With the First Round of the NFL Draft in the books, teams are getting geared up for Rounds 2 and 3 tonight. There are a lot of big names still on the board, including some that could help the Steelers. If you’re freaking out that the Steelers didn’t draft a cornerback in the first round, calm the hell down. First round corners are not necessary, and there are plenty of corners still available that could help the Steelers. Here’s a quick rundown of some names you should keep your eyes on in the 2nd and 3rd round. The Steelers have the 24th pick in the 2nd round (56th overall) and 23rd pick in the 3rd round (87th overall).
Note: I’m excluding pass rushers from this list since the Steelers already drafted one, but there are 4-7 players that should be drafted tonight (Randy Gregory, Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Preston Smith, Eli Harold, Nate Orchard, Hauoli Kikaha and Trey Flowers). Right now, you want to see all 7 of those guys come off the board tonight because it means that talented players at other positions will fall to the Steelers.
It’s safe to say that the Steelers will not use a pick tonight on a QB, ILB, K or P. Here’s the rest of the positions that the Steelers will be considering, including some of the best players available. It should be noted that “Likelihood of Drafting” means at some point in the draft, not necessarily tonight. Prospects with a * denotes they had dinner with either Tomlin or Colbert at their Pro Day.
Running Back
Draft Need: Moderate
Likelihood of Drafting: High
Best Available: Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), Tevin Coleman (Indiana), TJ Yeldon (Alabama), Jeremy Langford (Michigan St), Jay Ajayi (Boise St), Duke Johnson (Miami)
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: David Cobb (Minnesota), David Johnson (Northern Iowa), Duke Johnson (Miami), Jeremy Langford (Michigan St), Tevin Coleman (Indiana), TJ Yeldon (Alabama)
Pro Day: Matt Jones* (Florida)
Pre-Draft Visits: none
Wide Receiver
Draft Need: Moderate
Likelihood of Drafting: High
Best Available: Sammie Coates (Auburn), Jaelen Strong (Arizona St), Tyler Lockett (Kansas St), Devin Smith (Ohio St), Jamison Crowder (Duke), Tre McBride (William & Mary), Rashad Greene (Florida St)
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: Tre McBride (William & Mary)
Pro Day: Sammie Coates (Auburn), Rashad Greene (Florida St)
Pre-Draft Visits: Sammie Coates (Auburn), Jaelen Strong (Arizona St), Devin Gardner (Michigan)
Tight End
Draft Need: Moderate
Likelihood of Drafting: High
Best Available: Maxx Williams (Minnesota), Clive Walford (Miami), Jeff Heuerman (Ohio St), Jesse James (Penn St)
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: Alen Derby (Arkansas), Blake Bell (Oklahoma), Ben Koyack (Notre Dame), Clive Walford (Miami), Jeff Heuerman (Ohio St), Jesse James (Penn St), Maxx Williams (Minnesota), Nick O’Leary (Florida St)
Pro Day: Clive Walford (Miami), Jesse James (Penn St), Nick O’Leary (Florida St)
Pre-Draft Visits: Cameron Clear (Texas A&M), CJ Uzomah (Auburn), Jeff Heuerman (Ohio St), Jesse James (Penn St), Kennard Backman (UAB), Wes Saxton (South Alabama)
Offensive Line
Draft Need: Moderate
Likelihood of Drafting: Moderate
Best Available: TJ Clemmings (OT-Pitt), La’el Collins (OT-LSU), Jake Fisher (OT-Oregon), Donovan Smith (OT-Penn St), Ali Marpet (OG-Hobart), AJ Cann (OG-South Carolina), Tre Jackson (OG-Florida St)
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: La’el Collins (LSU), Sean Hickey (Syracuse)
Pro Day: Ali Marpet (Hobart), Max Garcia* (Florida), TJ Clemmings (Pitt)
Pre-Draft Visits: Matt Rotherham (Pitt), Quentin Spain (West Virginia), TJ Clemmings (Pitt)
Defensive Line
Draft Need: Moderate
Likelihood of Drafting: Moderate
Best Available: Michael Bennett (DT-Ohio St), Eddie Goldman (NT-Florida St), Gabe Wright (DT-Auburn), Mario Edwards (DE-Florida St), Carl Davis (DT-Iowa), Grady Jarrett (DT-Clemson), Jordan Phillips (NT-Oklahoma), Xavier Cooper (DE-Washington St), Henry Anderson (DE-Stanford)
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: Grady Jarrett (Clemson), Michael Bennett (Ohio St)
