Thanks to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell, football fans have had an extra month this year to impatiently wait for the NFL Draft. For fans of the back-to-back 8-8 record Pittsburgh Steelers, it seems as if the regular season ended eons ago. No fan base in the league is more ready to move onto the 2014 season than Steeler Nation, still trying to wipe away the bitter taste of missing the postseason for two years straight. However, something interesting happened between that final whistle that concluded the Steelers 20-7 Week 16 shellacking of the Cleveland Browns and this year’s draft – the usually mouse-quiet Steelers found themselves to be one of the most active teams in the free agency game. The entire series of events this offseason has been completely out of character for Rooney, Rooney, & Rooney and Associates as Pittsburgh signed eight players from a deep free agent pool in addition to re-signing six of their own players.
All of that shopping has changed the pre-draft outlook for the Steelers, as several positions that looked to be woefully thin are now in decent shape. On the other hand, a lack of depth at wide receiver has only been further decimated by the virtually unexpected loss of veteran Jerricho Cotchery and his ten touchdowns. While few thought the Steelers would re-sign prolific underachiever Emmanuel Sanders, the decision by Cotchery to rent a U-Haul and head off to Charlotte surprised many in the Steel City. While the team went out and signed WR Lance Moore and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey to fill out the depth chart, the receiver position is still one of need. Pittsburgh will also need to add some youth at both inside and outside linebacker and find a young cornerback or two to begin the transition from Ike Taylor and William Gay – who are both expected to be playing their final season with the Steelers.
Here is a rapid-fire look at the positions – in order – where the Steelers should be focusing on starting May 8, and some of the prospects who could be looking for real estate in the 412 or 724 in a few weeks’ time.
1. Cornerback – It seems like the Steelers have been looking for young talent at cornerback forever. Veteran Ike Taylor is nearing the end of his career and William Gay has never been a starting-caliber player. Cortez Allen seems to have locked down the other starting slot opposite Taylor, and at 6-foot 1 he fills the prototype for the big body defensive back the Steelers tend to employ. The rest of the depth chart includes free agent signing Brice McCain and a collection of special teams/practice squad-level talent. Despite breaking out the checkbook in the offseason, the Steelers did not sign any significant cornerbacks. This means that any additional talent will need to come from the draft.
Darqueze Dennard (Michigan State) seems to be the favorite among mock draft experts for who the Steelers will target with the 15th overall pick. Dennard does have the look of a Pittsburgh corner, looming close to 6-foot tall and bringing solid coverage skills and a penchant for locking down bigger receivers. Dennard was one of the key cogs in the Michigan State defense that propelled the Spartans to a Big Ten championship and their first Rose Bowl victory since 1988. Most analysts expect Dennard to be available for Pittsburgh in the first round, although his new status as the top CB available might push him into the top ten.
Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State) is the player whom many expected to be the first cornerback off the board since the initial postseason mock drafts started to hit the wire. With Dennard moving upward swiftly, Gilbert has stayed stagnant and may end up falling to Pittsburgh at no. 15. Gilbert is another big bodied corner, and his cover skills are considered the best in the draft. He is fast (4.37 40-yard dash at the Combine) and athletic, and he started virtually every game since 2011. Gilbert also brings skills as a dynamic return man – a spot where the Steelers could definitely use help. Original mock drafts had Gilbert coming off the board no later than 11th to Tennessee, and he still might not make it past the Titans even if Dennard gets picked first by Detroit.
Bradley Roby (Ohio State) has moved up the board steadily as well, not unusual for cornerbacks during the final run up to draft day. Roby has proven to be one of the tougher players to mock in this draft, and it wouldn’t surprise some experts to see him go in the first half of round one. He is a superb athlete with speed to burn and the size to mirror the biggest wide receivers. He impressed at the Combine with a 38.5-inch vertical jump, important in a division that contains potential match-ups with the Browns Josh Gordon and the Bengals A.J. Green. Roby has experienced some personal issues off the field, including an arrest in July 2013 for misdemeanor battery that was eventually dismissed and a recent arrest for OVI (Operating a Vehicle while Impaired) on April 20 that resulted in an agreement that he attend a driver-intervention program. These issues could affect his overall draft stock and the Steelers may choose to stray from drafting anymore players with legal problems.
Kyle Fuller (Virginia Tech) is another player who has been linked to Pittsburgh. Fuller is a prototypical Hokies defensive back with good size and ball skills. He started 42 games in college and is considered one of the most “pro-ready” cornerbacks in this draft. Fuller is also a dynamic tackler who was an ace in run support. He received rave reviews from head coach Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech – someone who knows a thing or two about developing defensive players. Barring a very early run on cornerbacks, Fuller should be readily available to the Steelers if they feel he is their guy.
