The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Ohio State OLB Ryan Shazier with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. The 21-year old outside linebacker was a three-year starter for the Buckeyes, tallying 15.0 sacks and 317 total tackles.  At the NFL Combine this past year, Shazier impressed scouts with 25 reps of 225 pounds on the Bench Press, a 42.0-inch vertical leap, and 130.0-inch broad jump. Shazier will come into Pittsburgh and compete with last year’s first-round pick OLB Jarvis Jones for ... Read More

The wait is almost over, football fans.  It seems like forever ago that the Seattle Seahawks were hoisting their first Lombardi Trophy after decimating the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII.  Thanks to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, pigskin addicts have had to wait an additional month this year for the NFL Draft – considered by many to be the official start of the NFL calendar year. On paper, the 2014 edition of the draft appears to hold one of the deepest talent pools in years.  The ... Read More

In sitting down to write this article and its evil twin (Biggest Steelers Draft Misses of the Past 20 Years), I found that it was easier to pick the mistakes than it was to pick the true-blue bargains.  For the purpose of this piece, I am setting some ground rules: 1.  We are automatically eliminating first-round picks.  In a 32-team league, every team should be able to make a solid first-round pick.  Yes, occasionally there will be some BIG misses – JaMarcus Russell, Charles Rogers and David ... Read More

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 ... Read More

Jeff Snedden — The Steelers have many needs heading into this draft.  In the other Face Off article here today, you will hear one of our writers talk about why Michigan State DB Darqueze Dennard should be the Steelers top selection next weekend.  It makes sense, the Steelers will be in need of a new starting CB in 2015 after Ike Taylor – more than likely – calls it quits.  While I like Dennard, I also consider at least five more prospects in this draft pool to be just as talented and ... Read More

The NFL released the entire 2014 schedule tonight, and once again the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to face one of the more challenging slates in the entire league. The Steelers opponents include their usual six AFC North Divisional games against the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. They draw the NFC South in inter-conference play, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints coming to Heinz Field and road games at the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. ... Read More