QB & RB. PART 1&2
By Thomas Cooper (TMC)
The 2015 NFL draft is less than a month away and the draft needs for the Steelers are pretty clear. *They need a lot. *There are very few positions on this team that can be ruled out as potential early picks and the Steelers have shown the mentality that, even though they do not have a great need at a position, they will take talent if it falls to them. *It will make for a very interesting early couple rounds as the talent level at some positions could entice them to move away from needs. *Of course, there are also some talented prospects that fit need categories for the Steelers that could be available. *With this in mind, the only way to project what the Steelers may do is to look at players that fit the skill set the Steelers desire and have value in rounds where they may make those selections. *This list is not meant to be a comprehensive list, merely an idea of areas where talent may fit value and presents itself in an area where the Steelers could potentially pull the trigger on those players. *I will go position by position and wrap it up with a value board showing the players, positions, and rounds where the value could fit the Steelers selections. **
Part 1: Quarterbacks and Runningbacks. *
The first area to discuss is the Steelers backfield, including the quarterback and runningback situation. *The Steelers extended Ben Roethlisberger through the 2019 season making him one of the higher paid quarterbacks in the NFL. *They are not in the market for a franchise quarterback. *They also are returning Gradkowski and Jones, the #2 and #3 quarterbacks on roster. *In the off season, Tajh Boyd was added, likely as a camp arm, but he does have the opportunity to challenge Jones for the #3 quarterback position. *The Steelers are unlikely to spend a first or second day draft pick on a quarterback, but there is a chance they spend a later round pick on a developmental player if the right guy falls to them. *With this quarterback class lacking great depth and quality, it is unlikely the Steelers pull the trigger on a quarterback. *The most likely course of action would be to sign an undrafted free agent. *There are several quarterbacks that could draw interest from the Steelers after the draft. *
Chris Bonner of Colorado State-Pueblo has elite size at 6067-231 pounds. *He has a quick throwing motion and gets good velocity on his passes. *He played in an offense that utilized a lot of 3-step and 5-step drops as well as the shotgun formation. *He will need to continue to improve his footwork. *He throws a live ball that jumps from his hand and he shows the ability to chase the football down the field with velocity. *He will force the issue at times and needs to show he can handle moving through his progressions quickly. *He appears to lack the touch needed at times and his fastball is his main pitch. *He has to improve in this area as it causes him to miss some receivers. *He has the physical tools to play at the next level but will need to take steps to round out his game. *
Bryan Bennett of Southeastern Louisiana University could have been much more well-known had he won the starting quarterback battle at Oregon. *He lost that job to Marcus Mariota and later transferred to Southeastern Louisiana University where he put together a solid collegiate career. **He measured 6022-211 pounds at the combine. *He is an athletic quarterback that shows some ability to break containment and gain yards with his legs. *He has a strong arm and shows the ability to throw down the field with accuracy. *He does a nice job of hitting his receivers in stride allowing them to gain extra yards. *He has a compact throwing motion and a quick release. *Bennett does need to continue to improve his mechanics including his footwork. *He can lose accuracy at times and this is an area where he can improve greatly. *He needs to show more patience in the pocket and work through his progression instead of tucking the football and running when pressured. *Bennett is another player with the raw tools to develop at the next level, but he will need some time and coaching.