Pro Day: Gabe Wright (Auburn)
Pre-Draft Visits: Xavier Cooper (Washington St)
Cornerback
Draft Need: Most
Likelihood of Drafting: Guaranteed
Best Available: Ronald Darby (Florida St), PJ Williams (Florida St), Jalen Collins (LSU), Quinten Rollins (Miami OH), Eric Rowe (Utah), Alex Carter (Stanford), Doran Grant (Ohio St), Kevin White (TCU), Steven Nelson (Oregon St), Senquez Golson (Ole Miss), D’joun Smith (FAU), Josh Shaw (USC), Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Oregon)
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: Bobby McCain (Memphis), Charles Gaines (Louisville), Eric Rowe (Utah), Jalen Collins (LSU), Kevin White (TCU), Martel Durant (Akron), Quandre Diggs (Texas), Quinten Rollins (Miami OH)
Pro Day: Charles Gaines* (Louisville), Darryl Roberts (Marshall), Eric Rowe (Utah), Jalen Collins* (LSU), Martel Durant (Akron), PJ Williams (Florida St), Quentin Rollins (Miami OH), Ronald Daarby (Florida St)
Pre-Draft Visits: Alex Carter (Stanford), Bryce Callahan (Rice), Darryl Roberts (Marshall), Dexter McDonald (Kansas), Doran Grant (Ohio St), Eric Rowe (Utah), Steven Nelson (Oregon St), Senquez Golson (Ole Miss)
Safety
Draft Need: Medium-High
Likelihood of Drafting: Medium
Best Available: Landon Collins (Alabama), Derron Smith (Fresno St), Jaquiski Tartt (Samford), Durell Eskridge (Syracuse), Cody Prewitt (Ole Miss), Adrian Amos (Penn St), James Sample (Louisville), Anthony Harris (Virginia), Chris Hackett (TCU)
It should also be noted that some consider Alex Carter (Stanford), Eric Rowe (Utah) and Quentin Rollins (Miami OH) to be better Safety prospects than Cornerback prospects.
Steelers Scouting:
Combine Interviews: Cody Prewitt (Ole Miss)
Pro Day: Durell Eskridge (Syracuse), Gerod Holliman* (Louisville), Jermaine Whitehead (Auburn), Justin Cox (Mississippi St), Nick Marshall (Auburn)
Pre-Draft Visits: Landon Collins (Alabama)
Top 25
The Steelers have the 24th pick in the 2nd round, so I put together a list of the Top 25 prospects at the Steelers positions of need, roughly in the order I would rank them based on quality of player and team need. At least one of them will be available when the Steelers pick (and probably more if linebackers or other players not on the list get taken in the first 23 picks of Round 2).
- Landon Collins (S-Alabama)
- TJ Clemmings (OT-Pitt)
- Maxx Williams (TE-Minnesota)
- Jalen Collins (CB-LSU)
- Jake Fisher (OT-Oregon)
- Eric Rowe (CB/S-Utah)
- PJ Williams (CB-Florida St)
- Ronald Darby (CB-Florida St)
- Sammie Coates (WR-Auburn)
- Alex Carter (CB-Stanford)
- Eddie Goldman (NT-Florida St)
- Jordan Phillips (NT-Oklahoma)
- Quinten Rollins (CB/S-Miami OH)
- Jaelen Strong (WR-Arizona St)
- TJ Yeldon (RB-Alabama)
- Clive Walford (TE-Miami)
- Jeremy Langford (RB-Michigan St)
- Donovan Smith (OT-Penn St)
- Doran Grant (CB-Ohio St)
- AJ Cann (OG-South Carolina)
- Michael Bennett (DT-Ohio St)
- Carl Davis (DT-Iowa)
- Grady Jarrett (DT-Clemson)
- Jeff Heuerman (TE-Ohio St)
- La’el Collins (OT-LSU)
Unless we trade down, the Steelers will be able to land one of those 25 players in the 2nd round. Here are the rest of the prospects named above, which should essentially serve as the “potential” board for the 3rd round, assuming the 25 on the list above are all gone.
RB – Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), Tevin Coleman (Indiana), Jay Ajayi (Boise St), Duke Johnson (Miami)
WR – Tyler Lockett (Kansas St), Devin Smith (Ohio St), Rashad Greene (Florida St), Jamison Crowder (Duke), Tre McBride (William & Mary)
TE – Jesse James (Penn St)
OL – Ali Marpet (OG-Hobart), Tre Jackson (OG-Florida St)
DL – Gabe Wright (DT-Auburn), Mario Edwards (DE-Florida St), Xavier Cooper (DE-Washington St), Henry Anderson (DE-Stanford)
CB – Kevin White (TCU), Steven Nelson (Oregon St), Senquez Golson (Ole Miss), D’joun Smith (FAU), Josh Shaw (USC), Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Oregon)
S – Derron Smith (Fresno St), Jaquiski Tartt (Samford), Durell Eskridge (Syracuse), Cody Prewitt (Ole Miss), Adrian Amos (Penn St), James Sample (Louisville), Anthony Harris (Virginia), Chris Hackett (TCU)
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