Realistic Expectations for Every Pittsburgh Steelers Rookie in 2015

The Pittsburgh Steelers had one thing in mind entering the 2015 NFL draft—rebuilding the defense. That is exactly what general manager Kevin Colbert accomplished, using six of the team’s eight selections to draft defensive players.

While many will want to see a rookie takeover, it just is not a realistic goal. In this instant-result society, a rookie sitting on the bench means he is a bust. For the Steelers, it means he is being developed. They will take as long—or as a short—as needed to properly prepare their players for the demand of the NFL.

Any one of their top five selections could step in and play significant snaps as a rookie. Bud Dupree and Senquez Golson will compete for a starting job—or at least significant playing time—while Sammie Coates, Doran Grant and Jesse James will attempt to earn a spot as a key backup.

Whether it was size, speed, production or leadership, the 2015 draft reloaded the Steelers with a well-rounded crop of rookies who have the potential to provide a strong foundation to this franchise as it heads into the future.

No matter how much playing time these rookies get this season, the big picture has to be kept in mind. One player may be far enough along to start as soon as this year, while others may need three years before they’re finally comfortable.

What can we expect from this year’s draft class? Here is a breakdown of the realistic expectations for each rookie heading into the 2015 season.

Undrafted Free Agents

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

As with the other undrafted free agents, B.J. Finney will have a tough time making the final roster.

Even after seven rounds and 256 selections, talent can still slip through the cracks in the NFL draft. The Steelers will try to unearth some of that talent as they signed 12 rookie free agents after the draft.

While the focus of the draft was to replenish the defense with talent, Colbert waited until after the draft to add depth to the offense. Of Pittsburgh’s 12 free-agent signings, nine play on offense, including five offensive linemen:

• Cameron Clear, TE
• Nigel Crawford-Kinney, DT
• Dominique Davis, DE
• Miles Dieffenbach, G
• Reese Dismukes, G
• B.J. Finney, C
• Tyler Murphy, WR
• Bradon Prate, DE
• Collin Rahrig, G
• Eli Rogers, WR
• Ross Scheuerman, RB
• Kevin Whimpey, T

Many of these players will do nothing more than fill out the training camp roster, but periodically teams can find a gem. Just looking at the current roster, the Steelers picked up several key contributors who went undrafted.

So while it is easy to overlook these players early in the process, the next Ramon Foster, Steve McLendon or James Harrison could be in this group. But it won’t come easy as they must find a way to separate themselves in the eyes of the coaches, and that is something that is easier said than done.

Of the undrafted rookies on the roster, the offensive linemen make up the largest portion. This is a strong indication that offensive line coach Mike Munchak is confident in at least one of these players to provide depth this season.

As Neal Coolong of Steelers Wire highlights, Whimpey is one of the strongest rookies this year. His 39 reps on the 225-pound bench at his pro day were higher than any participant at this year’s combine. However, Whimpey knows it will take more than his strength to make it in the NFL, via Wade Denniston of HJNews.com:

"

(The scouts) like my upper body strength, they want to see a little bit better feet, they want to see my play with tighter hands. Obviously, I can’t do that at Pro Day. That’s something I’m going to have to develop during fall camp. My technique does need to get a little bit better, so there’s definitely some areas that I can improve. But, they like the way that I play, they like the effort I play with, they like my knowledge of the game of football.

"

While Whimpey is one of the most physically gifted players in this group, Finney will have the fan support after they read about his journey to the NFL as written by Kellis Robinett of The Wichita Eagle. After going undrafted, Finney was proud to announce to family and friends that he would sign with his favorite team.

“I stand in front of you today as proof that dreams do come true,” Finney said. “I am under contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

At 6’4” and 318 pounds, Finney has the size to play the interior, but he only has 32-inch arms. He is not overly athletic, but he is a hard worker and team captain who allowed only 2.5 sacks in 52 career starts.

