Mid-Round NFL Draft Targets Who Could Start in Year 1 for Pittsburgh Steelers
For much of the past two decades, the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the best drafting teams in the NFL. Not only did they hit on their early draft picks, but they also unearthed gems in the middle and late rounds.
Mid-round selections established the foundation for the team of the 2000s. Here, the Steelers found players such as Hines Ward, Deshea Townsend, Aaron Smith, Clark Haggans, Chris Hope, Larry Foote, Ike Taylor and Max Starks—all between the third and fifth rounds.
Since Mike Tomlin arrived in 2007, the Steelers have struggled in this area. Only eight of Tomlin’s mid-round draft choices are under contract for the 2015 season. The lack of success in this part of the draft is one of the reasons that the Steelers have experienced issues with their depth in recent years.
In order to rebuild their depth, the Steelers must find not only quality backups in the middle rounds but also players who can develop into future starters. Although it is difficult for any rookie to come in and start in his first year, it is not an impossible task.
Just last season, it wasn't first-round pick Ryan Shazier or second-round pick Stephon Tuitt who made the biggest impact. Instead, it was fourth-round selection Martavis Bryant. Not only did he outshine his fellow rookies, but in 10 games—including three starts—he was also selected as the “Joe Greene Great Performance Award” winner as the Steelers' rookie of the year.
It will not be easy for a rookie selected in the middle rounds to come in and start next year, but Bryant proved that it can be done. Are there any draft prospects who can do the same next season? Here is a breakdown of five draft targets who could earn a starting role in 2015.
Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke
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Heading into the 2015 season, wide receiver has the potential to be one of the deepest areas on Pittsburgh’s roster.
Antonio Brown is coming off a record-setting season, while Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant will have another offseason of experience. This trio offers a combination of quickness, speed and size that is tough for any defense to stop. Even with all of this talent in place, however, the Steelers can continue to improve.
The luxury of having three young, talented wide receivers in place is that Kevin Colbert can look for diamonds in the rough later in the draft. One name that he must absolutely consider is Jamison Crowder from Duke.
At just 5’9” and 175 pounds, Crowder will not wow anyone with his size, but he will with his talent. The All-ACC receiver is very quick and plays much bigger than his size indicates. Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com noted that Crowder had an impressive showing at Senior Bowl practice:
"Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder again stood out as the most explosive pass catcher on offense for the North squad. His natural burst and route acceleration especially were impressive as he created separation, appearing to be a nightmare for defensive backs to cover in space. He does have a smaller catching radius, but for a player with such small hands (8 3/8 inches), Crowder has the focus and body control to make acrobatic catches look routine.
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Crowder is an experienced route-runner with 283 career receptions for 3,641 yards and 23 touchdowns. In addition to his ability as a receiver, he is a valuable contributor on special teams and has four career punt-return touchdowns.
Crowder’s precise route running, good hands and ability to make plays after the catch make him a perfect fit for the slot. He could contribute here immediately as a rookie as well as start as the primary returner on special teams.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has Crowder ranked 170th overall, meaning that he could be available as late as the fifth round. Consider that a steal for the Steelers if they can draft Crowder that late.
Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers
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Although Heath Miller remains a productive tight end, he began to show signs of his age last year. Never known for his speed, Miller lacks the ability to create separation, and at some point the Steelers will need to find his replacement.
Maxx Williams will be a name to watch early in the draft, but with so many needs on defense, he is not a logical draft choice for Pittsburgh. Instead, the Steelers could find a backup tight end who will be able to start in two-tight-end sets in the middle rounds of the draft.
A potential sleeper to watch for is Tyler Kroft out of Rutgers. At 6’6” and 240 pounds, he has excellent height, but he will need to fill out his frame. As a three-year contributor—and two-year starter—he had 70 receptions for 901 yards and five touchdowns.
Kroft has the athletic ability to develop into a quality option in the receiving game. That, paired with his already-strong blocking, makes him a candidate as a future No. 1 option. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com believes that he can develop into one of the top tight ends out of this draft class:
"Tall, athletic tight end with the frame to add more muscle and the athleticism to get open in space. Kroft is an aggressive blocker who can help the running game win on the edges, but he also possesses the quickness to get open in space and make a play after the catch. Kroft's size, athleticism and competitiveness as a blocker make him a scheme fit for most offenses and he could be one of the top tight ends to come from this draft class.
