The Steelers hold the 25th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. The needs of this team are fairly clear, but it has been hard to project what exactly the Steelers will do with their first round pick. The three biggest needs are at nose tackle, cornerback and safety. In my Draft Previews of the Steelers Offense and Defense I detailed the other positions of need. Much has been made over the fact that the Steelers have not drafted a first round corner since 1997, and with the Chiefs selection of Marcus Peters last year the Steelers are the only team to not pick a corner in the first round during that span. Two of the most interesting revelations I had during last year’s draft season was the weight that the Steelers place on SPARQ (a metric measuring athleticism and explosiveness) and on drafting players from programs that ended the year in the AP Top 25.

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Cornerbacks

Vernon Hargreaves III
CB – Florida

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Hargreaves is the consensus #2 corner in this draft class behind Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey. If Hargreaves is somehow still available at 25, the Steelers should absolutely run to the podium and take him.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Hargreaves is the consensus #2 corner in this draft class. He could go in the Top 10 and will definitely be off the board by the 20th overall pick. He has been heavily tied to Tampa at the #9 overall pick.

Mackensie Alexander
CB – Clemson

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Alexander is a talented cornerback and quite possibly one of the highest “Football IQ” guys in the draft. Sports Illustrated did this excellent sit-down with him where he analyzed his tape and showed the depth of his read-and-react abilities. He is a young player with excellent cover skills who shows shutdown corner potential.  He is generally thought of as the 3rd best corner in the draft behind Ramsey and Hargreaves.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: There is a large disparity on Alexander. Some think he is the #3 corner in this class and could go in the Top 15. Others are worried about his ball skills as he had no interceptions in his college career. Reports have come out recently that Alexander was not a good teammate and a difficulty in the locker room. There are some red flags here that some believe could cause Alexander to fall out of the first round entirely.

Eli Apple
CB – Ohio State

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: He went to Ohio State and Kevin Colbert has a long history of drafting Buckeyes. Apple is a young player with plenty of upside. He is one of the top man corners in the draft and has very good ball skills. He has been a frequent name that has been mocked to the Steelers and is part of the second tier of corners after Ramsey and Hargreaves that could go in any order.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: It is entirely possible that Apple is off the board by the time the Steelers pick. However, there has been a lot of talk over the past few weeks about how Apple is a bad fit for the Steelers defense. He is not a good tackler and can get dragged around after the catch.

William Jackson III
CB – Houston

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Jackson is a tough, athletic corner that the Steelers blogsphere absolutely loves. The Steelers like to draft players from winning programs (especially ones that finish in the Top 25) and Jackson checks that box as Houston finished 8th in the AP poll. The Steelers dined with Jackson and his family after his Pro Day, which is usually an indication the team is very serious about him. This seems like a match made in heaven from a scheme standpoint as well and Jackson has been a popular player to be mocked to the Steelers. Personally, I would love this selection.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Jackson is a tough, athletic corner that the Steelers blogsphere absolutely loves. Historically, Kevin Colbert’s first round picks tend to come from Power 5 Conferences (though this is somewhat offset by Houston finishing in the Top 25). Personally, I’d have Jackson at or near the top of the Steelers draft board (with Baylor’s Andrew Billings) as far as likely targets and the only thing that could derail the selection would be if Jackson comes off the board before 25, which is entirely possible.

Kendall Fuller
CB – Virginia Tech

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Fuller has the name recognition after his brother Kyle was a first round pick by the Bears. The Steelers reportedly loved Kyle Fuller two years ago, so it is entirely possible they are also interested in the younger brother. For what it’s worth, Fuller’s name has been thrown out there by Ike Taylor as the person who he thinks the Steelers will select.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: How far will his name recognition take him? Fuller is a good player but he is not a first round talent. Fuller is coming off a knee injury that limited him to just 3 games in 2015. He is part of the third tier of corners (including Miami’s Artie Burns who was also recently mocked to the Steelers) that would absolutely be a reach to select in the first round.

