The 2013 NFL Draft is only fifteen days away and there is still a lot of questions surround the top of the draft. As of now the Pittsburgh Steelers hold the seventeenth pick in the first round of the draft, but they could look to trade up or down depending on the prospects available when they are put on the clock. Based on scouting reports and mock drafts the Steelers are expected, by many, to take Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones, Texas S Kenny Vaccaro, or Tennessee WR Cordarrelle Patterson, but there’s a good chance they will pick a different player with the seventeenth pick.
With the draft only a few weeks away the one thing everyone can agree on at this point is that anything could happen in the first round. That means that the Steelers could be left with players not expected to still be on the board when they pick or they could also be stuck drafting the seventeenth best player on their board. However, there are three players that could be on the board when the Steelers make their first pick and all three could fill a need moving forward.
One of the Steelers biggest needs moving forward is finding a future buck linebacker to replace Larry Foote. Foote is 32 and although he played well for his age last year he has lost a step and is a liability in coverage at this point in his career. When the Steelers cut James Harrison they also opened a hole at right outside linebacker. Jason Worilds is expected to step in for Harrison, but the team could still look for a replacement in the draft.
With Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark getting older the Steelers also need to find a young safety, but they may not need to target one in the first round of the draft. Pittsburgh is also losing long-time nose tackle Casey Hampton this off-season and although they have Steve McLendon ready to step in and two young nose tackles behind him they could look at a player in the draft if someone falls to them.
Star Lotulelei is considered to be one of the best players in the draft this year and could be a top-five pick. However, with a heart condition that caused him to miss the combine teams could be scared off of picking him early. It is unlikely that he will fall to the Steelers, but no one expected David DeCastro to be available for the Steelers in last years draft. Lotulelei is one of the most versatile defensive lineman in this years draft and is believed to be able to play defensive tackle in a 4-3, nose tackle in a 3-4 or defensive end in a 3-4.
If a player of his caliber fell to the Steelers at seventeen they would be hard pressed to pass on him. He is being compared to Baltimore Ravens star defensive lineman Haloti Ngata and if he pans out to be that good he would be a huge addition to the Steelers defense. Again it’s unlikely he will be available, but if he is the Steelers may pass on bigger needs and go after a player that could help the defense from day one.
Another player that is moving back up draft boards is Florida State DE/OLB Cornellius “Tank” Carradine. Carradine may have been a top ten pick in this year’s draft if he hadn’t torn his ACL. However, even though he is recovering from a torn ACL he is rising up draft boards and is expected to go somewhere around the mid-twenties in the first round. Carradine is very explosive off the line and has shown elite athleticism as a defensive end. He also has very good size at 6’4″ and 276 pounds. Carradine is being compared to New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck because of his size, athleticism, and ability to get to the quarterback.
Carradine hasn’t played outside linebacker so he would be a project moving to another position, but he would give the Steelers a fall back option in case Worilds didn’t pan out in 2013. Right now Carradine is expected to go in the first round and the Steelers could possibly trade back gain extra picks and still draft him. They could also hope for him to fall to them in the second round if teams are concerned with his knee injury.
Lastly, the Steelers could look to find a long-term replacement for Foote at inside linebacker. Heading into the draft Manti Te’o was a longshot to be available at seventeen and now he may be a second round pick. Alex Ogletree was considered the most athletic inside linebacker, but off-field issues make him a big question mark and the Steelers most likely won’t be willing to draft him in the first round. However, there is another inside linebacker that would be willing of the seventeenth pick and is considered by some to be the best inside backer in the draft.
Arthur Brown of Kansas State is considered to be slightly undersized at only 6’0″, but he has the football instincts that can’t be taught and are something the Steelers look for in their players. Brown is a sure-tackler that can take down large backs one on one due to great lower-body strength. He has the speed to move sideline to sideline and also to blitz the quarterback. Brown is also very good in coverage and can stay with most slot receivers and tight ends.
If the Steelers think that inside linebacker is their biggest need heading into the draft they could look at Brown in the first round. They could potentially trade back a few slots and still draft Brown while picking up a few extra picks in the process. Brown is being compared to 49ers star linebacker Navarro Bowman and would give the Steelers a solid long-term option to play alongside Lawrence Timmons.
The 2013 NFL Draft is just sixteen days away and the Steelers could be looking at multiple players in the first round and the three players listed above could all be options for them with their first pick. In a middle-heavy draft the Steelers best option may be to trade back and pick up more picks, but they would have to have a trade partner to pull that off. Instead they will likely stay at the seventeenth pick and look for a wide receiver, linebacker, safety or they could make a surprise pick if a top defensive or offensive lineman falls to their pick.
