Ranking Pittsburgh Steelers' Biggest Needs to Address in the 2015 Draft
With eight selections, the Pittsburgh Steelers are unable to address every team need through the draft. Instead, it will be up to general manager Kevin Colbert to prioritize which positions must be selected in the early rounds and which can wait until the final day of the draft.
Based on what we saw last season, the Steelers could focus on the defensive side of the ball throughout the draft, but that is not necessarily the case. Rather than view the draft as an opportunity to provide a quick fix for the roster, Colbert must consider the long-term plan, as well.
For that reason, no one should be surprised that the Steelers are preparing as though they will not focus their draft on just one unit. As indicated by its pre-draft visits, Pittsburgh is keying on four positions—cornerback, tight end, wide receiver and outside linebacker.
When it comes to draft day, you can fully expect the Steelers to address each of these areas, as well as several others. However, how do they value each position?
From a position that needs depth to one that needs an immediate impact player, here is a breakdown of the Steelers' biggest needs to address in the 2015 draft.
6. Offensive Line
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After years of high draft picks, the Steelers' investment into their offensive line finally paid off in 2014. A record-setting offense helped pave the way to a division title, and a major part of it was the work in the trenches.
Under the guidance of Mike Munchak, the offensive line is poised for another big year in 2015. As exciting as this sounds, the team may be in for a rebuilding process once again after the season, as both Ramon Foster and Kelvin Beachum are set to hit the free-agent market.
Neal Coolong of Steelers Wire further explains the issues that Pittsburgh will face after the season:
"Looking ahead to the 2015 NFL Draft, the Steelers may need to invest a higher pick again in the offensive line. Beachum's performance puts him into high-dollar territory as he heads into the final year of his contract. [David] DeCastro's 2016 option was picked up, and it will cost the Steelers around $8 million for one year.
The total cap space being used on the Steelers' offensive line in 2016 is already over $24 million ($10.551 million for [Maurkice] Pouncey, $6.46 million for [Marcus] Gilbert, an estimated $8 million for DeCastro), and it appears they're without a starting left guard and left tackle.
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Although it is unlikely that the Steelers will select an offensive lineman high in the draft, they would be hard-pressed to ignore Brandon Scherff, La'el Collins, Jake Fischer or T.J. Clemmings in the early rounds or players like Ali Marpet or Sean Hickey later in the draft.
A lineman would not be a sexy pick but one that will keep the pipeline full of talent and allow the Steelers to remain strong in the trenches.
5. Safety
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Not long ago, the Steelers boasted what was arguably the best safety duo in the league with Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. Those days are over, as new defensive coordinator Keith Butler must break in a new pairing at safety.
Mike Mitchell—last year's big-money signing—and Shamarko Thomas are slated to start at the two safety spots, but there is room for an upgrade.
Mitchell struggled in his first year with the defense, and the Steelers will count on one year of experience with the team to aid in his comfort level with the defense. Thomas was unable to earn a slot in the starting lineup—or even a role as a key backup—and is a wild card.
Even with Will Allen returning as the top backup, the Steelers lack top talent at safety. The problem, though, is the absence of quality at the safety position.
Landon Collins is the only safety worth a first-round pick, but he isn't necessarily what the Steelers need at the backend of their defense. He is stronger against the run than he is against the pass, which already summarizes the types of safeties already on the roster.
Rather than take this type of prospect early, they can wait until later in the draft for a big-bodied safety, such as Jaquiski Tartt, Cody Prewitt or Durell Eskridge. All are at least 6'1" and have the potential to develop into a defender who can not only step up against the run but also drop into coverage.
Another name to consider is Adrian Amos.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said, “Amos checks all the boxes when it comes to strong football intelligence, a willingness to digest tape and cover skills.” However, he also pointed out that Amos “seems unwilling to take chances.”
A safety who focuses on his assignments is not necessarily a bad thing. This enables the other safety on the field to roam around and take chances, knowing that his teammate will not be out of position.
4. Wide Receiver
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A wide receiver corps that consists of Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant is one that many offensive coordinators would dream of. The combination of size, speed and quickness makes this trio difficult for any defense to defend.
Despite their talent, Brown is the only proven commodity, as the team is still waiting on the other two receivers to max out their potential. Even if all play at a high level this season, the Steelers have nothing behind them.
Given their current depth chart, one injury to a top receiver would leave the Steelers offense reeling. Rather than take a risk, Colbert must once again look to work his magic at drafting a wide receiver.
As he has shown in the past, Colbert has done a fine job at finding receivers in the third round or later. In recent years, he has drafted Mike Wallace, Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Wheaton and Bryant all without investing a top-two draft pick.
Also, with the report from Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports that Brown hopes to secure a new contract, the Steelers may look to be proactive and select a receiver high in the draft just in case the two sides cannot reach an agreement, whether it is this offseason or two years down the road.
Whether it is a late-round prospect with upside or a top prospect, such as a DeVante Parker, the Steelers would be wise to boost their depth chart in this year's draft. Besides, is it really going to hurt the team if they give Ben Roethlisberger yet another weapon to work with?
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3. Tight End
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Heath Miller cannot play forever, and Matt Spaeth does not strike fear in anyone. Although this position comes up at draft time every year, now more than ever seems like an appropriate time for Pittsburgh to find a tight end for the future.
