Ideal 1st-Round Fits for Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers possess the 30th-overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. Though having a late pick in the first round means a slightly thinner pool of talent to select from, there should be no lack of players available whom the Steelers would unquestionably want to add to the roster.

In fact, numerous positions that require the Steelers' attention this year happen to also be the draft class' deepest. That should allow Pittsburgh to have quite the variety of high-caliber players to choose from in the first round.

Here are six names who would be perfect fits for the Steelers, meeting both pressing positional needs as well as presenting a high grade of talent.

LB Haason Reddick, Temple

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Though mostly a defensive end in college at Temple, Haason Reddick has played some linebacker, the position he is best suited to play in the NFL, thanks mostly to his size.

But slightly smaller edge-rushers do not scare the Steelers away, particularly not ones as productive as Reddick has been.

In four seasons, Reddick totaled 149 combined tackles, 17.5 sacks and 47 tackles for a loss, with 65 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for a loss as a senior.

There are some drawbacks to his game, such as a lack of power as an edge-rusher (not uncommon for a relatively smaller player) and sloppy footwork when asked to work in coverage. But he also has a passion for a game—Reddick was a walk-on who finally earned a scholarship following his junior year.

Further, his athleticism and speed are two traits the Steelers prize in their linebackers, both inside and outside.

If Reddick is still on the board when the Steelers make their selection, he's likely among the top choices. But an impressive Senior Bowl showing that was backed up by a top performance at the Scouting Combine could have him spoken for well before pick 30.

WR Mike Williams, Clemson

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Clemson's Mike Williams is a talented receiver in a draft class rife with them, which is one reason why the wideout could fall far enough for the Steelers to snag him at No. 30.

Another reason is that Williams isn't necessarily a surefire rookie playmaker for all teams with needs at receiver—teams that require a No. 1 on the depth chart may overlook him because of his raw makeup, which includes a need to sharpen his route running and to decrease the number of dropped passes.

But for the Steelers, who need to add a complementary piece to the main receiving corps of Antonio Brown, Sammie Coates, Justin Hunter and Eli Rogers, Williams becomes that much more enticing.

While he continues to improve his fundamentals—something that can be achieved via proper coaching (granted he's receptive)—he can still be a field-stretching, touchdown-scoring option for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

On his career, Williams had 177 receptions for 2,727 yards and 21 touchdowns, though he missed all but the first game in 2015 after suffering a neck fracture. His health does not seem to be a long-term concern; he bounced back well in 2016, catching 98 passes for 1,361 yards and 11 scores.

That injury history could scare off some would-be suitors, though, especially when teams may be able to get just as much talent from another receiver who doesn't have that mark on his medical background.

Of course, this would assume the Steelers are not concerned that the 2015 injury will affect Williams' professional career going forward. But it's hard to imagine the Steelers not having interest in him; his height and speed are similar to that of currently suspended receiver Martavis Bryant while not having those character-related red flags looming over his head.

LB Takkarist McKinley, UCLA

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Had UCLA's Takkarist McKinley not had to undergo surgery earlier in March to repair a torn labrum (after participating in the Scouting Combine, it should be noted), it's quite possible he would be long gone by the time the Steelers made their pick late in Round 1.

However, the procedure—that should have him rehabbing for around four months (if not six)—could do enough to depress his draft stock, to the point where the Steelers could land one of the most explosive pass-rushers in the 2017 class.

After two years as a rotational piece on defense, McKinley broke out in 2016, with 61 tackles (up from 35 a year ago), 18 tackles for a loss (up from 7.5) and 10 sacks (up from 3.5). A former track star in high school, his speed has translated into the ability to shed blocks and reach opposing quarterbacks at an impressive rate. 

Like many edge-rushers in this year's draft class, McKinley was a collegiate defensive end who seems best suited at outside linebacker in the NFL. But, unlike many of those ends, he has rushed the passer both with his hand in the dirt and while standing, the latter being something the Steelers value as much as initial speed.

TE David Njoku, Miami

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It's the draft class many teams have been waiting for—the one with the glut of tight end talent, particularly those of the pass-catching variety.

For years, it's been nearly impossible for the majority of NFL clubs to find their own Rob Gronkowski-Travis Kelce-Greg Olsen type of playmaker at a position that is becoming more crucial to overall offensive success. This year, there are at least a dozen who could have comparable impacts.