While there are several others, Bonner and Bennett have the physical traits that most teams want at the quarterback position and both could use coaching to refine their skills and potentially hang onto a roster spot or make a practice squad. *Again, this draft does not provide much hope for potential backup quarterbacks and is fairly weak throughout at the position. *
The Steelers have one of the best runningbacks in the NFL in Le’Veon Bell. *He is, without question, the engine that will drive the running attack and the offense. *They added veteran De’Angelo Williams and he should provide quality touches when the Steelers want to rest Bell. *They return Josh Harris and Dri Archer to round out the runningback position and also have Will Johnson as the main fullback. *Both Archer and Harris are young and the Steelers have to be hopeful they can develop, but it may not preclude them from adding a runningback in a draft that is very deep at the position. *It is doubtful the Steelers spend a high pick on the position and the likely starting point for the Steelers obtaining a runningback would be the third round. *This would take the out of contention for players like Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley, Ameer Abdullah, Jay Ajayi, and Duke Johnson. *The Steelers will also want to look for runningbacks that can help them in various areas, not only as a runner, but also as a receiver from the backfield. *There are several players in this draft that can fill that role. *
Tevin Coleman from Indiana has the size and look of an NFL runningback. *He is similar in build to former Steeler Willie Parker and shows a similar running style. *He runs somewhat upright but does show the ability to drop his pads at contact and run through or bounce off of tacklers. *He is a one-cut runner that does not have elite wiggle but he runs to daylight well. *He does not show the elite speed that Willie Parker possessed, but he also shows potential as a receiver. *Coleman has nice hands and does a solid job catching the ball out of the backfield. *He needs to work on his pass protection to become a more effective third down back, but he has the physical attributes to become a solid contributor. *
Jeremy Langford of Michigan State should draw strong consideration. *He was 5115-208 pounds and was timed at a 4.42 in the forty yard dash. *He has solid quickness and shows a little wiggle. *He can make guys miss and runs through arm tackles. *He shows a quick stiff arm that he uses to keep the defensive player off his body to gain extra yards. *He could refine that stiff arm and it could become a weapon. *He is a willing pass blocker that will step up and take on blitzers. *He has soft hands out of the backfield and is a solid route runner for a collegiate runningback. *He does not have the receiving statistics of some other runningbacks, but the skills are there. *
T.J. Yeldon of Alabama might draw some consideration, but the Steelers tend to shy away from Alabama players due to injury concerns. *While Yeldon is not a player that carries a long list of injuries, the wear and tear most Alabama players have once leaving is a concern. *Yeldon is 6012-226 pounds and has the frame and build of a power back, although he does not blow through as many tackles as one would expect. *He is a guy that does not go down easy and can run through some arm tackles, but he is not a player that is going to grind yards between the tackles. *Yeldon does a nice job of sliding to creases and once he sees daylight, he has a burst to the open field that is not shown on a stopwatch. *He does not offer as much as a receiver as some of the other backs, but he is a solid pass blocking back. *That could draw some interest for the Steelers if his slides deep enough in the draft that his talent outweighs the perceived risks. *
David Cobb of Minnesota is an interesting prospect. *He is coming off a quad injury and ran a poor 4.81 forty at the combine. *He did not finish his workout and this will give some teams a reason to doubt his ability. *Cobb is 5107-229 pounds. *He has a running style similar to Ray Rice. *He does an excellent job of sliding to the opening and getting downhill. *He has some elusiveness in the open field and can make guys miss. *He is a solid receiver out of the backfield. *He has the bulk to be a solid pass blocker but will need some time to fully develop in this area. *He is an exciting player that could develop into a starter at the next level. *He certainly should be able to fill in as a third down back early in his career.
