Jeremy Fowler breaks down the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2017 draft class.
Round 1, No. 30 overall: T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin
My take: Can't knock the need. Pass-rush help was on the menu for Pittsburgh, which now has its James Harrison replacement for 2018 or beyond. Watt will be highly motivated, is a unique athlete and has the Watt pedigree as a younger brother of Houston Texans star J.J. Watt. With plenty of other defensive options available at No. 30 -- including Washington cornerback Kevin King and Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster -- this pick doesn't come without questions. Some evaluators graded Watt as a second-rounder. He started one season at Wisconsin, and though he was productive with 11.5 sacks, he might need time to work his way into the Steelers' nuanced 3-4 defense. This seems like a quality pick, but it won't be a special one unless Watt makes it so.
Christmas clash: Assuming both are healthy, the Watt brothers will play on Christmas Day in Houston. Watt said that will be strange. "I played with him in the backyard a bunch, I've seen him play a bunch, but we've never been on the same field in full uniforms competitively before," Watt said. "I think it will be really cool and a weird day for me." Watt is the first Wisconsin defender to get drafted in the first round since J.J. went 11th overall in 2011.
High five: The Steelers have now used five straight first-round picks on defense (as well as eight of their past nine first- and second-round picks on D since 2013). Four of those five first-rounders were linebackers -- Jarvis Jones (2013), Ryan Shazier (2014), Bud Dupree and Watt. Like Dupree and Shazier before him, Watt brings athleticism to the locker room. The second-team All-American led all front-seven NFL combine participants in the 60-yard shuttle (11.20 seconds). Watt isn't as quick twitch as Dupree but understands how to use his 33-inch arms and 11-inch hands for leverage.
Round 2, No. 62: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
My take: Get Ben Roethlisberger weapons. The Steelers knew they needed to add a playmaker somewhere in the first four rounds and now have a shiny-new toy for Roethlisberger. One concern with Smith-Schuster is whether he can consistently win downfield with speed in a vertical offense. That’s nit-picking at this spot, because Smith-Schuster has ideal size at 6-foot-2, specializes in winning 50-50 balls and is a fiery competitor, which will help him as a blocker at the NFL level. He turned 20 in November. The Steelers like to develop young players. “He plays with a great passion,” Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said. “You can see it on tape.”
How he fits: The Steelers like their receivers interchangeable, so Smith-Schuster could play the slot or the outside. In a three-receiver offense, the Steelers have Antonio Brown outside and Eli Rogers in the slot while Martavis Bryant, Smith-Schuster and others move around in different packages to utilize their skill sets. The Steelers wanted to create competition knowing Bryant is more a bonus than a guarantee coming off suspension. The pressure is now on former third-round pick Sammie Coates to resurge after a rocky 2016 campaign. Shortly after the pick, Bryant took to Twitter to point out Smith-Schuster is “Sammie Coates replacement” and not his, to which Coates replied with a laugh. The gamesmanship is on.
Round 3, No. 94: Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
My take: The Steelers want to play more man coverage in 2017, and Sutton was almost exclusively a man corner at Tennessee. They are opting for depth and creating competition at that spot. Taking a defensive back fairly early in a loaded class was the prudent move. Sutton, the 15th cornerback taken, was a four-year starter at Tennessee, but a fractured ankle cost him half the 2016 season. Perhaps the Steelers are capitalizing on Sutton’s dropped value due to injury. With the Steelers filling needs at outside linebacker and receiver in the first two rounds, they found most of the high-level corners off the board by the 94th pick. Sutton provides good overall value, though.
How he fits: The Steelers believe Sutton can play in the slot or on the outside but want to see how he looks when he arrives for rookie minicamp. The Steelers have trended toward faster defensive players in recent drafts, and Sutton’s size coupled with a 4.52 40 means he must win with technique and physicality. But the Steelers like his leadership qualities as a four-year starter, and he can also return punts if necessary.
Round 3, No. 105: James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
My take: Conner is one of the draft’s best stories because of his cancer survival, but that’s not why the Steelers drafted him No. 105 overall. He’s a bruising 6-foot-2, 240-pound back who complements Le'Veon Bell perfectly. Many expected Conner to slide in the draft, but Conner produced at a high level with 56 touchdowns in 39 games at Pitt. He showed at his pro day that he has good receiving hands, a requirement for any back in the Steelers’ system. The Steelers love his toughness. The late-third round is just about right for Conner, the eighth tailback selected.
