Steelers in tune with draft picks
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers’ 2017 draft started out with a bang when the team selected outside linebacker T.J. Watt in the first round Thursday.
It might have reached a crescendo – to steal a musical term – late Friday night in the third round when they landed the cornerback help it desired in Tennessee’s Cameron Sutton and then grabbed former Pitt star running back James Conner with a compensatory pick at the end of the round.
Saturday?
Well, let’s just say that the Steelers finished off their draft by picking a long snapper in the sixth round.
Nothing against long snappers – every team needs a good one – but they are rarely priority picks. That’s especially true when you consider that the Steelers will have a pair of sixth-round picks, wide receiver Antonio Brown and linebacker Vince Williams, in their starting lineup this season.
But the Steelers really, really liked Louisville’s Colin Holba, the said long snapper.
That’s fine. The Steelers came into this draft as a team without many pressing needs, regardless of the perception in some circles.
They wanted to get an outside linebacker to eventually replace James Harrison, who turns 39 this week.
You can check off that box with Watt.
They wanted to add a receiver to the mix, given the uncertain status of Martavis Bryant and even Sammie Coates. Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster checks off that box, though many questioned the Steelers’ need to take a receiver in the second round.
Those questions were alleviated somewhat in the third round when Sutton fell to them. It’s not often that you can acquire a four-year starter from an SEC school in the third round, but with the depth at the position in this draft, that was the case.
And everyone knows Conner’s story.
He’s a workhorse running back who also spent some time as a defensive end for Pitt. Ideally, backup running backs should also contribute on special teams, and Conner has the capability of not only stepping in and carrying the ball 20 times, if needed, but covering kicks.
“I’m as anxious to see him cover a kick as I am to see him carry the football,” said Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert.
If you’re looking for a theme in this draft, then it’s the Steelers were looking to improve the depth on their roster.
Last year, they were looking for rookies who might come in and contribute early as starters. This year, they were searching for depth and looking to the future.
Watt won’t be expected to start early on, as cornerback Artie Burns, safety Sean Davis or nose tackle Javon Hargrave did last season. And Smith-Schuster won’t be lining up from Day 1 opposite Brown at wide receiver.
Of all of the Steelers’ draft picks, the ones with the best shot to contribute right away are the third rounders, Sutton and Conner, and Holba, the long snapper, assuming he can beat out 35-year-old incumbent Greg Warren.
That might not be enough to quench the thirst of the social media pundits, who questioned what the Steelers had done to close the gap between themselves and the New England Patriots.
The fact is, the Steelers largely have their roster intact from last season and have potentially added a key piece with the return of Bryant from a year-long suspension for violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
If adding a player who has scored 15 touchdowns in 21 career games isn’t enough to close the gap, no rookie was going to make a difference.
The Steelers will trust their system. They’ll allow a young defense, which included three rookie starters last season, to continue to improve.
And, as they did in this draft, they’ll continue to add pieces that might not necessarily make immediate impacts but will help in the long haul.
It might not always be the prettiest tune to listen to, but at the end of the song, you typically find yourself tapping your foot along to the beat.
Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.