In a relatively weak tight end class, any selection at the position will not contribute immediately. Instead, they will sit behind Miller for a year or two to develop as his eventual replacement.
Until then, a second tight end with the ability to go out as a receiver would not be a negative. Spaeth is a non-option in the passing game and is limited to a blocking role at this point of his career. A second threat to send over the middle of the field would help make Roethlisberger a more dangerous passer—especially in the red zone.
Maxx Williams is an option in the first round, but the Steelers could probably find a better value later in the draft. One of the names to keep an eye on is Jeff Heuerman.
Heuerman was never a dominant receiving option in college but has a chance to be a much better player once in the pros, according to Charles Davis of NFL.com:
"Heuerman never posted a huge statistical season during his career with the Buckeyes, but his numbers still dropped significantly last season, going from 26-466-4 in 2013 to 17-207-2 in 2014. He dealt with a foot injury last season, but played through it. He's an excellent blocker at the point of attack and an outstanding pass protector. I know he can catch the ball and make big plays downfield. Heuerman's a much better athlete than people think, too. I expect him to be an excellent pro.
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As a mid-round prospect, Heuerman is the exact type of prospect the Steelers will be after to develop behind Miller.
2. Cornerback
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All you need to know about the state of the secondary is that William Gay is the Steelers' best cornerback.
That is not a knock on Gay—he is a good player—but rather an indictment on their lack of depth at the positon. With Cortez Allen and Antwon Blake expected to be two of the top contributors this year, the Steelers need either a tremendous amount of growth from each player or additional help via the draft.
It wouldn't be wise to count solely on improvement, so the Steelers must find a future starter—or even starters—through the draft. That may mean Colbert will invest two selections on cornerbacks.
The Steelers could use a big, physical cornerback who can run with bigger receivers in the league, but they also need a quick cornerback who can cover the shifty receivers who keep popping up. Luckily for Pittsburgh, this draft is very deep with talent.
Colbert will have numerous options in the top two rounds when he looks for a future No. 1 cornerback. First-round prospects will include Marcus Peters, Trae Waynes, Kevin Johnson and Jalen Collins.
Peters may possibly be the top cornerback in the draft, but character issues may keep the Steelers away. Rather than take a risk, they may elect to take the safer route with Johnson or take a chance with Collins, who is one of the most physically gifted—albeit inexperienced—athletes in the draft.
As they look to rebuild their depth chart, corners such as Byron Jones, Ronald Darby, Quinten Rollins, Eric Rowe, Alex Carter and Senquez Golson could interest the Steelers outside of the first round.
At only 5-foot-9, Golson is a player the Steelers should keep a close eye on. Although his height isn't ideal, he has the chance to develop into an excellent playmaker after tying a school record with 10 interceptions this year. Zierlein of NFL.com believes that he can have a similar impact in the NFL:
"Golson has the twitch, ball skills and instincts to be an outstanding cornerback in the NFL. Despite playing so much zone in college, there is no reason to believe he can't transition to any coverage asked of him. He's well put-together, but his lack of height could force some teams to view him as a slot-only corner. Golson has Pro Bowl potential.
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A rookie or two at cornerback will not solve all of the Steelers' problems on defense, but they will go a long way toward making this unit respectable once again.
1. Outside Linebacker
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The Pittsburgh defense is predicated on rushing the quarterback. For that reason, outside linebacker is the top need entering the draft.
Over the past several seasons, the Steelers have struggled to rush the quarterback, and there is no immediate help on the horizon. Instead, they will rely on an unproven Jarvis Jones, an aging 36-year-old James Harrison and Arthur Moats.
Last year, these three combined for 11.5 sacks, which is the type of production that the Steelers should get from at least one of their linebackers. The only linebacker to even approach that number last season was Jason Worilds, who is now retired.
Without a dynamic pass-rusher in the equation, the defense is set up to struggle once again in 2015. It also puts the team in position to select a linebacker for the third straight year, including an outside linebacker for the second time in three years.
When draft day finally arrives, outside linebacker is a good bet to be Pittsburgh's top pick.
Alvin Dupree is one of the most athletic defenders in the draft and is a good fit in the defense. He has every athletic trait that a coach would demand from an elite prospect at outside linebacker, but his film does not match.
If the Steelers want to go with a safer option, Owamagbe Odighizuwa is the way to go. According to Zierlein of NFL.com, Odighizuwa is an impressive physical specimen who is better against the run than the pass at this point:
"Absolute Greek God with the pads off. Shredded physique with very little body fat. Strong at the point of attack. Plays with desired anchor and strong lower body. Run defender who can close down creases. Gets off ball with good pad level and has potential to convert speed to power. Hands are violent and active. Relentless and competitive. Never gives up on a pass rush. Expected to be a core special-teams talent. Can play 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker.
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Two players that the Steelers would love to have available in the third round are Hau'oli Kikaha and Lorenzo Mauldin. Neither has the athletic abilities of Dupree or some of the other top prospects, but they both are high-character players with the tools in place to develop as quality pass-rushers.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of Sports-Reference.com, all combine results are courtesy of the NFL.com Draft Tracker, all draft rankings are courtesy of Matt Miller of Bleacher Report and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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