Defensive Line

Andrew Billings
DT – Baylor

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Billings was a dominant player along Baylor’s defensive front. He is a massive human who is tough to move from the middle but is also capable of getting upfield and pressing the pocket from the defensive tackle spot. He is strong enough to play nose tackle in a 3-4 base and to fill in as one of two down linemen in a 2-man front in the nickel defense. The Steelers are very interested in Billings and brought Mean Joe Green with their front office staff that attended Baylor’s Pro Day. On top of that, they took him out for dinner after his Pro Day, which is a big indication of their interest. Billings is likely at or near the top of the draft board of players that are realistic targets for the Steelers.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Billings has multiplicity in his game and could bit in either a 4-3 or a 3-4 front. He is more than just a 3-4 plug (like Casey Hampton) and is a capable defender against the run and can offer a little as an interior pass rusher. Billings isn’t even 20 years old yet which will make him an attractive option for many teams ahead of the Steelers and he could be the second interior defensive lineman drafted after Oregon’s DeForest Buckner.

Sheldon Rankins
DT – Louisville

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: While Rankins does not have the raw power of Billings, he stood out in Louisville’s defensive front from the 3-tech and 5-tech spots. Rankins profiles more as a 3-4 DE than nose tackle. He is one of the best pass rushing defensive lineman prospects in the draft and could be a 3-down player for the Steelers, giving them someone to rotate with Heyward and Tuitt in their nickel package.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: The Steelers don’t have a need at 3-4 DE, their need is at nose tackle. Of course, having another player to rotate with Heyward and Tuitt would be incredibly useful, but the best case scenario would be if that player could also play the nose in a base defense. Rankins might not be that player. Also, given his interior rushing abilities, it is entirely possible that he is off the board in the Top 20 selections.

A’Shawn Robinson
DT – Alabama

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: The Steelers brought Robinson in for a pre-draft visit and definitely have some interest in the Alabama lineman. Robinson looks the part of a defensive tackle and has the size to play inside in a 3-4 front. He is a good side-to-side run stopper capable of commanding double teams and sealing down the inside to allow the linebackers behind him to roam free.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Robinson does not have the interior pass rushing abilities that some of the other linemen in this draft have. He lacks pass-rushing moves and will rely solely on his bull rush to force opposing linemen off the spot but tends to play high with his pads rather than getting low. This could be a problem for Robinson if he is asked to play in a 2-man line like the Steelers deployed 2/3 of the time last season.

Jarran Reed
DT – Alabama

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: While Robinson was more of an anchor in the middle, Reed showed versatility and was able to move inside and excel against guards and hold his own on the outside against tackles. Reed is a much better technician and excels in run defense.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Reed does not bring much in the pass rushing department. As good as he is side-to-side at closing down gaps against the run, he is a straight-line pass rusher who does not possess many moves. Alabama would sub him out in passing situations, which could be a red flag for the Steelers who need both an interior defender and someone who can give them snaps in nickel to spell Heyward and Tuitt.

Chris Jones
DT – Mississippi St

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Jones’ name has been one of the hottest risers over the last few weeks. Jones flashed athleticism and disruptive abilities at Mississippi State and NFL teams seem to be very high on him. Many have him targeted for the late 1st round and he has the ability to play multiple positions along the line, which could fit the need the Steelers are looking to fill. He is a massive human being who athletically profiles similar to Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson. The Steelers love size and length on the inside and Jones absolutely has it.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: The Steelers attended Mississippi State’s Pro Day but didn’t do much other pre-draft work on Jones. Looking at his tape, he flashes ability but also takes plays off and can get stood up at the line. He doesn’t always work through blocks and doesn’t have the endurance to run down plays to the outside.

Vernon Butler
NT – Louisiana Tech

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Butler dominated at Louisiana Tech, posting double-digit tackles for loss over each of the last two seasons. Despite his 6’4″ frame he routinely gets low and wins with pad level. He has long arms and great strength at the point of attack. He is a solid run defender who will fit perfectly as a 3-4 nose tackle.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: The Steelers tend to pick players from Power Conferences in the first round. Butler has the ability to be a 3-down player in the NFL in the mold of Muhammad Wilkerson. It would be a shock if he is off the board before 25 but given the players the Steelers have spent time with (Billings and Robinson), they may have a higher-ranked defensive lineman available.