Clear is another name of interest. The 6’5”, 277-pound tight end has the size to develop into a dominant blocker but must hone his skills in this area. He has surprising athleticism for his size and has flashed potential in the passing game.

However, with second-year tight end Rob Blanchflower and fifth-round pick Jesse James battling for the third spot on the depth chart, chances are that Clear will not make the roster.

Possibly the most interesting name on the undrafted list is Scheuerman. The 6’0”, 204-pound running back does not have straight-line speed, but he is quick. He has good hands and could possibly play out of the slot if the Steelers want a versatile running back.

Scheuerman’s best chance at making the roster may be his ability to contribute in the return game. Pittsburgh is set at the top of the depth chart with Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams at running back but could use a dependable third option.

Round 7: Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville

Upgrading the talent in the defensive backfield was one of the priorities for Kevin Colbert in this draft. He did his best to meet this goal by selecting the best defensive back in the nation last year.

Gerod Holliman won the Jim Thorpe Award last season after he tied the NCAA record with 14 interceptions last season. Talk about a perfect match for a secondary in dire need of playmakers.

So how did Holliman, a player with a record number of interceptions and 17 passes defensed last year, fall until the seventh round? Lance Zierlein of NFL.com summed it up perfectly in his scouting report:

"

One-year wonder. Discipline needed for the position goes missing. Can be moved around field by quarterbacks looking him off. Will lose inside-out leverage on plays headed to perimeter. Sits on play-action a shade too long. Shows lack of urgency in long pursuit. Atrocious tackler. Would rather hit than tackle. Doesn't wrap up and gives limited effort. Had 44 total tackles with 20 missed and/or broken tackles, which was the worst ratio for an FBS starter. Slow to break down in space and lacks balance and base when tackling. Doesn't always play at full speed or with max effort. Gives half-hearted attempt as high-to-low blitzer.

"

Despite his ball skills, the words “atrocious tackler” will scare any team away. In the seventh round, though, even this major red flag was not enough to keep the Steelers from taking a chance, and they may be rewarded down the road.

Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham told ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler that he believes inexperience contributed to Holliman’s tackling woes. He then cited the Cardinals’ bowl game as evidence that the potential is there to become a well-rounded safety.

"If you watch the Georgia game (Belk Bowl) he had one of his best tackling games, so the improvement was coming," said Grantham about Holliman. "He was tackling (220-pound running back) Nick Chubb, which isn’t easy. He’s a load. I think in that game he knew he was probably coming out and wanted to show what he could do."

As tempting as it will be to see if Holliman can become a ball hawk in the NFL, his limitations as a tackler will keep him on the bench during his rookie season. Plus, the Steelers are prepared to move forward with Mike Mitchell and Shamarko Thomas as their starting safeties.

With dependable backup Will Allen and special teams ace Robert Golden ahead of him, Holliman will have to impress enough to make the coaches want to keep five safeties on the roster.

The best-case scenario is that he displays his ball skills during training camp and the preseason and slowly works his way into passing packages as the season progresses. However, that is if all goes well.

More realistically, Holliman will demonstrate enough potential to earn one of the final spots on the roster and use his rookie season to learn how to play safety under Carnell Lake. At worst, the Steelers try to stash him on the practice squad.

If nothing else, the Steelers made a great selection in the final round. Holliman may never play a snap, but his ability to make a play on the ball makes him an intriguing prospect who could eventually become a starter.

Round 6: Anthony Chickillo, OLB, Miami

When analyzing the Steelers' predraft visits, it became clear that they planned to target outside linebackers and corners both early and late in the draft.

Anthony Chickillo wasn’t on Pittsburgh’s radar, but the 6’3”, 267-pound defender does have the size to play on the strong side. Beyond this, there are many questions given how Miami’s coaches used him in college.

Unfortunately, the Hurricanes played Chickillo out of position, using him as a defensive end in their 3-4 system. As a result, he comes to the NFL without a true position, but the Steelers would love to develop him a pass-rusher.

