Setting Realistic Expectations for Each Pittsburgh Steelers Rookie

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted eight rookies this year and picked up a number of others as free agents. Expectations for some of these first-year players are high. But the question remains: Are these expectations realistic?

Let's take a look at the players the Steelers drafted this year, along with some of the most promising undrafted rookies, and try to figure out what their ceilings and floors are in order to predict what we could reasonably expect to see from them in the 2015 season.

OLB Bud Dupree

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The early returns on the Steelers' Round 1 draft pick, Bud Dupree, are encouraging. He's already worked extensively with the first-team defense in OTAs and minicamp, making outside linebacker Joey Porter's prediction that veteran James Harrison will be limited to a snap count this year even closer to reality.

Head coach Mike Tomlin was excited to draft Dupree this year, saying in May that, "He's been an edge-rusher. He's played in space. He's played stack linebacker. This is a very versatile and smart athlete." Tomlin noted that he was surprised that Dupree was still on the board when Pittsburgh picked 22nd overall. Now, the hope is that he can help improve a pass rush that totaled only 30 sacks last year.

That's Dupree's goal at least. In speaking with the Plain Dealer's Tom Reed after the recent rookie symposium, he said, "I want to be in that group that brings it back. We want to bring back that hunger, that eagerness to go after the quarterback."

Dupree's ceiling as a rookie is to be a Week 1 starter. His floor is similar to that of 2013 Round 1 pick Jarvis Jones, who started out full of promise but was hindered by injuries and an obvious learning curve that has led to him not yet fulfilling his potential.

Realistically, though, it seems that at some point this season, Dupree will be a true starter. But until then, he will be part of a rotation of outside linebackers featuring Jones, Harrison and Arthur Moats. Dupree has been a quick study, though, so expect to see him on the field for practically every defensive snap once the second half of the season rolls around.

CB Senquez Golson

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The Steelers secondary needed a good deal of attention in the draft this year, particularly the cornerback position. And the team addressed it early, taking Senquez Golson in Round 2 in May.

Golson has already commanded the attention of the Steelers' best—and the NFL's best—wideout, Antonio Brown, who described him as "smooth" earlier in the spring. But Golson will have to beat out Cortez Allen, William Gay and/or Antwon Blake in order to start right away.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler notes that "Golson is what the Steelers need, an inside corner who can combat the underneath passing game that safety Shamarko Thomas says got the best of the defense last season." But Fowler also acknowledges Golson's path to starting could hit a few roadblocks:

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Golson's role on the 2015 Steelers is complicated because although he's best utilized in the slot while in zone coverage, where he can use his instincts and vision, Gay has the inside track on that spot right now. Gay playing in the slot hinges on Blake solidifying an outside corner role and Allen rebounding from last season’s struggles in pass coverage. If those two things take shape, Gay can do damage inside. That leaves Golson on the sideline to start the season unless he's too good to sit in training camp.

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Fowler does add, though, that Golson "finds his way onto the field at some point in 2015, as a starter or reserve nickel corner," and that does seem to be the most reasonable projection for his rookie season. Though his ceiling is a starting job and his floor is a whole year spent on the bench, it's more likely that Golson does see playing time, though it may be limited at first.

WR Sammie Coates

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Though the Steelers aren't lacking in receiving talent for 2015, that doesn't mean they shouldn't have an eye toward the future. That's part of the reason they selected wideout Sammie Coates in Round 3 of this year's draft. The other is his impressive ability to stretch the field, as evidenced by his 21.4 yards-per-reception average in college at Auburn and the fact that 41.9 percent of his targets came on passes of 20 or more yards, per Pro Football Focus.

Coates had issues with dropped passes at Auburn but hasn't had the same problem in OTAs and minicamp thus far. Offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert praised Coates' prowess in "how to finish a play with strength, especially in the middle of the field," while fellow receiver Markus Wheaton said, "Obviously as a rookie, he has a lot to learn. But physically, he's where he needs to be," according to Fowler.

Coates is focused on turning even more heads in training camp this summer, saying last week to Fowler: "You've got to showcase you can do everything they can do. You have to go there and be relaxed. You can’t think about all the plays. You have to make the plays that present themselves to you," and sounded like a seasoned veteran.

