- Joined
- Apr 7, 2014
- Messages
- 2,542
- Reaction score
- 4,985
- Points
- 93
The NFL Draft is the annual ray of hope for some struggling teams, and the chance for the dominant teams to cement their position at the top. The NFL has set rules and regulations for each segment of the draft process. This year, the draft begins on Thursday, April 28th and ends on Saturday, April 3oth in Las Vegas and the first round will be featured on the opening night with 32 selections to be carried out. The NFL Draft order hinges on the standings at the end of the regular season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been a cornerstone of life in the Steel City, entertaining fans across the city and they are eager to see the Steelers really make the most out of this year’s draft. The team will have the No. 20 overall pick. The process itself attracts a lot of attention, as it allows fans to get an idea of how they will perform later on. In fact, the draft is so significant, you can even bet on if punters can be selected, as NFL odds cover a huge number of variables.
With the drafting process, there are various targets that the Steelers should consider in the draft. With longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger now retired, the Steelers should not only prepare to reboot their team, but start somewhat from scratch at the same time.
They need to consider every top quarterback prospect between now and Day 1 of the draft. This starts with the obvious choice in Liberty’s Malik Willis, as he is one of the top candidates for the Steelers and has been linked to the team for several weeks now. Although he is not yet a perfectly polished player, Willis is extremely quick and agile on the field.
Moreover, Pittsburgh should also be scouting for a wide receiver at some point over draft weekend.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to become a free agent, and re-signing him could be an option for the Steelers. If the team decides to go a different route, Calvin Austin III, a 5’9″, 162 pound senior out of Memphis, is also thought to be in the running and is known for his agility and speed.
There are also a whole host of non-quarterbacks for the Steelers to consider in the first round. Apart from the quarterback position, which should be high on the agenda for the Steelers, they also need to focus on drafting for the offensive line. It would be worth considering Tyler Linderbaum, the 6’3″, 291 pound center out of Iowa, who would be perfect for the offensive line as the team builds its reputation and game plan back again. They should also consider replacing the running back position as their current status is not excellent. In this sense they need to get their speed back to pair up with Najee Harris. This is where a great option like James Cook out of Georgia who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash could be a great option in the projected fourth round.
The Steelers will also consider whether they need an outside and inside linebacker. The team needs more depth at edge rusher and as this class is deep enough, they should be able to bring one in late that can contribute. The Steelers have already picked well in terms of the inside linebacker position and so they would not be encouraged to waste draft picks on another inside linebacker. However, the Steelers have also failed to replace the talents of Ryan Shazier.
They may want to consider Utah’s Devin Lloyd as a replacement. Although Lloyd lacks a high level of quickness, he would still be a viable candidate to consider if they are seeking to upgrade the current inside linebacker.
With the potential losses of Joe Haden and Arthur Maulet, depth at cornerback is a grave concern as well. The Steelers need to add deep speed in the secondary.
Ultimately, there are various factors that The Steelers should consider prior to the drafting process. Firstly, they need to take into account the size and speed of the potential players. The speed is critical as this will give the team an advantage above other teams. The size of the player also matters but not in terms of his physically, but his mind frame and motivation. They will also need to find someone who is able to take on a heavy workload as well as someone who is apt to tackle media coverage.
To conclude, the Steelers are gearing up for one of their most pivotal draft seasons in recent memory. The Steelers must attempt to find a quarterback, center, offensive tackle, cornerback, middle linebacker and wide receiver if they are to rebuild their team successfully again. They will also need to prioritize the needs of the team. Depending on what the front office says, focusing on the quarterback position early in the 2022 NFL Draft could be a wise decision.
Where do yinz think the team will prioritize the most in this upcoming NFL Draft? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been a cornerstone of life in the Steel City, entertaining fans across the city and they are eager to see the Steelers really make the most out of this year’s draft. The team will have the No. 20 overall pick. The process itself attracts a lot of attention, as it allows fans to get an idea of how they will perform later on. In fact, the draft is so significant, you can even bet on if punters can be selected, as NFL odds cover a huge number of variables.
Who to target?
With the drafting process, there are various targets that the Steelers should consider in the draft. With longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger now retired, the Steelers should not only prepare to reboot their team, but start somewhat from scratch at the same time.
They need to consider every top quarterback prospect between now and Day 1 of the draft. This starts with the obvious choice in Liberty’s Malik Willis, as he is one of the top candidates for the Steelers and has been linked to the team for several weeks now. Although he is not yet a perfectly polished player, Willis is extremely quick and agile on the field.
(Malik Willis in action)
Moreover, Pittsburgh should also be scouting for a wide receiver at some point over draft weekend.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to become a free agent, and re-signing him could be an option for the Steelers. If the team decides to go a different route, Calvin Austin III, a 5’9″, 162 pound senior out of Memphis, is also thought to be in the running and is known for his agility and speed.
There are also a whole host of non-quarterbacks for the Steelers to consider in the first round. Apart from the quarterback position, which should be high on the agenda for the Steelers, they also need to focus on drafting for the offensive line. It would be worth considering Tyler Linderbaum, the 6’3″, 291 pound center out of Iowa, who would be perfect for the offensive line as the team builds its reputation and game plan back again. They should also consider replacing the running back position as their current status is not excellent. In this sense they need to get their speed back to pair up with Najee Harris. This is where a great option like James Cook out of Georgia who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash could be a great option in the projected fourth round.
The Steelers will also consider whether they need an outside and inside linebacker. The team needs more depth at edge rusher and as this class is deep enough, they should be able to bring one in late that can contribute. The Steelers have already picked well in terms of the inside linebacker position and so they would not be encouraged to waste draft picks on another inside linebacker. However, the Steelers have also failed to replace the talents of Ryan Shazier.
They may want to consider Utah’s Devin Lloyd as a replacement. Although Lloyd lacks a high level of quickness, he would still be a viable candidate to consider if they are seeking to upgrade the current inside linebacker.
With the potential losses of Joe Haden and Arthur Maulet, depth at cornerback is a grave concern as well. The Steelers need to add deep speed in the secondary.
To take into account
Ultimately, there are various factors that The Steelers should consider prior to the drafting process. Firstly, they need to take into account the size and speed of the potential players. The speed is critical as this will give the team an advantage above other teams. The size of the player also matters but not in terms of his physically, but his mind frame and motivation. They will also need to find someone who is able to take on a heavy workload as well as someone who is apt to tackle media coverage.
To conclude, the Steelers are gearing up for one of their most pivotal draft seasons in recent memory. The Steelers must attempt to find a quarterback, center, offensive tackle, cornerback, middle linebacker and wide receiver if they are to rebuild their team successfully again. They will also need to prioritize the needs of the team. Depending on what the front office says, focusing on the quarterback position early in the 2022 NFL Draft could be a wise decision.
Where do yinz think the team will prioritize the most in this upcoming NFL Draft? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