Chickillo’s work ethic should not be a problem as he transitions to the NFL. He is an effort player with a great motor and should be someone that linebacker coach Joey Porter loves to work with. 

"

Colbert says sixth round compensatory pick Anthony Chickillo has a motor and goes 110 percent of the time.

— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) May 2, 2015 "

Chickillo lacks the explosion of some of the top pass-rushers, but he does have good technique, and this will further be developed under Porter. He will have to show that he can play from the two-point stance and drop into coverage, but the Steelers may want to look at him in their four-man front.

Even without top-notch physical traits, Chickillo is a hard-nosed player whom ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler believes is a good fit for the Steelers: “This feels like a Steelers pick, getting late-round value on a player without eye-popping athleticism but who is a consistent performer along the defensive front.”

The lack of athleticism and experience at the position for Chickillo will be a problem as he enters training camp. Already behind Jarvis Jones, James Harrison, Arthur Moats and Bud Dupree, he must overcome a crowded depth chart of backups to even have a chance at making the roster.

By the time camp ends, Chickillo will have a tough time cracking the roster. If he does, it will be because he flashes the ability to get to the quarterback and play special teams. However, chances are that he heads to the practice squad for a year and enters camp next season in better position to make the final 53-man roster.

Round 6: L.T. Walton, DL, Central Michigan

Not long ago, the Steelers found a future All-Pro from Central Michigan with their sixth-round selection. Antonio Brown turned out to be quite the steal, and Colbert hopes that he has another with L.T. Walton.

When it comes to analyzing this selection, the first person to defer to is defensive line coach John Mitchell. One of the best at his craft in the entire league, he has molded players such as Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Cam Heyward and Steve McLendon.

According to Mitchell, Walton has some terrific traits to eventual develop into a quality NFL player, via Steelers.com:

"

We just took L.T. in the sixth round. He’s a guy that when I watched, I’ll tell you, he’s a guy that stays on his feet and that’s the most important thing for a defensive lineman. He has a good motor and runs to the ball. The things that he is going to have to learn how to do a little bit better is use his hands, get off blocks, and be a little more physical at the point of a tackle. When you can get a guy 6-4, 319 – that can run and stay on his feet that’s a big plus. Here we have had a lot of success with taking special defensive linemen in the later rounds. 

"

Given that the Steelers ask their defensive linemen to do a lot of dirty work, a prospect with a good motor and excellent size is one to keep an eye on. After the Steelers lost Nick Williams and Josh Mauro last season, they are looking to add young depth to the lineup.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com called Walton an “ascending player” and believes he can start in a 3-4 defense “with more technique work.”

One AFC West scout agreed with Zierlein on this assessment: "I have a feeling he's going to be one of those guys who ends up being an NFL player that nobody sees coming. He was a baseball and basketball player, which means he has good hands and feet. More coaching might be able to unlock an NFL player."

Walton needs plenty of work, but he has a legitimate chance at making the roster. A lack of quality backups means that the Steelers will give him every opportunity to earn his spot, even if it isn’t in a contributing role.

Pittsburgh will likely lean on Heyward and Stephon Tuitt and limit the rotation along the defensive line compared to recent years. However, Walton has a prime opportunity to eventually become a part of the rotation, though it may only be for a handful of snaps during his rookie year.

Round 5: Jesse James, TE, Penn State

When it comes to tight ends, the Steelers like players who are big and semi-athletic and offer not only the ability to block but also upside in the passing game.

They selected Rob Blanchflower in the final round last season as a developmental prospect, but the Steelers may have already found a better option with the more athletic Jesse James. The 6’7”, 261-pound prospect has the frame to become a top blocker but also enough speed and agility to compete in the passing game.

James, a South Allegheny High School graduate, gets to return to his hometown where he will hope to eventually replace Heath Miller in the starting lineup.

“I couldn’t be happier,” James told Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I think it’s a great fit. I couldn’t be more excited to get there and go to work.” 

