It’s the most wonderful day of the offseason for football fans, as the NFL draft kicks off tonight! For the first time since 2010, the Steelers will draft in the top twenty at seventeen. It’s the one perk of coming off a mediocre season. The Steelers finished 2012 at 8-8 and missed the playoffs for only the third time in nine years. It is time to get back to work.
The Steelers have several needs in this year’s draft and they will look to add at every position. Here is the Beer We Go assessment:
Quarterback: (Need Factor: 2) The Steelers already have a top five QB and have a very competent backup in Bruce Gradkowski. Plus, I am holding out hope that they will bring back Charlie Batch as the number three guy.
BWG Advice: Grab a good athlete that can carry a clipboard if they fall into our laps, maybe find some type of “wildcat” capable QB.
Running Back/Fullback: (Need Factor: 8) The Steelers have nice complementary backs, but with the departure of Rashard Mendenhall the Steelers need an impact runner who can help now. This is actually the biggest glaring hole the Steelers have but it’s not their biggest need.
BWG Advice: DON’T REACH! There are several good backs available and one of them will fall to us. I want a banger(Eddie Lacy, maybe) but would take a speed demon if the right one fell. (Ray Graham from Pitt anyone?)
Wide Receiver: (Need Factor: 6) The Steelers lost Mike Wallace and nearly lost Manny Sanders. That being said, I don’t see the Wallace departure as that big of a loss. I like our current roster of guys. Antonio Brown and Manny Sanders are excellent starters, Plaxico Burress is a great target and red zone guy, Dave Gilreath looks like a nice prospect.
BWG Advice: Grab a project guy in the middle rounds and let them develop. This is another DO NOT REACH!
TE: (Need Factor: Not Sure) This all depends on Heath Miller. If Heath is healthy, we have the best TE in football. We also have capable backups. The question is, where is he in his rehabilitation?
BWG Advice: Given Todd Haley’s offense, a Tight End is important, so this is a sleeper pick.
OL: (Need Factor: 5) The Offensive line has awesome potential and the interior line looks great with DeCastro and Pouncey. They have solid, young talent that could make this a great unit for years to come. The Steelers will look to get more athletic as they are shifting the blocking schemes and have drafted an O-lineman in every draft for over 13 years except ‘03, so this should be no different.
BWG Advice: This is an excellent Tackle draft so grab a tackle in the middle rounds and a guard in the later rounds.
DL: (Need Factor: 7) The Steelers need some help here, as Cameron Heywood and Ziggy Hood have yet to really make an impact. With Alameda Ta’amu having serious question marks, the Steelers need to find another big man to fill the ample shoes of Big Snack. I love McClendon and think he adds a dimension that Hampton didn’t have.
BWG Advice: I think this is certainly a bigger need than WR and the Steelers need to grab someone in the early rounds to solidify this aging unit.
Linebacker: (Need Factor: 10) The Steelers are in serious need of linebacker help after the departure of Silverback. Our bread and butter is bone crunching defenses and the Steelers lacked a solid pass rush last season. Sean Spence was a great looking prospect, but he is coming off a serious injury. Either Sly Sylvester or Jason Worilds will have an opportunity to make a move now that Silverback has gone down the river.
BWG Advice: Unless a huge “can’t miss” corner comes our way, grab the best Pass Rushing linebacker available in Round 1.
Defensive Back:(Need Factor: 9) The Steelers at some point need to invest in an impact Cornerback. The secondary performed great last season, but lost its most consistent performer in Keenan Lewis. The Steelers absolutely need an impact Cornerback.
BWG Advice: Unless a great pass rushing linebacker comes our way, grab the best impact Cornerback available in Round 1. We need to get a linebacker first and foremost.
Safety: (Need Factor: 4) The Steelers have a solid secondary and arguably the best Safety tandem in the game. The issue with them is that they are both are long in the tooth and Troy has played a full season only once in the last four years. Ryan Clark plays a punishing style of defense, and while he hasn’t shown signs of slowing down he won’t go on forever.
BWG Advice: This draft has some nice “project” guys who could be sleepers. Grab some depth in the later rounds and find the next Ryan Clark, or at least a better Ryan Mundy.
Special Teams: (Need Factor: .0005) Don’t waste any picks on Special Teams.
BWG Advice: DON’T DRAFT A FREAKIN’ KICKER OR A PUNTER EVER AGAIN!!!
Some quick Steelers Draft facts:
-The Steelers first draft choice ever…Bill Shakespeare RB from Notre Dame, He also wrote several great plays…oh wait that might be a different guy.
– Byron “Whizzer” White was selected fourth overall in the 1938 draft – he went on to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. That actually happened.
-The Steelers have only drafted in the 17th position twice selecting Charles Johnson,WR 1994 and Keith Gary, DE 1981.
GOOD HUNTING!!!