How he fits: Bell averaged nearly 30 carries per game a year ago. That’s way too many. Conner can alleviate that burden in a complementary role. Conner’s downhill style will blend well with Bell’s patient running. The Steelers were expected to take a tailback and a wide receiver in this draft, and they took care of both positions on Day 2, drafting USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second round. This draft is about quarterbacks -- covering opposing quarterbacks and keeping quarterback Ben Roethlisberger happy with two new weapons.
Round 4, No. 135: Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee
My take: With the Steelers preferring to fill needs rather than select a quarterback early in the draft, the big-armed Dobbs is the ideal developmental fourth-rounder. He can sit for a few years and learn behind Ben Roethlisberger while the Steelers try to groom him into a future NFL starter. Dobbs is athletic and produced in a power conference, but questions persist about his accuracy. Dobbs completed 61.5 percent of his passes in four seasons at Tennessee. Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner has context for that: Tennessee asked Dobbs to push the ball downfield rather than rely on screen passes that inflate the percentage. The Steelers hit it off with Dobbs during the draft process and believe they’ve strengthened their quarterback room with the addition.
How he fits: Dobbs will compete with Landry Jones, a fourth-round pick in 2013, for the No. 2 job behind Roethlisberger. The Steelers hope Roethlisberger plays many more years, but they gave special attention to quarterbacks in this draft as insurance. The Steelers provide practice reps for second- and third-string quarterbacks, so Dobbs should get to learn on the field regardless of the depth chart. Zach Mettenberger is also on the roster and could push Dobbs for reps in training camp. “I’m not trying to placate anyone. I’m just trying to be the best Josh Dobbs every day,” Dobbs said. “Prepare as a starter, but also treat this like a learning opportunity.”
Round 5, No. 173: Brian Allen, CB, Utah
My take: A classic raw-athlete flier, Allen is just the kind of risk-reward option teams often covet this late in the draft. The numbers say Allen’s potential is extremely high: 6-foot-3, 34-inch arms, 35-inch vertical, 4.48 40. But the former Utes receiver admitted to a tough transition tackling receivers and "playing backwards," which helps explain why he’s a fifth-rounder. The Steelers are exhausting all options at cornerback for the third straight year.
How he fits: The Steelers’ cornerback room is about seven players deep, so Allen might be a practice-squad stash option if it comes to that. But the team sounds convinced Allen is more than a late-round chance. Defensive backs coach Carnell Lake said Allen would have been drafted much higher had he stayed one more season at Utah. The Steelers hope Allen’s size-and-speed combination will make it difficult for NFL quarterbacks to throw over the top of him.
Round 6, No. 213: Colin Holba, LS, Louisville
My take: Talk about conviction. Drafting a long-snapper requires plenty of confidence. The move is curious considering the team re-signed veteran Greg Warren in February. But it’s not unprecedented for NFL standards. The Detroit Lions drafted long-snapper Jimmy Landes in the sixth round last year. Draft reports say Holba’s ball placement and velocity could earn him a late-round pick, so no need to minimize the importance here. But they could have helped other positions, such as inside linebacker or tight end.
How he fits: Teams don’t draft special-teamers without having plans to play him. Holba will have a clear path to start at long-snapper, assuming he’s accurate and executes the game plan. At 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds, Holba could use a little more bulk to his frame for blocking.
Round 7, No. 248: Keion Adams, LB, Western Michigan
My take: The Steelers are stockpiling pass-rushers, which is rarely a bad idea in today’s NFL. The Steelers had late-round success with Anthony Chickillo two years ago, and the move for Adams -- a former basketball player with a good first step -- was made with upside and development in mind. Adams lacks the ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds and will have to overcome that with speed and technique off the edge.
How he fits: Adams will enter camp fighting for third-string snaps with hopes of making the 53-man roster. He could become a practice squad option, depending on what the Steelers do with veterans. First-rounder T.J. Watt and Adams will compete with a four-man rotation returning from last year.