Robert Nkemdiche
DT – Ole Miss

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Nkemdiche is an incredibly athletic interior lineman. He was part of the resurgence of the Ole Miss program and helped turn around their defensive front. He has the athleticism to get after the quarterback in passing situations. The frame and measurables check a lot of the boxes that the Steelers like to see, including being one of the top SPARQ linemen.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Was there a player who rested on his laurels more than Nkemdiche? He was the top-ranked recruit coming out of high school but routinely took plays off and had some significant off-the-field issues. He has the talent to be an impact player in the NFL but there are some questions about his scheme fit in Pittsburgh and the off-field issues might be too much to overcome.

Safety

Karl Joseph
S – West Virginia

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Entering last season, Joseph looked like the top safety prospect in the nation. He suffered a season-ending knee injury and the Steelers have put in their pre-draft work on him to check out his progress, attending his Pro Day and inviting him to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit. On the field, he is a viscous hitter and capable of playing the single-high free safety. Coaches rave about him and he is a player with a high Football IQ who plays with passion and has great leadership traits.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: The Steelers have only drafted one player from West Virginia during the Kevin Colbert era, safety Ryan Mundy in the 6th round in 2008. If Joseph’s medical re-checks did not come through clean, the Steelers might be wary of selecting him in the first round. He might not be available for the first few weeks of the season while he completes his ACL rehab.

Vonn Bell
S – Ohio State

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: He went to Ohio State and was a productive player on the back end of their defense. The Steelers have been tied to Bell throughout the Draft process. Bell is more of a true “free” safety than some of the other top-end prospects in this draft. His best spot is off the line of scrimmage but is a very good and instinctive player on the back end. He is capable of matching up and running with receivers in man coverage and can attack downhill when the ball is in front of him.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Bell’s biggest drawback is his size, but that hasn’t stopped players like Earl Thomas from being effective safeties. The only thing that would preclude the Steelers from drafting Bell is if they have other safeties rated higher. Which brings us to….

Keanu Neal
S – Florida

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Reports have been floating around for the past week or so that Mike Tomlin is absolutely enamored with the Florida safety. Neal is a downhill player who can deliver some absolutely devastating hits. Neal is a prototypical Strong Safety, capable of playing down in the box against the run. He lit up the explosiveness drills at the combine with top marks in the Broad Jump and Vertical Jump. He has good range on the back end and is capable in coverage.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: There’s a lot to like about the Florida product. He left school after his junior season to enter the draft. He has drawn some comparisons to Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro who was highly touted in the 2013 draft but was benched last season for bad play. Nevertheless, the only reason the Steelers won’t draft him is if they have a higher rated player available to them at 25 as he is absolutely in the Steelers wheelhouse.

Jeremy Cash
S – Duke

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: The Steelers have put in more work on Cash than any other prospect in this draft class. They spoke with him at the Combine, attended his Pro Day, and had him to town for a pre-draft visit. Some of that could have been medical check-ins as Cash missed Duke’s bowl game because of a wrist injury. Cash is the best tackler of the safety group and is perfectly comfortable in the traditional Strong Safety role playing down in the box against the run. He has good cover skills and is an impact player, able to come off the edge and make plays in the backfield on blitzes. Personally, I love the way Cash plays and would be thrilled to see him in black and gold.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Cash is likely more of a second round player than a first round player. While his in-the-box ability is stout, he profiles a bit more like Cardinals S/ILB Deone Buchannon. Buchannon was drafted as a safety but is essentially an inside linebacker for Arizona. Cash has some similar traits in his game so if the Steelers see him more of an in-the-box player than a 3-down player, that could diminish his value.

