:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48909361/usa-today-8796565.0.jpg)
Recently retired Heath Miller was the Pittsburgh Steelers first round draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and with his recent retirement, could the team be looking at another first round pick to replace the 11-year veteran? Anything could happen, especially if some of the defensive talent the team is targeting is off the board before Pittsburgh makes their selection with the 25th overall pick in the first round.
According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, he can see Kevin Colbert and company doing just that as teams prepare for the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week. Zierlein has the Steelers selecting Hunter Henry, tight end from Arkansas, with the team's top pick.
See what Zierlein contributed to his prediction for the Steelers:
PICK NO. 25 - PIT
HUNTER HENRY - TE - ARKANSAS
Kevin Colbert believes in targeting the best players available. I don't see a quality cornerback available here and Henry has rare blocking talent to go along with his ability as a pass catcher. Henry could step in tomorrow and take over a starting spot.
The above statement of Henry is absolutely spot on. Henry has some of the same characteristics as Miller did in his prime, and would certainly contend to be a rookie starter, or at least see significant time on the offensive side of the football in 2016, but does the need to fill Miller's shoes trump the team's issues on defense? That is certainly debatable.
With a draft class so deep at both the safety and cornerback positions, I find it hard to believe some of the corners who are considered late first round picks -- players like Kendall Fuller and Eli Apple -- won't still be available when you look at the overall layout of the draft. Then again, there is a chance Henry won't even be available when the Steelers pick at No. 25.
Nonetheless, if the Steelers did select Henry, or any other tight end for that matter, in the first round of the upcoming draft, it would cause a huge stir throughout the fan base. Free Agency will dictate a lot of how the Steelers approach the draft, especially at the tight end position, but even with acquiring a free agent tight end, they should still be targeting one in the early-to-mid rounds in the upcoming draft as well.