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The Steelers are in a perfect position to find a tight end of the future in the middle rounds of this year’s draft. Miller has another year or two left, and they do not have a viable backup on the roster. As a potential fourth-round selection, Kroft could contribute as the No. 2 tight end early on before taking over as the starter in a year or two.
Markus Golden, OLB, Missouri
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Odds are that the Steelers are not going to start an unproven Jarvis Jones and a rookie at outside linebacker, but without any signed depth at the position, it is something to consider.
Although his teammate Shane Ray may get most of the attention, Missouri defender Markus Golden has plenty of potential. As a third-round prospect in CBSSports.com’s rankings, Golden would provide excellent value for the Steelers.
Golden finished his career at Missouri with 133 tackles and 16.5 sacks and made a positive impression at the Senior Bowl. Dan Shonka of OurLads.com liked what he saw from Golden, per Luke Thompson of FoxSports.com:
"He's got big hands," Shonka said. "I think teams would like to see him be that 3-4 outside rusher. He showed his explosiveness off the edge, his ability to play with leverage."
Golden measured at just over 6’2” and 255 pounds, which is excellent size to play outside linebacker in Pittsburgh’s system. He has the size to hold the point of attack, and this will bode well as he defends against the run.
As with any outside linebacker, Golden will need time to develop. That means that the Steelers will not thrust him into the starting lineup. Instead, he could see a situational role as a pass-rusher. Although he may not qualify as a true starter, the potential is there to see a significant number of snaps as a rookie.
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Ladarius Gunter, CB, Miami
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The Steelers like long, athletic corners and will be on the lookout for one once again in this year’s draft.
In the past, the Steelers have used the fourth round to find future starters at cornerback. Ike Taylor was selected here in 2003 and Cortez Allen was in 2011. Both corners were raw but athletic, and each earned a spot in the starting lineup—though Allen still has much to prove.
One option for the Steelers to consider is Ladarius Gunter from Miami. Matt Miller rates him as the No. 24 cornerback and No. 199 overall prospect, while CBSSports.com has him rated as a fourth-rounder.
Gunter measured just over 6’1” and 200 pounds at the Senior Bowl, which is the type of size the Steelers like in their top cornerbacks. Besides his size, Gunter proved that he can play while in Mobile as well.
Matt Miller wrote that Gunter was the “most impressive outside cornerback” at Senior Bowl practice, while Patrick Magee of the Miami Herald wrote that he “had the best statistical performance of any of the corners.”
Gunter finished his career at Miami with six interceptions and continued to show his ability as a playmaker at the Senior Bowl. The Steelers are in need of playmakers in their secondary, and Gunter is the type of player who could come in and contribute early on.
With no clear-cut starters at cornerback, Gunter would have a chance to compete for a starting spot as a rookie and would have the potential to earn a role as a top-three cornerback for the 2015 season.
Kurtis Drummond, FS, Michigan State
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Other than cornerback and outside linebacker, safety is one of the top needs for the Steelers this offseason. They could potentially enter the 2015 season with Mike Mitchell and Shamarko Thomas as the only carryovers.
The 2015 draft is relatively weak at safety, which means that players will either be overdrafted or they will fall into the third round or later. The former is the more likely scenario, so the Steelers will have to look at the third round to find a potential contributor at safety.
Drummond ranks as the No. 99 prospect overall by Matt Miller, yet he is one of the top safety prospects in this year’s draft. At nearly 6’1” and 205 pounds, he has impressive size, but he does not play an aggressive brand of football.
Despite this, Drummond will come to the NFL as a well-coached safety who produced impressive statistics as a four-year letter-winner while at Michigan State. He had 233 tackles, 12 interceptions and 33 passes defended in 52 career games.
Like the other rookies in this year’s class, Drummond may not be ready to earn a full-time starting role, but he has enough talent to find a permanent role in the passing defense.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, all draft rankings are courtesy of Matt Miller of Bleacher Report and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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