The Pittsburgh Steelers' Round 1 Big Board Before Combine

The 2015 NFL draft is over two months away, but the predraft season is already in full swing, especially with the scouting combine kicking off this week. With all that in mind, it's time to take a look at the positions the Pittsburgh Steelers need to address early in this year's draft and the players who would make the best fits.

While many things can change because of the scouting combine, there are certainly players one can assume the Steelers are interested in looking at more closely. With that in mind, let's look at a few players who should be on the Steelers' big board as the combine commences.

With defense their biggest need—both in the front seven and in the secondary—it's not surprising that five of these prospects fall on that side of the ball. But there is a surprise addition on the offense, too. Read on to find out who should be catching the Steelers' eye during this most fluid time of year.

6. Danny Shelton, NT, Washington

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Technically speaking, the Pittsburgh Steelers are not hurting for a nose tackle. They have incumbent starter Steve McLendon still on the roster, as well as 2014 sixth-round draft pick Daniel McCullers, a mountain of a man who could do more than just compete for their starting nose tackle job this year, but also win it outright.

Still, a talent like Washington's Danny Shelton is one the Steelers cannot ignore. It's entirely possible Shelton is on the Steelers' draft board heading into the scouting combine, even if selecting him at 22nd overall seems like a long shot.

Shelton is a run-stopping beast who can also create havoc as a pass-rusher, totaling 11.5 sacks in his four seasons, nine in 2014. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein describes Shelton as a "[s]pace-eater who is able to maintain good positioning against double teams," who "[c]onsistently gets his hands inside offensive linemen first." 

Though nose tackle isn't an immediate need for the Steelers, the team consistently uses its first-round picks on the best player available. In the event that Shelton can fall all the way to 22, the Steelers will likely have few reservations taking him in the first round. His size certainly rivals McCullers', but his athleticism far surpasses his, or McLendon's.

5. Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

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Along the same lines as Danny Shelton, the Steelers may not be able to resist the pull of Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams should he still be on the board at 22nd overall. Williams is a modern, pass-catching tight end who could provide yet another boost to a Steelers' passing offense that has finally come into its own under offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

Though incumbent starter Heath Miller has two years left on his contract, he's over 30 years old and may not be in Pittsburgh beyond the 2015 season. Williams could easily complement Miller in his rookie season before taking over completely in his second year in the NFL.

In two seasons in Minnesota, Williams had 61 catches for 981 yards and 13 touchdowns. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler compares Williams favorably to Dallas tight end Jason Witten, adding, "Williams is a budding superstar with his combination of size, build and athleticism for the position, using his route acceleration to get open down the seam and the physicality to be a bruiser after the catch."

However, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein provides the most eye-popping of Williams' collegiate stats: 82 percent of his catches were either for first downs or touchdowns, adding that he is a "red-zone winner." The Steelers could certainly use some red-zone scoring help out of their next tight end, and Williams can provide that from day one.

Again, Williams could very well be off the board when the Steelers make their first-round pick, and they certainly have other, more pressing needs. But if the Steelers are dedicated to selecting the best player available and somehow Williams is still there, he very well could be their selection.

4. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

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It's no secret that cornerback is one of the biggest positions of need for the Steelers this year and one they may address more than once in the 2015 NFL draft. With Ike Taylor an unrestricted free agent and not expected back and Cortez Allen finding himself benched after an offseason contract extension, the Steelers' cornerback ranks are thin and must be bolstered in the coming months.

Washington cornerback Marcus Peters certainly has the talent, with 129 combined tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, 11 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and a fumble recovery in his three collegiate seasons. CBS Sports' Rob Rang says that "Peters is one of the few first round-worthy cornerbacks in the 2015 class," with ideal "length, ball-skills and...agility."

However, there are off-field concerns about Peters that will need to be addressed and assuaged at the scouting combine in order for him to be a first-round selection by any team, the Steelers included.

Peters was dismissed from Washington in November after an argument with an assistant coach capped off a series of confrontations with other coaches and teammates. He had also served a one-game suspension in 2014 and a half-game suspension in 2013.

He certainly has the ability to be a playmaking cornerback in the NFL, but does he have the maturity? Should Peters interview well with the Steelers in Indianapolis, he will remain on their board. If he cannot convince them his missteps are behind him, he'll no longer be in consideration.

3. Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

In contrast, Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes has the on-field ability of Marcus Peters but lacks the character-related red flags that could drop him not just to the Steelers at 22nd overall but potentially off of Pittsburgh's draft board completely, depending on his combine performance.