James isn’t the only one excited. Tight ends coach James Daniel believes that his rookie tight end has the frame to step in as a blocker but is a work in progress as a receiver, per Fittipaldo:

"

He has natural length and will be able to handle the line of scrimmage. He wasn’t used a lot as a receiver. The evaluation I did on him you see him catching balls, and he made a couple of tough catches. When a guy hasn’t been put in the situation it’s hard to say that he is definitely going to be able to do this or definitely going to be able to do that. But you don’t see anything that says he’s not going to be a good receiver. We are going to bring him in here and work and see if he is good in all phases of the game. He has enough talent to be good in all phases of the game.

"

Although there are high hopes for James, he is a fifth-round selection for a reason. One of those reasons is the fact that he is not the natural pass-catcher that many of the top tight ends in this league are and is not a lock to develop into a No. 1.

If he can eventually lock down the No. 2 role in Pittsburgh’s offense, then he should be considered a steal. However, this role should not come this season.

James could find himself in situational role—such as a red-zone option—by the end of the season; however, he will likely start his career on special teams and as the third-string tight end. Rather than depend on a rookie, the coaches will lean on the veteran Matt Spaeth early on.

The ceiling is there for James to be a solid player for the Steelers, but he must improve in all aspects of his game, and most of this improvement will come from watching from the sideline.

Round 4: Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State

When the fourth round began, Doran Grant was possibly the Steelers’ top target. They needed another cornerback—especially one with some size—and the Ohio State product was one of the best available.

Beyond the fact that he was from Ohio State, Grant’s profile just made sense for the Steelers. He can play both the inside or outside, has a high football IQ and plays a physical brand of football. His willingness to step up and defend against the run is necessary.

“I feel like I'm a great tackler,” Grant told Ralph Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I feel also my intelligence in the film room and on the chalkboard is very good, and I can translate that information to the field very fast.”

Grant, a team captain, made First-Team All-Big Ten with 63 tackles, nine passes defensed and five interceptions last season. He is not a one-year wonder either, with 31 career starts. This should bode well as he transitions to Pittsburgh’s defense.

Rather than ask Grant to step in and start—or even step into the nickel role—defensive coordinator Keith Butler will likely expect his rookie cornerback to earn the No. 4 spot on the depth chart.

By starting out deep on the depth chart, Grant can adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn his craft from Carnell Lake. If any corners falter, he may be thrust into a larger role, but a limited number of snaps for Grant’s rookie season is the ideal situation.

Round 3: Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn

Over the years, the Steelers’ have done a tremendous job of adding talent at the receiver position. Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant were all good additions who were selected in the third round or later.

Sammie Coates joins this list as the Steelers look to hit a home run with another big-play wide receiver. His 6’1”, 212-pound frame is the ideal mold for a physical receiver, something they are lacking right now.

The Steelers filled a big need with this selection as well.

Though they are set with their top three—Brown, Wheaton and Bryant—they lack quality depth. Coates should instantly step in as the No. 4 receiver and earn a situational role with the offense as the season progresses.

Expect offensive coordinator Todd Haley to handle Coates the same way he handled Bryant last season. Even with an outstanding training camp, Haley waited to insert Bryant into the lineup, and when he did, it paid off with 26 receptions for 549 yards and eight touchdowns.

Coates proved to be an explosive player at the collegiate level with an average of 20.9 yards per reception last season. His biggest game came against his toughest opponent when he caught five passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama.

As impressive as these numbers are, one stands out—his drop rate.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com highlighted this stat in a recent article about the rookie receiver:

"

Two things were mentioned frequently about Coates' potential during the draft process: First-round talent, 9.8 percent drop rate. That's the number ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. mentioned on Friday's broadcast, while also pointing out the good news that Coates consistently beat SEC defensive backs downfield while at Auburn.

"

But when it comes to receivers, you have to trust Colbert. His track record speaks for itself.

