Steelers Draft Picks 2017: Results, Grades and Analysis for Each Selection
In the 2017 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers have eight picks and nearly as many roster needs to meet at the same time. There's no guarantee that those needs will be met, because the draft is also about finding fabulous players who will contribute not only immediately but also for the long term. As reigning AFC North champions who are well-stocked at many positions, the Steelers are in a good place to work on team-building rather than team-establishing.
So, who will the Steelers select, and how well do these players integrate into Pittsburgh's current plans? Here are all eight of the Steelers' draft picks with early evaluations, grades and predictions as to what they can contribute both immediately and in the long term.
Round 1, Pick 30
1 of 8Round 1, Pick 30: EDGE T.J. Watt, Wisconsin
In a move that had been predicted by draft watchers and fans alike, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a safe, predictable and also pitch-perfect addition to their defensive roster in their selection of Wisconsin linebacker and pass-rushing standout T.J. Watt. Yes, he's the brother of J.J., but that's not his only draw.
An athletic standout with outstanding football instincts, the newly minted first-round draft pick should be a bolster to Pittsburgh's pass rush and perhaps a presumptive heir apparent to James Harrison a year from now.
Watt may statistically look like a one-year wonder—63 of his 70 tackles (and 15.5 of his 17 for loss) plus all of his 11.5 sacks came in 2016, his only truly starting season—but it's more of a tip-of-the-iceberg situation than a that's-all-he's-got. There's no way Pittsburgh would have used a first-round pick, one the Steelers covet so much, on him otherwise.
The real cause for concern is the injury history, with Watt requiring surgery on both his left (2015) and right (2014) knee. No amount of football prowess, work ethic or want-to can mitigate the aftereffects. But the Steelers must feel confident in his medical prognoses as well as his talent overshadowing the idea that last-name pedigree has influenced this pick. T.J. is not J.J., but he may be the next best thing.
Grade: B
Round 2, Pick 30
2 of 8
Round 2, Pick 30: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
As expected, the Steelers addressed the receiver position in the 2017 draft and did so early, selecting USC's JuJu Smith-Schuster with the 30th pick in the second round.
Smith-Schuster is a big (6'1", 215 lbs) and physical receiver whose reliable hands and strong route running make up for an overall lack of high-level speed. He should serve as a good red-zone target as well and even has the capacity to return kicks.
In three years at USC, Smith-Schuster had 213 catches for 3,092 yards and 25 scores. While Pittsburgh just got Martavis Bryant back from his indefinite suspension just days before the draft, the Steelers cannot simply lean on Bryant's return and assume he can be relied upon to not get into trouble again.
Smith-Schuster brings much of Bryant's big-play game to the table, but with a slightly more physical profile and an even-keeled work ethic that makes him a good candidate to start alongside Antonio Brown as a rookie.
Grade: A
Round 3, Pick 30
3 of 8
Round 3, Pick 30: CB Cameron Sutton, Tennessee
The Steelers added to their cornerback position in Round 3, selecting Tennessee's Cameron Sutton with the 94th overall pick of the 2017 draft.
Sutton, a four-year starter, had 127 combined tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, seven interceptions and 30 passes defensed. Though he did miss half of his senior season with an ankle injury, it shouldn't be something that influenced the Steelers' waiting on taking him until Round 3 or anything to worry about affecting his rookie year in Pittsburgh.
Sutton is a man-to-man cornerback who gave up only three touchdowns total in college. He does a good job of staying with receivers, running routes alongside them and disrupting their ability to make catches. Man coverage is something the Steelers have made clear that they want to improve this year, and Sutton's skill set certainly reflects that desire.
The only concern is size; Sutton is 5'11" and, most notably, under 190 pounds. But that should make him an ideal candidate to work in the slot. That could spell trouble for the presumed starter on the inside, Ross Cockrell, but if Sutton brings to the table the kind of pass defense they desire, so it goes.
Sutton is also an accomplished punt and kick returner, including scoring three touchdowns by doing the former. That should further help him see some type of playing time in 2017, even if he doesn't become a starter in the secondary over the course of the summer.
Grade: B
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Round 3, Pick 41 (Compensatory)
4 of 8
Round 3, Pick 41 (Compensatory): RB James Conner, Pitt
The Steelers took a very familiar face to round out their Day 2 draft picks, selecting Pitt running back James Conner with the 105th overall pick. Conner is likely to immediately land at No. 2 on the depth chart behind starter Le'Veon Bell, as Pittsburgh opted to find its backup via the draft rather than sign a veteran free agent early in the year.
Conner missed all but one game of the 2015 season, having suffered a torn MCL and later learning that he had a battle with cancer—Hodgkin lymphoma—ahead. But Conner currently has a clean bill of health and bounced back well from both his injury and his illness. In 2016, Conner rushed 216 times for 1,092 yards and 16 scores and also became more involved in the passing game, with 21 of his career 30 catches, 302 of his 412 receiving yards and all four of his receiving touchdowns.