It's also a year when the Steelers need to add such a high-impact tight end. While Jesse James has upside, as does Ladarius Green if he stays healthy, the level of talent at tight end this year has to have the Steelers' front office and coaching staffs salivating.

One potential target in Round 1 is Miami's David Njoku. Though he played but two seasons of college ball, clearly putting him at an experience disadvantage, his improvement from 2015 to 2016 was impressive. He had 43 catches for 698 yards and eight scores in 2016, compared to 21 receptions for 362 yards and a touchdown in 2015. He has speed for days and is a massive after-catch threat, and for a tight end with few games under his belt, he's proved to be a physical blocker.

Unsurprisingly, his hands need some work, with eight drops in two years, as do his routes. But Njoku may have a much higher ceiling than numerous other tight ends in the class, and the Steelers in particular can find ways to work him into their offense immediately.

LB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin

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T.J. Watt is the younger brother of Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, and he certainly has traits in common with the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

He has a high motor with great football instincts, with the ability to accelerate and adjust as someone steeped in football his entire life. His technique is difficult to question, as well as his work ethic. Indeed, there's more to Watt than just his last name that would lead him to be the Steelers' Round 1 draft target this year.

But it should be noted that Watt has had just one year of collegiate starting experience. Though it was a good one, with 63 combined tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown, it's not a particularly deep body of work.

Despite it speaking to his potential, and though his intangibles are perhaps among the most intriguing of the edge-rushers this year, it likely will keep him from being a top-15 pick.

That's good news for the Steelers, especially if those aforementioned intangibles are enough to overshadow his relative lack of experience.

There is one important caveat about Watt's draft stock and what he may or may not accomplish at the NFL level—his injury history. He's undergone surgery on his left knee twice and right knee once, and that degree of wear and tear could suppress his draft stock or scare teams, like the Steelers, off altogether.

LB/S Jabrill Peppers, Michigan

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Michigan's Jabrill Peppers is one of the most explosive athletes in the 2017 draft class, but a lack of a natural position means that certain teams will value what he brings to the table more than others.

This could result in the Steelers choosing to pass on him in Round 1, but given their myriad needs and Peppers' singular skill set, there may be no more Pittsburgh-ready player they could select at 30th overall.

Peppers can play safety and linebacker, primarily on the inside though also on the outside. He has the speed and athleticism to operate in space against the run, the power to deliver big hits, the instincts to blitz quarterbacks and the ability to assist—though not always work on an island—in coverage.

His 66 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, three sacks and an interception in 2016 seem like the tip of the iceberg of what he is capable, given the opportunity with the right team.

Peppers also has the additional upside of being a prolific kick and punt returner, with 39 punts returned on his career for 510 yards and a score and 18 kicks returned for 483 yards. He can also be used as a red-zone running back, with five rushing scores on his career.

His speed and physical style of play make him an ideal pairing with Ryan Shazier at inside linebacker, but the Steelers would be more than happy to make use of his various talents.

CB Adoree' Jackson, USC

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While Peppers is among the most athletic of the draft class, the top of the list undoubtedly is occupied by USC's Adoree' Jackson. And like Peppers, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what his role in the NFL may shake out to be.

Jackson, billed first as a cornerback, is also a proven touchdown threat as a receiver and a returner, and he could see time at numerous positions before settling into the one that suits him best.

As a cornerback, Jackson has proved to be both athletic and physical as well as a willing tackler, though he's raw overall at the position, as demonstrated by his ability to be beaten by quicker receivers and thus allowing big plays. But he can certainly make plays of his own—of his 28 career passes defensed, 11 came in 2016, as well as five of his six interceptions.

The Steelers can buy time developing Jackson's cornerback fundamentals by employing him as a kick and punt returner right away. He's returned 79 kicks in his career, for 2,141 yards and four scores, and had another four scores and 578 yards on 46 punt returns. He can also step in at receiver; he caught 39 passes for 628 yards and six scores in three years for the Trojans.

Though Jackson may seem like an odd fit for the Steelers in Round 1, Pittsburgh has never been beholden to simply drafting to positional need with their first-round picks.

If the Steelers feel Jackson is the best player still on the board when they select at No. 30, he could be the newest addition to don the Black and Gold.