Darian Thompson
S – Boise St

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: When watching his game tape, Thompson jumps off the screen. He is a rangy ballhawk who put up gaudy numbers at Boise State. He was a two-time All American and the Steelers love players that stuffed the stat sheets at winning programs. He is also capable of playing downhill and attacking the run, throwing big hits all over the field. They brought Thompson in for a pre-draft visit.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: The Steelers tend to not draft players from non-Power Conference schools in the first round. He did not have a good combine and when one dives deeper into his tape he tends to miss tackles and allows big plays over his head by jumping underneath routes. He is at his best near the line of scrimmage when he can attack the ball and he can be a bit of a liability in pass coverage.

Outside Linebacker

Leonard Floyd
OLB – Georgia

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: This is not a deep draft for pass rushers and while the consensus is generally that Joey Bosa (Ohio St) and Shaq Lawson (Clemson) are the top two, there is some debate over which edge rusher will come off the board third. Unlike the last Georgia pass rusher the Steelers drafted, Floyd is an athletic freak whose Mockdraftable Profile compares to Manny Lawson, Connor Barwin, Khalil Mack, and Javon Kearse. As discussed in the Defense preview, the Steelers might be okay in 2016 but severely lack depth in 2017 at outside linebacker.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Floyd is an athletic freak and in a draft short on edge rushers, they will be in high demand. Floyd could wind up going in the Top 15 and will likely come off the board in the Top 20. He put on a show at the Combine but there are some concerns with his slender build and his ability to match the strength of NFL tackles.

Noah Spence
OLB – Eastern Kentucky

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: How deep does the Steelers love for Buckeyes run? Spence is a former Ohio State player who was kicked off the team after multiple violations of team policies and failed drug tests. He landed at Eastern Kentucky and has seemingly turned himself around (at least, he’s saying all the right things before the draft). He is a talented edge rusher who is productive on the field and fits the mold of a 3-4 outside linebacker, where the Steelers will be woefully thin in the coming years.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Spence is a bit of a unique case in that he transferred down from a major school after failed drug tests. The Steelers generally shy away from small school players in the early round (Ben Roethlisberger is the only player Colbert has drafted in the first round from a non-Power Conference) though Spence did spend time at Ohio State. Ultimately, the question will be if Outside Linebacker is a big enough need for the 2016 Steelers to invest a first round pick there and if Spence (given his off-the-field history) is worth the investment of that selection.

Inside Linebacker

Darron Lee
ILB – Ohio State

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: They drafted Ryan Shazier, so who really knows? Lee, like Shazier, is a former Buckeye who is slender but fast. His tape is filled with highlights of him flying to the ball and attacking sideline-to-sideline. He was given free reign in Ohio State’s defense, a lot like Shazier was, to make plays and attack the ball. Given that Lawrence Timmons is entering the last year of his contract, if the Steelers don’t extend him they could be looking at a hole next to Shazier in 2017 and drafting Lee would essentially give them two interchangeable pieces in the middle.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Like Shazier, Lee checks in at a relatively light 232. Inside linebacker is not the biggest need for this team right now (though we all thought the same thing in 2014 when Shazier was the pick). Additionally, there are teams ahead of the Steelers who definitely need help in the middle including Oakland, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. Lee has the talent to be a Top 20 player in this draft and might not even be available when the Steelers pick.

Reggie Ragland
ILB – Alabama

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Ragland is generally consider the second best inside linebacker prospect in the draft behind UCLA’s Myles Jack. Ragland is more of an old-school downhill inside linebacker who is thunderous against the run. He is an instinctive player who is capable in short zone coverage and is a very solid tackler, leading the Crimson Tide’s defense en route to claiming the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. As noted, if the Steelers do not extend Lawrence Timmons they will have a hole at inside linebacker in 2017.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Much like 2014, the Steelers are potentially looking at a scenario of choosing between an Ohio State and Alabama inside linebacker. In 2014, they chose the speedy but lighter Ryan Shazier over CJ Mosley. Would they make a similar choice between Ragland and Lee? Or are there enough ILB-needy teams ahead of the Steelers that this won’t even be an issue? Ragland has generally been mocked in the Top 20 so he may not even be on the board at 25.