Darkhorse Candidate: Pierre Desir (Lindenwood University) is a small-school product who seems to have won over the hearts of many Steelers fans. Desir is a 6-foot, 1-inch corner who measured up well against the higher profile receivers at the Senior Bowl. He has been described as explosive, and his 133.0-inch broad jump at the Combine blew away scouts. Desir has great ball instincts and seems to come up with big plays at all the right moments. He is being projected as a third to fourth round pick, and he has drawn the interest of a handful of NFL teams. Desir is a native of Port Au Prince, Haiti who immigrated to the U.S. at the age of four. He lost his grandmother and eight-month old cousin in the devastating January 2010 earthquakes. He is an intriguing project pick who might end up getting drafted much higher than originally projected.
2. Wide Receiver – As we reviewed in the beginning of this article, wide receiver remains a position of need for the Steelers despite the signings of WR Lance Moore and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey. Pro Bowl starter Antonio Brown is the only proven threat currently on the roster, and second-year pro Markus Wheaton is going to be counted on to take a big step forward in 2014. Moore and Heyward-Bey will provide depth and Moore will probably end up getting most of the snaps as a slot receiver. Also on the roster are Rochester (Pa.) High School product Derek Moye and 2013 sixth-round draft pick Justin Brown, neither of whom have shown the ability to be legitimate NFL receivers. The Steelers have a tradition of finding solid receivers in the middle-to-late rounds of the draft, but this may be the year they are forced to spend their first-round pick on the tall red-zone threat coveted by QB Ben Roethlisberger. Clemson WR Sammy Watkins and Texas A&M WR Mike Evans are the top two receivers on the board, and both are expected to be gone within the top ten selections. If Evans were to somehow slip to the Steelers at no. 15, he will be holding up a black and gold jersey on Thursday. More than likely, Pittsburgh will need to look beyond Evans.
Odell Beckham (LSU) has climbed into mid-first round consideration, and many consider him the Steelers realistic top choice at the position. The key word to describe Beckham is versatile – he won the 2013 Paul Hornung Award after breaking the LSU record for all-purpose yards – and he has star potential both as a receiver and kick returner. His 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the Combine addressed any concerns about his speed, and his 38.5-inch vertical jump offsets his lack of ideal height. Athletically, many have compared him to Hines Ward, although his blocking could stand to improve. Beckham is a rarity in that he could easily play any of the three WR positions, and his combination of speed and hands make him perfect for the slot position in the Todd Haley offense. Some mock drafts have Beckham being selected as early as ninth to Buffalo or tenth to Detroit. Less than a week away from the draft, Beckham makes the short list of probable Pittsburgh first-round picks.
Marqise Lee (USC) was originally considered a sure-fire first round pick, but started to slip in the rankings prior to the Combine. Lee is a prototypical NFL wide receiver – great hands, terrific acceleration, and a solid route runner – and he strikes many as a player that teams will regret passing up. Outside of Sammy Watkins, Lee might be the most pro-ready WR on the board. More than anything in his game, his hand-eye coordination makes him stand out. Game tape of Lee is littered with amazing over-the-shoulder and one-handed catches, and Steelers fans can almost picture the 6-foot wideout running underneath the typical Roethlisberger sideline lob that made a star out of Mike Wallace. Lee is back into the top-15 discussion, and he will probably be the third or fourth WR drafted on Thursday night.
Kelvin Benjamin (Florida State) was ranked as high as the third-best WR in the draft as late as April, but his stock has taken a hit with the rise of Beckham and Lee on recent mock drafts. Benjamin showcased his big-play ability during the Seminoles run to the 2013 National Championship, and he is the big-body receiver that many believe the Steelers are lacking. His height (6-foot, 5-inches) and wingspan (83 inches!) make him a match-up nightmare against teams with small cornerbacks. Benjamin is also tough to take down, as illustrated by game film showing him breaking multiple tackles en route to the end zone vs. Florida and North Carolina State. His lack of game speed and occasional lapses in concentration keep him out of elite consideration. A month ago, Benjamin was a first-round lock, but he has now fallen to the point of perhaps being available to Pittsburgh in the second round. A dream scenario would have the Steelers selecting one of the top cornerbacks at no. 15, then turning around and snagging Benjamin at no. 46.
Allen Robinson (Penn State) was the top wide receiver in the Big Ten two years running, and Steelers fans who follow the Nittany Lions believe that he is being vastly underrated in recent mock drafts. Robinson has good size (6-foot, 2-inches), body control, and vision. At Penn State, he worked in a pro-style offense and was utilized in every route imaginable. His production was consistent regardless of who was throwing him the ball, something that is lacking from many of the top prospects. In the NFL, that level of game experience and consistency should translate into Robinson becoming a solid no.2 wide receiver. Depending on how the first round pans out, Robinson should be available in round two if Pittsburgh feels he is a match.
