With the first round now in the rearview mirror its time to focus on today’s action in the NFL Draft. Tonight the draft will hit rounds two and three before finishing on Saturday with rounds four through seven.
Quite frankly, this is the day the Steelers really need to hit some home runs. That doesn’t necessarily mean they need starters but they must find guys who can contribute and contribute sooner rather than later. Here are the guys I think the Steelers will be looking at today in Chicago.
I have to believe defense will remain the focus in round two. With safeties Karl Joseph and Keanu Neal long gone, the Steelers could target a safety here but I’m getting the sense that won’t happen until round three. Look for South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to be an option as well as Illinois defensive end Jihad Ward. Both guys would bring much needed depth to the D-line.
One thing I’ll be really curious about is if Mackensie Alexander’s fall continues. If he is there when the Steelers pick in the second do they take him? Two other outside shots in round two could be offensive tackle Jason Spriggs or Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
The third round is where I’m anticipating a safety coming. Options include Clemson’s T.J. Green, Southern Utah’s Miles Killebrew and possibly DeAndre Houston-Carson of Mike Tomlin’s alma mater William and Mary. Both Vonn Bell of Ohio State and Darian Thompson of Boise State figure to go in round two but remain possibilities.
There are most certainly many more guys that could be selected but those are some I have my eyes on today.
Photo courtesy bleacherreport.com
2 comments
I’ll make this real easy for everyone to understand: Give me Reed, Robinson, Billings and Spence over guys like Ward and Hagrave. This team wasted there 1st round pick on a guy who may very well end up like Antwan Blake and ya know what that’s what he is as of this moment Artie Burns is Antwan Blake. Why take a guy whos is Raw, has Bad Backpedalling abilities and really has no interest in tackling? When they came up to pick there 4 count them 4 DL who were well worthy of being taken and instead you take someone who will end up as the teams No.4 CB this season for SHAME.
I give the Steelers a B- on this one. BTW if Billings was all that fill in all the blanks because there were some.And Artie is going to be just fine he’s a late first rounder and i think he’ll prove he’s worth. The Steelers did a good job.