Rest of the Steelers Draft Outlook

Most of you already know that I'm not a fan of drafting Jarvis Jones. The Steelers had much bigger needs than Jones but whatever, I'll write about that pick another day.

Here's my list of Steelers biggest needs:


Biggest needs:

1. Running back: The Steelers need a primary running back. They need a running back that can play all three downs and produce in a quality manner. Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer are decent backups but they are not good enough to be your primary starting back.

2. Safety: Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark are both over 30 and Polamalu is one of the most injury-prone players in the NFL. The Steelers also lost both of their backup safeties. They honestly should draft two safeties in this draft.

3. Wide Receiver: The Steelers lost Wallace and will probably lose Emmanuel Sanders after this year to free agency. They failed to sign anyone to help ease the loss of Wallace.

4. Tight end: Heath Miller is over 30 years old and just had knee surgery. He will most likely be out for at least the first six weeks of the season.

5. Cornerback: Ike Taylor is getting older, the Steelers lost their most promising corner in Keenan Lewis and decided to replace him with William Gay of all people. Cortez Allen is decent but they are lacking quality depth.

6. Inside linebacker: This is a tricky one. If Sean Spence can play they might not need to take one this year. If Spence can't play then they have almost have to draft an inside backer.

I think the Steelers need to go safety-running back in whatever order in rounds two, three, and four.


Best available running backs: 

1. Eddie Lacey-Alabama
2. Montee Ball- Wisconsin
3. Johnathan Franklin- UCLA
4. Marcus Lattimore- South Carolina
5. Giovanni Bernard - North Carolina
6. Joseph Randle - Oklahoma State
7. Andre Ellington - Clemson


Best available safeties: 

1. Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
2. Phillip Thomas , Fresno State
3. D.J. Swearinger , South Carolina
4. Shamarko Thomas, Syracuse
5. Duke Williams, Nevada
6. Shawn Williams,  Georgia

Best available wide receivers :

1. Keenan Allen, WR, California
2. Robert Woods, USC
3. Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
4. Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M
5. Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech
6. Stedmon Bailey, WR West Virginia