Su’a Cravens
ILB – USC

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Cravens is a slender but athletic player who fills gaps quickly and flies around the field. The fact that he is an undersized linebacker has led some to believe his best spot for the future might be at safety. Troy Polamalu once drew similar critiques but Cravens is not close to the player that Polamalu was. Nevertheless, he attacks the ball all over the field and the Steelers have never shied away from undersized linebackers in the past. I would not be a fan of this pick, as he seems like too much of a “tweener” to me, much like Shaq Thompson was last season, and his best fit is probably in a 4-3 defense.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Like Thompson last year, Cravens doesn’t have a natural fit in the Steelers defense. He plays fast and has good hands for a linebacker but can get completely railroaded by offensive linemen. Interestingly, because of his poor Combine he has a relatively low SPARQ score. He is the kind of player the Steelers have taken a shot on in the past, but might be too much of an uncertainty for the first round.

Jaylon Smith
ILB – Notre Dame

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Smith would have been a Top 10 pick if he had not blown his knee out in Notre Dame’s Bowl Game. The medical tests have not delivered good news and the injury sounds similar to the one suffered by Steelers ILB Sean Spence that cost him two seasons because of nerve damage in his knee. The injury will cause Smith to tumble down the draft board. Would the Steelers gamble on his upside, knowing that he will need at least a year before he can hit the field?

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Smith’s knee sustained nerve damage and he will not play in 2016. A similar injury prevented South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore from ever playing in the NFL. A first round pick is not worth the gamble on a player that may never see the field.

Wide Receiver

Laquon Treadwell
WR – Ole Miss

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Wide Receiver isn’t the Steelers top need, but with Martavis Bryant’s suspension and Markus Wheaton entering the last year of his rookie contract, the Steelers could be surprisingly thin at receiver after the 2016 season. While none of the receivers in the draft will likely be picked in the Top 15, there is a strong group of players that could start to come off the board in the later half of the first round. Treadwell is the best receiver in the draft and the Steelers would not hurt themselves by giving Ben Roethlisberger additional downfield weapons (especially with Bryant out).

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Treadwell is the best receiver in the draft. It is highly unlikely that he makes it all the way to 25, particularly with WR-needy teams selecting in the 5 picks ahead of the Steelers.

Corey Coleman
WR – Baylor

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Coleman athletically profiles very similar to former Steelers first round pick Santonio Holmes. He is 5’11” with blazing quickness and good hands. He has good hands and lit up the speed and explosion drills at the combine. The Steelers were in attendance at Baylor’s Pro Day, which he lit up. Coleman had to suffer through some bad quarterback play at Baylor after Bryce Petty graduated but is absolutely capable of taking the top off the coverage and running under deep balls as well as turning short passes into big plays.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Coleman has the game-breaking type abilities that the Steelers love, but given their defensive needs the first round might be too rich of a place to invest at wide receiver. He does have questionable hands and was known for dropping some passes at Baylor.

Josh Doctson
WR – TCU

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: If Treadwell is the #1 receiver in the draft, Doctson is a close second. He has great leaping abilities and is a very good route-runner. Doctson lit up the agility drills at the combine and was incredibly productive in college. He is a great route-runner and wins by technique all over the field.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Like with Treadwell, Doctson will be among the top 3 receivers drafted. He will likely be off the board before the Steelers select. Given their needs on the defensive side of the ball, would the Steelers use a first round pick on a receiver?

Michael Thomas
WR – Ohio State

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: Thomas was the leading receiver the last two years for Ohio State. Given the Steelers preponderance for drafting Buckeyes, he will without a doubt be on their radar. At 6’3″, Thomas is the tallest receiver of the top tier of players. He has the potential to continue on his upward trajectory once he is allowed to run more of a route tree than quick outs and fly routes which dominate Ohio State’s attack.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Thomas struggled at the outset of his Ohio State career then exploded onto the scene the last two seasons. Thomas absolutely has the potential to be an impact playmaker in the NFL, but he is still raw in a lot of aspects of the game, including his route-running. He doesn’t have great hands and doesn’t “snatch” the ball away from his body.

