to hold up, especially against the run.

If the Steelers are really going to show more hybrid fronts this year—as Butler indicated to Steelers.com's Bob Labriola—then they need to focus on bigger, stronger hybrid defense end/linebacker types who can hold up better against run plays out of spread sets.

Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington

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The reason Washington linebacker Shaq Thompson makes this list is a bit different than why Beasley is on here—but in some aspects just the same.

Truth be told, Thompson is actually listed five pounds lighter than Beasley, and when you look at pictures, it is hard to see much difference in their builds at all.

So, if Beasley cannot hold up against the rigors of the NFL, then how could Thompson?

Nevertheless, more important than Thompson's size is his game and how it fits with the Steelers. In most of the games I studied, he was much more effective working inside out, lining up as an inside linebacker in that hybrid 3-4 set.

Rarely did Thompson walk up and stick a hand on the ground, going after the quarterback. And that is exactly what the Steelers are going to need from their first-round pick.

There are a lot of teams that will covet Thompson and the overwhelming athleticism he brings to the table. However, all that athletic ability is going to draw some team to draft Thompson well before his overall talent would warrant.

The key is that team be a team other than Pittsburgh.

Malcom Brown, DT, Texas

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Oftentimes, NFL fans are so singularly focused on their team that they cannot dedicate much time to actually scouting potential prospects. They rely heavily on stats and measurables.

Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown is one of those guys who could lure in a fan with a quick look, but a deeper examination tells a different story.

The Steelers do need to add some depth along the defensive line. If Pittsburgh could get another nose tackle to work in a rotation with Daniel McCullers, that would allow defensive tackle Steve McLendon to possibly kick out to defensive end.

Brown certainly passes the eyeball test. At 6’4” and 320 pounds, he has a great build for a nose tackle in a 3-4 base defense. However, not every 320-pound defensive tackle is equal. Brown's game is not predicated on power so much as it is on finesse.

He has really quick feet, and he has a nice punch that makes him an elite one-gap tackle for a team that runs a 4-3 defense. However, Brown doesn't play with the power or leverage to regularly hold up when lined up over a center in the NFL.

Landon Collins, S, Alabama

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There will be plenty of fans clamoring for Alabama safety Landon Collins if Pittsburgh goes on the clock and Collins is there. The play of the Steelers safeties in 2014 was woefully uninspired.

Mike Mitchell was brought in to resurrect the secondary, but it wasn't long until we all just wanted Ryan Clark back. It is unfortunate safety Shamarko Thomas still hasn't made the jump, and the Steelers do need to consider bringing in yet another safety this offseason.

I am not opposed to the Steelers drafting a young, athletic safety, but using a first-round pick on Collins isn't the way to go.

Collins is a fantastic safety prospect. On the right team, in the appropriate system, he is going to start for many years in this league. However, the film doesn't show a player with impressive range and natural coverage skills.

The player the Steelers bring in has to be able to drop deep, read the quarterback and close on the play in a hurry. Collins is better in smaller spaces and with tight coverage around him.

D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic

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This could be the year the Steelers finally decide to break from tradition and draft a cornerback in the first round. I mean, it's only been since 1997 since they did it last. Time for everything old to be new again, I say.

However, as we have seen before, when the Steelers zero in on a prospect or position, they will draft that way, no matter what. The worst thing that could happen to Pittsburgh is there is a run on cornerbacks and pass-rushers before it goes on the clock.

At that point, team officials will have to decide if they want to fill a need or look to their board for the top player available. If this happens, all bets are off as far as who the pick would be. However, if there is such a run, the Steelers could be tempted to draft Florida Atlantic cornerback D’Joun Smith.

Smith got everyone all excited with a strong week of practices at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, and he now looks to be in the first-round mix. CBSSports.com’s Dane Brugler slotted Smith at No. 44 on his latest big board.

I guess no one cared how much his skills regressed from 2013 to 2014.

Smith is a good player, but there are some real gaps in his game. He's physical but possesses a slight frame. He also doesn't read well in off coverage, which the Steelers demand.

Smith is going to get a ton of media momentum from his Senior Bowl performance. Nevertheless, as long as that doesn't turn into a reach pick for the Steelers, it’s all good.