Mike Davis of South Carolina is another player that has battled through some injury issues. *He is 5091-217 pounds and although he ran a 4.61 forty at the combine, he plays faster on the field. *His change of direction is excellent for a bigger back and he shows some power between the tackles. *Davis is the type of grinding back the Steelers have desired in the past. *He wants to wear teams down, although he can get nicked up at times and this is an issue he has to overcome. *He is a willing pass blocker and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. *He has a lot to like about his game and is another player that could help a team early in his career as a third down back. *
Those five runningback appear to be the best mid-round fits for what the Steelers desire. *Most of the runningbacks on the list are solid receivers and have the potential to be starter capable runningbacks in the NFL. *With the Steelers having a franchise runningback in Le’Veon Bell and a former starter in De’Angelo Williams, they could use a potential developmental back and the players listed above have the necessary traits. *
Part 2: *Wide Receivers and Tight Ends. *
By Thomas Cooper (TMC)
The 2015 NFL draft is less than a month away and the draft needs for the Steelers are pretty clear. *They need a lot. *There are very few positions on this team that can be ruled out as potential early picks and the Steelers have shown the mentality that, even though they do not have a great need at a position, they will take talent if it falls to them. *It will make for a very interesting early couple rounds as the talent level at some positions could entice them to move away from needs. *Of course, there are also some talented prospects that fit need categories for the Steelers that could be available. *With this in mind, the only way to project what the Steelers may do is to look at players that fit the skill set the Steelers desire and have value in rounds where they may make those selections. *This list is not meant to be a comprehensive list, merely an idea of areas where talent may fit value and presents itself in an area where the Steelers could potentially pull the trigger on those players. *I will go position by position and wrap it up with a value board showing the players, positions, and rounds where the value could fit the Steelers selections. **
Part 1: Quarterbacks and Runningbacks. *
The first area to discuss is the Steelers backfield, including the quarterback and runningback situation. *The Steelers extended Ben Roethlisberger through the 2019 season making him one of the higher paid quarterbacks in the NFL. *They are not in the market for a franchise quarterback. *They also are returning Gradkowski and Jones, the #2 and #3 quarterbacks on roster. *In the off season, Tajh Boyd was added, likely as a camp arm, but he does have the opportunity to challenge Jones for the #3 quarterback position. *The Steelers are unlikely to spend a first or second day draft pick on a quarterback, but there is a chance they spend a later round pick on a developmental player if the right guy falls to them. *With this quarterback class lacking great depth and quality, it is unlikely the Steelers pull the trigger on a quarterback. *The most likely course of action would be to sign an undrafted free agent. *There are several quarterbacks that could draw interest from the Steelers after the draft. *
Chris Bonner of Colorado State-Pueblo has elite size at 6067-231 pounds. *He has a quick throwing motion and gets good velocity on his passes. *He played in an offense that utilized a lot of 3-step and 5-step drops as well as the shotgun formation. *He will need to continue to improve his footwork. *He throws a live ball that jumps from his hand and he shows the ability to chase the football down the field with velocity. *He will force the issue at times and needs to show he can handle moving through his progressions quickly. *He appears to lack the touch needed at times and his fastball is his main pitch. *He has to improve in this area as it causes him to miss some receivers. *He has the physical tools to play at the next level but will need to take steps to round out his game. *
Bryan Bennett of Southeastern Louisiana University could have been much more well-known had he won the starting quarterback battle at Oregon. *He lost that job to Marcus Mariota and later transferred to Southeastern Louisiana University where he put together a solid collegiate career. **He measured 6022-211 pounds at the combine. *He is an athletic quarterback that shows some ability to break containment and gain yards with his legs. *He has a strong arm and shows the ability to throw down the field with accuracy. *He does a nice job of hitting his receivers in stride allowing them to gain extra yards. *He has a compact throwing motion and a quick release. *Bennett does need to continue to improve his mechanics including his footwork. *He can lose accuracy at times and this is an area where he can improve greatly. *He needs to show more patience in the pocket and work through his progression instead of tucking the football and running when pressured. *Bennett is another player with the raw tools to develop at the next level, but he will need some time and coaching.