A powerful, downhill back, Conner's style complements Bell, just as DeAngelo Williams had done in 2015 and 2016. Though not known for his speed, in this instance it does not matter because he is to be paired with Bell and not be relied upon as an every-down bell cow. That he has shown the ability to catch passes also helps; this is a player who can move the chains as a receiver, convert and score touchdowns in short-yardage situations, and has plus blocking skills.
Grade: A
Round 4, Pick 29
5 of 8
Round 4, Pick 29: QB Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee
For the first time in four years, the Steelers made a move to add a quarterback via the draft, this time taking Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs with the 135th overall pick. The last time they did so was in 2013, when they used the 115th overall pick on Landry Jones.
Jones could have his status as the Steelers' No. 2 quarterback under siege during the summer's training camp, but working in his favor is Dobbs' developmental status and Jones' many years of experience in the Steelers offense.
Dobbs ran a spread offense in college, which is not uncommon. But what did stand out was his ability to read through his progressions, something not typically a hallmark of someone who is otherwise a project quarterback. Dobbs completed 61.5 percent of his passes for Tennessee, for 7,138 yards, 53 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. He was also a playmaker on the ground, with 438 runs yielding 2,160 yards and 32 scores, with 831 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores in 2016 alone.
Accuracy and decision-making, though, are not his strong suits, and even more concerning is Lance Zierlein's assertion that he "hasn't shown as much growth" over the course of his collegiate career in both areas. But he's a smart player heading into a coaching staff that can certainly give Dobbs room to grow.
It's too early to say if Dobbs will be the Steelers' post-Ben Roethlisberger starter, but the impression is clear that Jones will have to work extra hard to keep control of his standing on the depth chart. And Zach Mettenberger? His job security is now hanging by a thread.
Grade: B
Round 5, Pick 30
6 of 8
Round 5, Pick 30: CB Brian Allen, Utah
It took some time before newly minted Steelers cornerback Brian Allen settled into the position in college at Utah. He came to the program as a high school wide receiver and has freely admitted that he "didn't know how to tackle," when he transitioned to defense, something that NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has noted carries over to this day.
Though he has played a bit of safety, the struggles with tackling mean that he won't be converted from cornerback on the NFL level anytime soon. But he does have some appreciable coverage skills, with 62 career tackles, five interceptions (four in 2016) and nine passes defensed (six last year). He also allowed a completion percentage of 42.5 when being targeted over his last two years.
At 6'3" and fast, if Allen can get his fundamentals cleaned up, he could someday contribute on Pittsburgh's defense. But for now, special teams might be his only route to the 53-man roster as a rookie; otherwise, expect Allen to spend some time on the practice squad early in his career.
Grade: B-
Round 6, Pick 30
7 of 8
Round 6, Pick 30: LS Colin Holba, Louisville
Long snapper might not be the first or best use one would think of with a sixth-round pick, but the Steelers have good reason to use the 213th overall selection in the draft on Louisville's Colin Holba. The primary reason is the advancing age of longtime long snapper Greg Warren, who is 35 years old and heading into his 13th season (on a one-year, $1.08 million contract).
The Steelers came into the draft with a second long snapper on the roster, Kameron Canaday, who stuck around with the Arizona Cardinals for the first three weeks of the 2016 season. It's obvious that the Steelers are thinking about moving on from Warren (or that Warren is soon to close out his career), and it's also obvious that they aren't comfortable enough in Canaday that the use of a late-round draft pick wasn't a waste of their time this year.
It may seem inconsequential, but long snappers are significant contributors to a team's special teams success or failure. Holba comes with a good review from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, who said that the snapper's "[f]ield goal and extra point placement is very consistent" and has the added bonus of having "snapped for both left and right-footed kickers." What more could the Steelers ask for from a young long snapper?
Grade: B
Round 7, Pick 30
8 of 8
Round 7, Pick 30: DE Keion Adams, Western Michigan
The Steelers closed out their crop of eight 2017 draft picks by selecting Western Michigan's Keion Adams. A defensive end in college, Adams would most likely be considered an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh and a situational pass-rushing one at that.
A three-year defensive starter in college, Adams totaled 126 combined tackles, 33 tackles for a loss and 14.5 sacks. CBSSports.com says that Adams' "explosiveness, knee bend, feet and burst to close" gives him NFL pass-rushing potential. However, Adams' weak fundamentals in run defense will limit his overall usefulness.
That one-dimensional nature, though, doesn't mean that Adams cannot contribute for the Steelers, especially on a defense that will soon have to live without both James Harrison and Arthur Moats. Also notable is that NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has Adams most closely comparable to Moats, a player who never had his full potential tapped before coming to Pittsburgh.
Grade: B
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
