Should the Steelers Trade Up In Round 2? They Made A Failed Attempt To Trade Up In Round 1

[Steeler Nation]

Would the Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Georgia stud Jordan Davis instead of Kenny Pickett if they both would’ve been on the board at #20? To the dismay of most of Steeler Nation, it’s doubtful. Pickett seemed to be the apple of the Steelers eye based on comments following the selection by Mike Tomlin, and Kevin Colbert.

According to Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio the Texans had a deal offered to them by the Steelers that would’ve allowed the Steelers to move up to pick #15 from #20. But the Texans ultimately declined because they felt like they were going to miss out on a group of players they really liked. The Texans picked tackle Kenyon Green from Texas A&M. The Saints selected offensive tackle Trevor Penning at #19, but had Green been on the board they may have selected him instead. It seems like the move worked out for everyone if the target for the Steelers was Pickett.

Based on the selection of Pickett and not one of the other less NFL ready quarterbacks it makes you think that the Steelers consider themselves to still be in win now mode. They’re not thinking about a rebuild. So, if they’re in win now mode they need to make another aggressive move and go up in the secound round and get an impact player. There are plenty of them still on the board.

Defensive tackle Travis Jones from Connecticut is still on the board. The Steelers have yet to add any depth to their defensive front that they didn’t have last season. And as always, the situation with Stephon Tuitt remains unclear. The Steelers were able to see Jones firsthand at the Senior Bowl, and he would inject some instant youth into an aging group. Jones is considered to be solid against the run and can get after the passer. A multi-dimensional defensive lineman would be a huge addition for Pittsburgh.

Somehow Nakobe Dean is still on the board. It’s likely that he isn’t going to be for very long, and as of this moment it isn’t a huge need for the Steelers. But next season it could be their biggest need. It doesn’t appear likely that the Steelers are going to pick up Devin Bush’s fifth year option by the Monday deadline. Dean’s skill set is what Bush’s was supposed to be. While Bush has flashed at times it seems like his career may be derailed by his 2020 ACL injury.

Photo / Jeff Sentell


NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has this to say about Dean:

Dean is an undersized linebacker with exceptional instincts and play-making ability. Against the run, he is quick to read, flow and fill for tackles. He is two steps ahead of everyone on the field because of his combination of knowledge, vision and instincts. He has excellent speed and range. He is a firm, chest-up tackler with a high batting average in space. Against the pass, he has the athleticism to match up with RBs and TEs underneath. He has good feel and burst to close as a zone dropper. He is an outstanding blitzer, utilizing timing and the ability to slip blockers for sacks/pressures. The Georgia staff raves about his leadership. Dean reminds me a lot of Jonathan Vilma coming out of Miami.

The Steelers re-signed Ahkello Witherspoon, and added Levi Wallace at cornerback during free agency, but the position still doesn’t offer a true #1 cornerback. Cam Sutton will be a free agent after 2022 and the jury is still out on whether he can consistently play as an outside corner. He progressed as the year went along, but his skill set might ultimately be better for the slot spot. Clemson corner Andrew Booth Jr remains on the board, and he was a dark horse for the Steelers selection in the first round.

Booth has the talent to become a solid outside corner and is willing to play against the run. Which is something the Steelers covet. He’s also strong in man coverage. His downfall is if the Steelers select him, he will probably become a bust because that’s what happens to all the cornerbacks the Steelers draft.

Lance Zierlin from NFL.com had this to say about Booth.

A press/zone combo corner with good size and length, Booth plays with an urgent, competitive nature. He has the strength, balance and foot agility to press and slow the release. He has limited starting experience, though. He will need more development to prevent route specialists from manipulating his feet and hips. Booth has the ball-tracking and play strength to find and maintain top-dog positioning through catch tries. He’s more effective in off coverage underneath than tight man. He needs to play more football, but his ball-hawking instincts, burst to close and toughness in run support will be very appealing for zone teams looking for an upgrade at cornerback.

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