Still, Coates will be behind Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant on the depth chart this year and will have to also cede targets to running back Le'Veon Bell and tight end Heath Miller. That doesn't mean he won't make an impact, but that his year seems most likely to reflect the trajectory Bryant had last year—not dressing for the first six games of the season and making a late-season push into the starting lineup.

CB Doran Grant

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The Steelers went back to the cornerback well in Round 4 of the 2015 draft, selecting Ohio State's Doran Grant with the 121st overall pick. But like Senquez Golson, it may take some time for him to see the field. And unlike Golson, it may take him until 2016 for that to happen.

Golson seems suited for slot duties this year, should he beat out William Gay or even Antwon Blake for that job. Meanwhile, Grant is more of an outside cornerback, though defensive backs coach Carnell Lake did say after the draft that Grant also has the skill set to play safety if need be. He's only worked at cornerback in OTAs and minicamp to this point.

It's not a foregone conclusion that Grant doesn't see time at cornerback this year. As Jeff Hartman of Behind the Steel Curtain points out, "Grant is a great tackler and does his part in run support." But what looks to hold him back in his rookie year is the fact that "Grant as a coverage corner is not quite ready for NFL receivers yet."

Grant's ceiling is to play around 20 to 30 percent of the Steelers' defensive snaps, while his floor is to spend the year on the practice squad. More realistically, though, he'll open the year working primarily on special teams and then slowly see more time on the field as a cornerback later in the season. He could develop into a starter for 2016, however.

TE Jesse James

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Fifth-round tight end Jesse James might be the heir apparent to veteran Heath Miller in a year or two. But this season, he'll be sitting behind—and learning from—Miller, picking up the nuances of the blocking and receiving duties the Steelers demand out of a starting tight end. He'll also pick up a few blocking tips from Matt Spaeth, no doubt.

To get ready for an expanded role in the future, James is likely to steal a few snaps from Spaeth and Miller this year. But it shouldn't be enough to send Miller to the bench that often or to unseat Spaeth from being the go-to extra run-blocker. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sees James as the Steelers' unexpected breakout rookie star this year, but that seems more like his ceiling than a reasonable estimation of his contributions.

James could be a practice squad candidate this year, but it seems less likely than him making the 53-man roster and dressing for games sparingly to start the season. As the year progresses—and especially if the nearly 33-year old Miller wears down at all—James could see his playing time increase. The timing will all depend on whether his blocking skills can catch up to his receiving talent. 

DL L.T. Walton

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Defensive lineman L.T. Walton is the definition of a project player: He was taken in Round 6 of the draft, can meet an eventual need and requires a bit of coaching up.

"Walton struggles against double-teams," writes Behind the Steel Curtain's Jeff Hartman. Further, Hartman says Walton "has the measurables to be a player in the NFL, but his technique still leaves a lot to be desired."

Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell also seems to believe that Walton needs more time to come into his own. He told PennLive's Jacob Klinger, "Right now he's doing a pretty good job, but he's making mental mistakes and mental mistakes will get you beat on Sunday."

Though the Steelers could use help on the defensive line, especially where depth is concerned, Walton may have to spend his rookie year on the practice squad to hone his technique. There could come a time—let's say, if the Steelers keep Cam Thomas around but later become fed up with his on-field missteps—that Walton could be called up this year. But it seems like he is well-suited for the practice squad rather than being cut or named to the 53-man roster in early September.

OLB Anthony Chickillo

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When is a pass-rusher not a pass-rusher? When he's Anthony Chickillo, the former Miami defensive end drafted by the Steelers to play outside linebacker in Round 6 this year.

Steelers outside linebackers coach Joey Porter said that the decision to draft Chickillo was because "you can never have enough pass-rushers in the way the game is being played now from the outside linebacker position."

But Chickillo only totaled 12 sacks in three seasons in Miami, with just three in 2014. And Steelers Depot's Jon Ledyard notes that Chickillo doesn't have "any explosiveness, lateral agility, physical traits or bend to get excited about when watching him off the edge." He's a work in progress, to say the least.

That means that Chickillo will need to spend this year on the practice squad if the Steelers think he's capable of developing into a pass-rushing outside linebacker rather than a run-stopping defensive end with some pass-rushing responsibilities. Depending on their level of patience, he could also be a late-season cut. There are, after all, only so many berths on the practice squad to go around.