While there are several others, Bonner and Bennett have the physical traits that most teams want at the quarterback position and both could use coaching to refine their skills and potentially hang onto a roster spot or make a practice squad. *Again, this draft does not provide much hope for potential backup quarterbacks and is fairly weak throughout at the position. *
The Steelers have one of the best runningbacks in the NFL in Le’Veon Bell. *He is, without question, the engine that will drive the running attack and the offense. *They added veteran De’Angelo Williams and he should provide quality touches when the Steelers want to rest Bell. *They return Josh Harris and Dri Archer to round out the runningback position and also have Will Johnson as the main fullback. *Both Archer and Harris are young and the Steelers have to be hopeful they can develop, but it may not preclude them from adding a runningback in a draft that is very deep at the position. *It is doubtful the Steelers spend a high pick on the position and the likely starting point for the Steelers obtaining a runningback would be the third round. *This would take the out of contention for players like Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley, Ameer Abdullah, Jay Ajayi, and Duke Johnson. *The Steelers will also want to look for runningbacks that can help them in various areas, not only as a runner, but also as a receiver from the backfield. *There are several players in this draft that can fill that role. *
Tevin Coleman from Indiana has the size and look of an NFL runningback. *He is similar in build to former Steeler Willie Parker and shows a similar running style. *He runs somewhat upright but does show the ability to drop his pads at contact and run through or bounce off of tacklers. *He is a one-cut runner that does not have elite wiggle but he runs to daylight well. *He does not show the elite speed that Willie Parker possessed, but he also shows potential as a receiver. *Coleman has nice hands and does a solid job catching the ball out of the backfield. *He needs to work on his pass protection to become a more effective third down back, but he has the physical attributes to become a solid contributor. *
Jeremy Langford of Michigan State should draw strong consideration. *He was 5115-208 pounds and was timed at a 4.42 in the forty yard dash. *He has solid quickness and shows a little wiggle. *He can make guys miss and runs through arm tackles. *He shows a quick stiff arm that he uses to keep the defensive player off his body to gain extra yards. *He could refine that stiff arm and it could become a weapon. *He is a willing pass blocker that will step up and take on blitzers. *He has soft hands out of the backfield and is a solid route runner for a collegiate runningback. *He does not have the receiving statistics of some other runningbacks, but the skills are there. *
T.J. Yeldon of Alabama might draw some consideration, but the Steelers tend to shy away from Alabama players due to injury concerns. *While Yeldon is not a player that carries a long list of injuries, the wear and tear most Alabama players have once leaving is a concern. *Yeldon is 6012-226 pounds and has the frame and build of a power back, although he does not blow through as many tackles as one would expect. *He is a guy that does not go down easy and can run through some arm tackles, but he is not a player that is going to grind yards between the tackles. *Yeldon does a nice job of sliding to creases and once he sees daylight, he has a burst to the open field that is not shown on a stopwatch. *He does not offer as much as a receiver as some of the other backs, but he is a solid pass blocking back. *That could draw some interest for the Steelers if his slides deep enough in the draft that his talent outweighs the perceived risks. *
David Cobb of Minnesota is an interesting prospect. *He is coming off a quad injury and ran a poor 4.81 forty at the combine. *He did not finish his workout and this will give some teams a reason to doubt his ability. *Cobb is 5107-229 pounds. *He has a running style similar to Ray Rice. *He does an excellent job of sliding to the opening and getting downhill. *He has some elusiveness in the open field and can make guys miss. *He is a solid receiver out of the backfield. *He has the bulk to be a solid pass blocker but will need some time to fully develop in this area. *He is an exciting player that could develop into a starter at the next level. *He certainly should be able to fill in as a third down back early in his career.
Mike Davis of South Carolina is another player that has battled through some injury issues. *He is 5091-217 pounds and although he ran a 4.61 forty at the combine, he plays faster on the field. *His change of direction is excellent for a bigger back and he shows some power between the tackles. *Davis is the type of grinding back the Steelers have desired in the past. *He wants to wear teams down, although he can get nicked up at times and this is an issue he has to overcome. *He is a willing pass blocker and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. *He has a lot to like about his game and is another player that could help a team early in his career as a third down back. *
Those five runningback appear to be the best mid-round fits for what the Steelers desire. *Most of the runningbacks on the list are solid receivers and have the potential to be starter capable runningbacks in the NFL. *With the Steelers having a franchise runningback in Le’Veon Bell and a former starter in De’Angelo Williams, they could use a potential developmental back and the players listed above have the necessary traits. *
Part 2: *Wide Receivers and Tight Ends. *