Tyler Boyd
WR – Pitt

Why the Steelers Will Draft Him: This would absolutely be a homer pick, but if you’ve been reading the blog for a while you’ll recognize this name from the insane numbers he put up during his WPIAL career at Clairton. Boyd was an outstanding player at Pitt as well and has the best hands in the draft class. His speed and agility numbers at the combine weren’t the best, but you won’t find a receiver in this draft more adept at making difficult catches on poorly thrown balls.

Why the Steelers Won’t Draft Him: Boyd is likely a second or third round pick, so it would be a surprise to see his name pop up in the first round. Additionally, Kevin Colbert hasn’t drafted a player from Pitt since selecting Hank Poteat in the 3rd round in 2000.

Trade Up

Why the Steelers will Trade up: Many analysts have said that there are only 15 “first round worthy” players in this draft. In a weak draft class like this, trading up to get one of those 15 top-notch players could be a good decision. The Steelers have made trades up before to take players like Troy Polamalu and Santonio Holmes.

Why the Steelers won’t Trade up: Mike Tomlin has never traded his first round pick. The Steelers have a lot of needs heading into this draft and don’t have a 5th or a 6th round pick. This lack of tradeable assets means the Steelers would likely have to give up future picks in order to move up, something they are not likely to do. Kevin Colbert said in his pre-draft press conference that it is highly unlikely the Steelers trade up.

Trade Down

Why the Steelers will Trade down: The 25nd pick has been one of the most frequently traded picks and the Steelers could garner an additional 3rd or 4th round pick by trading down. As I detailed in my Potential Trade Partners post, there are a number of teams drafting behind the Steelers who may be looking to move up, especially if Paxton Lynch (QB-Memphis) is still on the board. While this is a relatively weak draft at the top, there is some value to be found in the middle rounds and adding an additional 3rd or 4th round pick would be a good move (especially since the Steelers don’t have a 5th or 6th rounder).

Why the Steelers won’t Trade down: Mike Tomlin has never traded his first round pick. The last times the Steelers had a pick in the early 20s, they were able to snatch up David DeCastro and Bud Dupree. Both players were projected to go much higher and fell to the Steelers. If another highly talented player tumbles down the board, the Steelers might be able to stay put and take him.

Someone Else

Why the Steelers will draft someone else: The Steelers took Ryan Shazier in 2014, who was in my “other possibilities” segment of this post, so perhaps I don’t have my finger as close to the pulse of this team as I once thought I did. Bud Dupree was one of my 26 prospects I detailed last season. If one of the highly ranked offensive players like Ronnie Stanley (OT-Notre Dame) slides down the board, the Steelers could pounce. Perhaps the Steelers see a need at a position I did not detail such as Offensive Lineman where tackles Taylor Decker (Ohio State), Jason Spriggs (Indiana), Jack Conklin (Michigan St), and Germain Ifedi (Texas A&M) could all be selected in the later half of the first round. If the Steelers don’t see themselves being able to sign David DeCastro to a long-term deal perhaps Josh Garnett (OG-Stanford) or Cody Whitehair (OG-Kansas St) could garner consideration. I detailed a few pass rushers but there are a number of other outside linebackers that have been mocked in the first round including Emmanuel Ogbah (Oklahoma St), Kevin Dodd (Clemson), and Shilique Calhoun (Michigan St). Depending on how the draft board falls, one of these guys could be the best player available.

Why the Steelers won’t draft someone else: I detailed 28 prospects here and the Steelers have the 25th pick. Add in the essential guarantee that the top two picks will be used on Quarterbacks (Jared Goff and Carson Wentz) and that Jalen Ramsey (DB-Florida St), Myles Jack (ILB-UCLA), Laremy Tunsil (OT-Ole Miss), DeForest Buckner (DL-Oregon) and Joey Bosa (EDGE-Ohio St) are consensus Top 10 picks. It seems likely that Ezekiel Elliott (RB-Ohio St) and Shaq Lawson (EDGE-Clemson) will also go in the Top 15, which would mean that at least half of the players I profiled will still be on the board when the Steelers pick. In that case, I like my chances to have listed the player who will eventually wear black and gold.