S Gerod Holliman

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The Steelers' seventh-round 2015 draft pick, safety Gerod Holliman, has one goal this year. He told Steelers.com's Teresa Varley this week that he wants to "earn a starting position and establish my ground right now coming in as a rookie."

But it could be hard for him to do that as a rookie, with Shamarko Thomas and Mike Mitchell penciled in as the starters at strong and free safety, respectively. But there could be an opening for him on the 53-man roster, so long as Holliman improves his much-maligned tackling abilities.

That opportunity could arise on special teams coverage units, where accuracy in tackling is a must. That can help Holliman improve his form as a tackler and round out his game. Otherwise, he is an impressive ball hawk (14 interceptions in 2014) but little else.

Holliman's ceiling, though, is higher than it would otherwise be, because Mitchell played last year with two torn groin muscles that required offseason surgery and Thomas was plagued by ankle and hamstring injuries. If either player misses time with ailments this year, Holliman could be the next man up.

The Steelers aren't particularly rife with safeties. As a result, Holliman seems like he could reach the 53-man roster almost by default. And he could get the chance to meet his rookie-year goal of making "plays on the team and fit in wherever I can."

Promising UDFA

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The Steelers have 14 undrafted rookies on their roster, but not all of them have been offseason standouts, and even fewer are destined to make the 53-man roster or the practice squad. But some have been promising thus far. Here are the Steelers' undrafted rookies who have the best shot at making something of themselves in Pittsburgh this year:

TE Cameron Clear

Based on tight end Cameron Clear's receiving stat line in college—just nine catches in two years at Texas A&M—it would be easy to assume he's just a blocker. But that's not the case—he just didn't have the opportunities to show what he can do.

But he may get those opportunities with the Steelers this summer, especially with offensive coordinator Todd Haley saying, without any prompting, that Clear is "a big, good-looking body and had about six catches last year and wasn't on the field. So it's just what you value and what you think gives you the best chance to win, and I think that as long as we're all here, we'll value a big tight end that can catch and block," per Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot.

Jesse James, Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth will likely block Clear from making the 53-man roster, but he could easily be a practice-squad player. That is, unless he fades into the margins and becomes a roster cut.

OL Reese Dismukes and B.J. Finney

Reese Dismukes and B.J. Finney are being lumped together here because they were high-level collegiate centers but can play other positions on the offensive line, such as guard and, in Finney's case, tackle. These versatile offensive linemen are coveted because they can take the place of two or even three players on a 53-man roster, freeing up room to address other positions.

The best-case scenario is that they make the 53-man roster, replacing the likes of Cody Wallace, Mike Adams and Chris Hubbard. Otherwise, one may make it, with the other heading to the practice squad. Ultimately, whatever the Steelers decide, it doesn't seem like both will be cut this summer.

QB/WR Devin Gardner and Tyler Murphy

Undrafted former quarterbacks Devin Gardner and Tyler Murphy are with the Steelers this summer working at both cornerback and wide receiver—and in Murphy's case, also on special teams coverage units. The hope is that one or both stick, potentially edging out Tajh Boyd or Landry Jones as the No. 3 quarterback as well as a No. 5 or 6 wideout.

Gardner and Murphy have been switching between quarterback and receiver, with one throwing to the other in OTAs and minicamp, a practice that will continue through training camp. Both are intriguing players, but whether that intrigue leads to job stability is yet unknown. It's not likely that both make the 53-man roster, and practice-squad space is limited. But it's possible one of the two sticks around in some capacity.

RB Ross Scheuerman and Cameron Stingily

Undrafted rookie running backs Ross Scheuerman and Cameron Stingily are two very different players. Scheuerman is a bit smaller, at 6'0" and 204 pounds, while Stingily is more of a bruiser, coming in at 6'1" and 235 pounds, but yet, still a few pounds lighter than starter Le'Veon Bell.

Their styles are different as well, with Stingily more of a power back with a downhill running style. Scheuerman displays more Bell-like finesse and the ability to catch passes—57 for 521 yards last year for Lafayette College.

What the Steelers decide regarding the two backs will be based not just on what they do in padded practices and in preseason games but on what, style-wise, they can bring the team. In a perfect world, both would make the 53-man roster, but that seems unlikely.

One could make it, though, while the other heads to the practice squad. Otherwise, one will have to be released, because it doesn't seem realistic to assume the Steelers will keep two running backs on their limited practice-squad roster.