Coates must improve his hands and route-running ability during his rookie year, so that will limit his time on the field. However, by midseason, he may carve out a niche in the offense as a deep threat. And as a long as he produces, Coates will only get more opportunities as the season progresses.

Round 2: Senquez Golson, CB, Mississippi

For several years, Steelers Nation has cried for a cornerback early in the draft. Now that the Steelers finally granted their wish, they cried some more—but not tears of joy.

The idea of a 5’9” cornerback wasn’t exactly what fans had hoped for, especially when tall cornerbacks are in vogue. Eric Rowe was supposed to be the guy. Instead, all they got was Senquez Golson.

The merits of this selection will come in due time, but until then we have to look at what Golson can bring to the team as a rookie and long into the future.

Golson isn’t just small, but he is tiny by NFL standards. Standing at just under 5’9” and only 176 pounds, there are legitimate concerns about whether he can match up against the tall, physical receivers in the league. Can he step up and play the run?

It may not seem like it, but Golson plays much bigger than his size indicates. In fact, his lack of size may be a reason why he competes hard on the field. He doesn’t have the same physical gifts as many others have, so he must make up for it with effort and knowledge of his responsibilities.

His effort has paid off with one of the best seasons by any cornerback last season. He demonstrated his outstanding ball skills as he tied a school record with 10 interceptions. He is just the type of cornerback that Pittsburgh’s defense needs.

The inability to create turnovers has hurt the Steelers over the last few seasons, and if Golson pans out, he could be the missing playmaker in the secondary. Carnell Lake told Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he believes Golson can step in and contribute:

"

I really believe at this point in the draft we were looking for someone with exceptional skills, and Senquez has exceptional ball skills. He does an outstanding job tracking the football. Anytime you have a guy who can pluck the ball out of the air, he has real value in the league.

"

The NFL is a pass-oriented league. It’s been transitioning for quite a while to that. It requires multiple formations and multiple personnel on the field—sometimes, five or six DBs. The more DBs you can have on the field who can defend the pass and take the ball away, the more it will help you out.

Pittsburgh’s scouts weren’t the only people impressed with Golson. On the ESPN broadcast of the draft, Mel Kiper Jr. called him “one of the best picks of the second round” (h/t Daniel Sager of Steelers Wire), and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com believes that he has “Pro Bowl potential": "Golson will need time before he elected to a Pro Bowl, but he will have a chance early in his career to prove his worth. A spot in the starting lineup is a bit much to ask early on, but playing in the slot would be a perfect situation for him to start his career."

Round 1: Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky

In the weeks leading up to the draft, it seemed as though the Steelers would miss out on all of the top pass-rushers in the first round. When draft day finally came and Bud Dupree fell to No. 22, it was a no-brainer.

By drafting Dupree, the Steelers addressed their biggest need and did so with one of the most athletic edge defenders in the entire draft. He was one of the top performers at the combine in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump and was described as a “freakish athlete” by NFL Media’s Mike Mayock.

Despite his outstanding athleticism, Dupree did not dominant his competition and only had 7.5 sacks last season. Simply put, his film did not match his measurable.

Dupree’s college coach Mark Stoops told Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal that he believes NFL coaching will only help the linebacker’s development. Matt Williamson of ESPN.com agrees, though he is a bit more specific with his analysis: "Dupree is already accomplished in coverage and playing off the line of scrimmage, so the Steelers can concentrate on teaching him the defense and advancing him as a pass-rusher first and foremost."

When the Steelers travel to New England to open the season against the Patriots, Dupree will not—and should not—be in the starting lineup. He will have the opportunity to watch veterans James Harrison and Arthur Moats prepare for the rigors of the NFL game and learn.

As the season progresses, Dupree should earn time in a pass-rushing role, and if he begins to shine, he could see time in the starting lineup before the end of the year. If not, it isn’t a total loss.

A one-year apprenticeship will only help Dupree in the long run, and any time that he gets with the defense should be considered a plus. He has all of the tools necessary to become a dominant defender but just needs the coaching to properly develop them.

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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