Darkhorse Candidate: Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) is the all-time leading receiver in SEC history and the type of player that Pittsburgh tends to lean towards. Matthews played in all 52 games of his college career and produced despite lining up against some of the top defensive backs in the Nation week in and week out. I resisted the temptation to list Jeff Janis (Saginaw Valley State) as my Darkhorse wide receiver here simply because I feel Matthews is being underrated and could easily end up as one of the steals of the entire 2014 NFL Draft. At 6-foot, 3-inches and 212 pounds, Matthews is a nice target with good speed and a proven leader (2x team captain). It also helps to have NFL Hall of Fame WR Jerry Rice as your cousin and personal trainer. Matthews is a late second-round to mid-third round prospect that should easily surpass his draft value in the coming years.
3. Linebacker – We are going to morph inside and outside linebacker into one group here, mainly because Pittsburgh is in dire need of both depth and future promise at both positions. It is hard to imagine the Steelers not having one of the best linebacker groups in the NFL, but a case could be made right now that they are one of the teams in the most need at both spots. ILB Lawrence Timmons is now the leader of the group as he enters his eighth season. Timmons is joined by second-year starter Vince Williams. On the outside, Jason Worilds is now the leader of a young and unproven group that includes 2013 first-round pick Jarvis Jones, free agent pickup Arthur Moats, and Chris Carter. Terence Garvin, Kion Wilson, and possibly Sean Spence make up the rest of the depth chart. Spence is the wild card here, as the Steelers have stuck with him despite the fact that his injury has kept him off the field since being drafted in the third round of the 2012 draft. Pittsburgh will need to come away from this draft with at least one legitimate 53-man gameday roster-capable linebacker, and ideally they should find two – one outside, one inside.
OLB Anthony Barr (UCLA) is the second-ranked linebacker on the draft board behind Khalil Mack (Buffalo), who is an unquestioned top ten pick. Barr is a large, athletic pass-rusher who absolutely dominated the PAC-12 over the past two years. His 23.5 sacks were almost as impressive as his 41.5 tackles for loss, and he even found the time to add in 10 forced fumbles. Barr is a disruptive force who looks like a day one starter in the NFL. The only fallback may be his lack of strength, which he showed at the Combine when he was only able to complete 15 reps of 225lbs. on the bench press. However, an athlete with the frame of Barr (6-foot, 5-inches, 255lbs.) should be able to easily improve on those numbers once he gets into an NFL training regimen. Barr is an easy top-15 pick who could be available for the Steelers. A long-term tandem of Anthony Barr and Jarvis Jones as pass-rushing outside linebackers would have unlimited potential.
ILB C.J. Mosley (Alabama) is a perfect fit for the Steelers 3-4 scheme. Mosley was a productive starter in one of the top-ranked defenses in the Nation, and the anchor of that squad in 2013. A tackling machine who projects as a three-down inside linebacker in the pros, Mosley is a very instinctive player who always seems to be in the right spot to make a big play. He is a weight room phenom who has added significant bulk to his 6-foot 2-inch frame over the past two years. He plays quick for a large athlete and works sideline-to-sideline. Mosley is also an on-field leader who was well respected and acted as a defensive coach while on the field. Most mock drafts have Mosley coming off the board somewhere towards the end of the first round with New England or Green Bay as likely destinations. The Steelers would definitely have the option of choosing him at no. 15 if they so desire.
OLB Trent Murphy (Stanford) is a throwback-type player who could adapt to either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense, and would project as a LOLB in the Steelers set. Murphy is a solid run stopper and pass rusher who is an instinctive tackler. His huge hands and long reach also enable him to bat down or pick off passes over the middle of the field. He lined up often against tight ends, spending time knocking them off their pass routes – a valuable asset in the modern pass-happy NFL game. Although he is physically ready to play at the highest level, chances are Murphy will need a year or two to adjust to the speed of the pro game. Universally considered one of the top five outside linebackers on the board, Murphy is slated to be chosen in the second round and could be available to the Steelers when they pick at no. 46.
Darkhorse Candidate: Chris Borland (Wisconsin) possesses one of the most impressive game films in the entire field. While he is far from a perfect athlete, Borland has a motor that compares to guys like Troy Polamalu and Larry Foote. The heart and soul of the Wisconsin defense, Borland is a dynamic playmaker who started 45 games for the Badgers. He posted over 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons, including 50 tackles for loss. You cannot watch a Wisconsin defensive stand without seeing at least one above-average effort from this kid. He makes many of his best plays inside the red zone – another spot where Pittsburgh could use some help. His career total of 15 forced fumbles is second-most in National FBS (Division I) history. With all of that said, his lack of ideal size and tangible physical numbers are keeping him down around the third-to-fourth round in this draft. For a team that is looking to make every one of their draft picks count, the Steelers could potentially find a hidden gem in Borland.
The Steelers have many obvious needs in this draft, but these three positions – along with defensive end and safety – are the most pressing. With nine picks to spend, Pittsburgh has a chance to knock out a good portion of their rebuilding roster this coming week.