Waynes had 98 combined tackles in three years at Michigan State, including 2.0 tackles for a loss. He also had six interceptions, five passes defensed and 1.5 sacks. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had resounding praise for Waynes in his scouting report, saying Waynes "[l]oves to compete in man-to-man and is mentally tough. [Was] [a]sked to play on an island and did so successfully," and gave up only two touchdowns in his last two years.

Further, Waynes "[e]xcels in deep, man coverage and can be smothering." He can "contest any throw on the field," and as an added plus is a "[w]rap-up tackler who understands his responsibility against the run."

Still, Waynes does need a little polish. He prefers to grab receivers, leading to nine penalties in the last two years—that is the kind of behavior that will draw flags in the NFL.

Still, Zierlein concludes that while Waynes "needs technique work and could be inconsistent early on," "he has a very high floor." Waynes has the traits the Steelers have lacked and sorely needed at the cornerback position for years. He'd be a perfect pick in Round 1 should the Steelers get the opportunity to take him.

2. Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida

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The Steelers' draft needs on defense this year are myriad. Though cornerback is clearly a pressing one, the relative depth this draft class has at the position could mean the Steelers could wait until Round 2 to select one and still find a productive starter.

In that case, then the Steelers' top need in Round 1 immediately becomes pass-rusher. The Steelers currently have one signed to the roster—2013 first-round selection Jarvis Jones. Jason Worilds, Arthur Moats and James Harrison are all unrestricted free agents. While the Steelers may find a way to bring Worilds back, that would still leave the team thin at outside linebacker.

Florida's Dante Fowler may be out of the Steelers' reach, currently projected by CBS Sports' Dane Brugler to go fifth overall to Washington. Still, given his skill set, he must be near the top of their draft board prior to the start of this week's scouting combine.

In two seasons with Florida, Fowler has amassed 80 combined tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles. As Bruger and Rob Rang point out in their scouting report, Fowler is extremely versatile, noting that, "[d]epending on the situation the Gators line him up at RDE, LDE, DT, and OLB, ask him to rush from the two-point and three-point stance and occasionally drop him into coverage—including after he has started the play with his hand in the dirt."

Brugler and Rang continue to say that Fowler, "is perhaps best suited for a 3-4 base defense at the next level where he can disrupt the edge with his aggressive, active hands and explosive lower body," making him a match for the Steelers' scheme.

Because Fowler is so versatile and so dominant, it may take a miracle for him to drop to the Steelers at 22nd overall, especially when he's not just projected to be a top-10 but a top-five pick in the draft this year. But he fits the Steelers' scheme and needs, so it's hard to keep Fowler off of Pittsburgh's big board.

1. Alvin "Bud" Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky

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Though Dante Fowler may be on the Steelers' draft wish list, it's more realistic that the team can acquire Kentucky pass-rusher Bud Dupree at 22nd overall. In fact, CBS Sports' Dane Brugler agrees, projecting that the Steelers select Dupree in his mock draft released on Monday.

Linking Dupree, or any pass-rusher, to the Steelers in the first round makes sense. It's a position of immediate need that can be filled by a starter-ready player early in the draft. Though the Steelers often select based on the best player still available, that could overlap with their needs at the position by selecting Dupree.

Dupree had a combined 247 tackles in his four years in Kentucky, including 24.5 tackles for a loss. He also had 24 sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown and three forced fumbles. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has high praise for Dupree, though it doesn't come without its caveats.

Though Zierlein notes Dupree is a "[f]reakish athlete with chiseled frame, who "[s]hould be an above average edge-setter," with an "[e]xplosive closing burst," he's also "[r]aw, but learning with huge growth potential as a player."

CBS Sports' Rob Rang comes away with a similar impression of Dupree, saying he's a "[p]roductive pass-rusher whose success stems from his physical gifts and technique."

Still, he does worry that Dupree's "production has come while splitting duties between defensive end in a 4-3 alignment and as a stand-up outside linebacker, versatility some scouts find intriguing, but others question if favorable matchups booster production for the star rusher."

He also noted that Florida State pass-rushers—where Dupree's Kentucky coach Mark Stoops developed his scheme—often struggle to be as productive in the NFL as they were in college.

Zierlein concludes that the "[d]fference between being good and great might be his coordinator." The Steelers just transitioned from longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to Keith Butler, linebackers coach in Pittsburgh for the past 10 years. There should be few changes in scheme or style, and Pittsburgh's defense certainly favors an athletic, instinctive player like Dupree.

Ultimately, Dupree's considerable upside should trump whatever rawness exists in his game. For this reason, he should be among the players the Steelers consider drafting in Round 1 this year.