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Pittsburgh Steelers 2018 Draft Needs

With the recent news of Ben Roethlisberger’s desire to continue his career for at least 2 or 3 more years, the Steelers remain in win-now mode. Pittsburgh’s offense is one of the most prolific units in the league and looks to stay that way. Everything is lining up to do so, as long as stud running back Le’Veon Bell returns, be it through a long-term deal or the franchise tag. With the high powered offense set in place, the front office can hold off on drafting a quarterback to focus on more immediate needs that can help the team reach their Super Bowl aspirations.

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Steelers 2018 NFL Draft Picks

Positions of Need: (ILB, FS, G/T, HB, OLB)

Round 1: 28th overall

Round 2: 60th overall

Round 3: 92nd overall

Round 4: NONE

Round 5: 138th, 158th overall

Round 6: NONE

Round 7: 192nd, 220th overall

It’s still not easy to talk about, but it must be done; the gigantic hole left at Middle Linebacker after the injury to All-Pro linebacker Ryan Shazier had a huge impact on the entire Steeler’s defense down the stretch. This was especially apparent in Pittsburgh’s Divisional round shootout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, as less than stellar quarterback, Blake Bortles torched the Steelers defense time and time again. This dismal effort can’t all be placed on the absence of Shazier though. The Steelers Safety duo of Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis showed to be liabilities in coverage and the position will need addressed this offseason, either through the draft or free agency. Mitchell’s $8.2 million cap hit makes him a popular target to be released, providing the Steelers with $6.4 million in cap relief.

Additional cap space from cutting ties with Mitchell, along with an increase in the NFL salary cap, could leave the Steelers with enough room to target a productive veteran, a move Coach Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert have shown to be comfortable making in the past (Mike Mitchell himself was a veteran free agent acquisition). If the Steelers decide to forego signing a safety in free agency, the 2018 NFL draft class offers a strong group to choose from at the position. Early round targets include,Stanford safety Justin Reid (brother of San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid), or exciting Penn State product Marcus Allen. Both players offer the exceptional coverage skills that are required of the Free Safety position and would allow Strong Safety Sean Davis to play more snaps in the box, which is a more natural fit to his skill set. Hometown prospect Jordan Whitehead is also a mid round Safety the team could target. Whitehead proved to be a playmaking coverage safety at the University of Pittsburgh and would fit in nicely opposite Sean Davis. Any of these options would help shore up the Steelers secondary, but the team would still be left with a missing piece in the middle of the defense, having no reliable replacement on the roster to step in for the sorely missed Ryan Shazier.

Fortunately, there are some quality draft candidates at the Inside Linebacker position who will be ready to contribute in year one. Granted, no prospect, or veteran free-agent for that matter, offers the skill set that Shazier brought to the defense. But the team has to start somewhere. A player who continues to climb up the rankings in recent mock drafts, University of Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans, would be an excellent complement to the much improved thumper, Vince Williams. The Steelers may have to trade up to get him, but Evans could start from day one, providing the Steeler’s linebacker corps with the speed that’s been missing since the loss of number 50. Another option is Ohio State alum, Jerome Baker. If previous years are an indicator of anything, its that the Steeler’s front office, gravitates towards Ohio State players come draft season. Baker is a bit undersized, but the same can be said for Shazier, who turned out to be a Pro Bowl linebacker and leader of the defense. Baker offers similar speed and strong pass coverage skills that the Steelers are desperately seeking. He’s a high-motor player who seems to be involved in every play on the field and would provide an element to the defense that’s been missing since that glum night in Cincinnati.

Depending on what the team’s plans are for 4th year player, Bud Dupree, the Steelers could also be in the market for an Outside Linebacker. TJ Watt is locked in as a future star at the position, but Dupree’s play to date has been viewed by many as subpar. At times, he shows flashes of the dominant athleticism that he was drafted for and at others, he seems to be a step behind the speed of the NFL game. Dupree could very well be in the Steeler’s future plans, but even so, with an aging veteran in Arthur Moats, and soon to be free agent Anthony Chickillo (2019), it would be no surprise to see the team use a selection on one of its favorite positions.

If everything goes as planned, the Steelers will have the luxury of Le’Veon Bell handling the majority of the carries out of the backfield in 2018, however 2019 may be a different story. If the team is unable to sign Bell to a long-term deal before the July 25th deadline (if the two sides are unable to agree on a contract), and force him to play under the Franchise Tag in consecutive seasons, it will be highly unlikely they retain his services into 2019. Former University of Pittsburgh Running Back James Conner makes for a great underdog story, but do the Steelers see him as an every down workhouse back at the NFL level? I’m not so sure they do, which is why Running Back may be another position the team focuses on during the draft. Luckily, the 2018 Running Back class looks to be one of the deepest positions across the board this year. The Steelers could land a jack-of-all-trades player on day two, by spending a 3rd round pick on either Kerryon Johnson out of Auburn, or San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny. Both backs possess the versatile skill set that NFL team’s are looking for at the RB position in today’s pass happy league. While neither player is near the level of talent that is Le’Veon Bell, either back would make for a serviceable replacement in an already dynamic offensive scheme.

With few positions of weakness throughout the roster, the majority of the Steelers picks will be spent on depth players. It looks as though one player the team will be losing is top reserve G/T Chris Hubbard. After seamlessly stepping in at Right Tackle in place of Marcus Gilbert for almost half the season, someone is going to offer Hubbard starter money that the Steelers won’t match. Even after locking up interior lineman BJ Finney for another year, the loss of Hubbard will leave them thin along the offensive front. While not the strongest Offensive line class in recent memory, 2018 still offers viable depth options at both the Guard and Tackle position and the team should have no trouble finding a suitable project for Hall of Fame Coach Mike Munchak to mold into yet another capable Steelers lineman.

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The sky is the limit for the 2018 Pittsburgh Steelers and you have to think its Super Bowl or bust for this talented group. Barring any serious injuries, the roster is loaded with the skill players & chemistry needed to win another AFC North Division title, and more importantly, another Super Bowl. The addition of a few solid draft picks could be the final piece of the puzzle to see Pittsburgh hoisting it’s 7th Lombardi Trophy and bringing it home to the Steel City once again come next February.

The opinions shared here are not those of the editorial staff of Behind the Steel Curtain or SB Nation. These posts are not approved in any way by the editorial staff of this web site.